Jets' brutal Week 3 loss shows how much they need Justin Fields

The New York Jets lost their third consecutive game to begin the Aaron Glenn era, falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by a final score of 29-27 in Week 3. And if that loss proved one thing, it's that the Jets need Justin Fields.

This isn't to say that Tyrod Taylor was especially bad against the Bucs, especially given the bar that was set by Fields the previous week. The veteran QB finished the game completing 26-of-36 passes for 197 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

Much of that production came in the fourth quarter, when the Jets put together consecutive 10+ play touchdown drives to rally back from down 23-6. But for three quarters, this offense was nearly as inept as it was a week ago.

The Bucs were able to completely sell out on the run, sending six or more rushers after Taylor virtually every play. The result was a quarterback and an offense that had nearly a third of their plays go for zero or negative yards through the first three quarters.

Despite the Jets' late comeback bid, that's not sustainable. The Jets need Fields.

Jets' Week 3 loss to the Bucs proves they need Justin Fields at QB

Let's be clear about one thing first: Fields' Week 2 performance was one of the worst by a Jets quarterback in years — and that's saying a lot. The former Ohio State star finished the game 3-of-11 for 27 yards before exiting with a concussion in the fourth quarter.

The Jets can't have games like that from Fields. But his Week 1 performance provided the blueprint of what the ceiling of this Jets offense can be.

The Jets leaned on their ground game, keeping defense honest with the threat of Fields' rushing ability. Fields was effective and efficient as a passer, notably pushing the ball downfield when given the opportunity.

Despite Taylor's fourth-quarter efficiency, the Jets' offense just isn't able to function the same way without Fields under center. Tampa Bay stacked the box and dared Taylor to throw the back over the middle of the field. For three quarters of the game, he couldn't.

The floor of the offense will always be lower with Fields under center, as evidenced by what we saw in Week 2. But the ceiling of the unit is also significantly higher with him at quarterback instead of Taylor.

Defenses aren’t worried about Taylor taking off and running. While he’s still a capable runner at this stage of his career, he lacks the playmaking ability that Fields brings.

This Jets offense already lacks explosiveness, even when Fields is in the game. Removing him from the equation only magnifies those flaws, leaving the unit predictable and easy to contain.

The goal for this Jets team should be to evaluate not only Fields but the rest of their offense. The only way to do that is to stick to the blueprint and try to recapture the magic of that Week 1 performance.

Once Fields is healthy and clears concussion protocol, there should be no debate. He's this team's starting quarterback until further notice.

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