FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:

1. QB quandary: Much to the chagrin of the fan base, coach Todd Bowles has stood by Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the coach is in a unique situation Sunday. He can honor that commitment while introducing the world to Bryce Petty, the people's choice.

If Bowles decides a healthy, but unproven Petty gives him a better chance to beat the Los Angeles Rams than a sore-kneed Fitzpatrick, he can spin it as a "coach's decision" based on injury. The downside is minimal for a coach whose popularity is sinking, in part, because of his handling of the quarterbacks.

If the Jets lose and Petty stinks it up, Bowles can return to Fitzpatrick after the bye week, making him the sacrificial lamb against the New England Patriots. He can always go back to Petty after that.

What if Petty beats the Rams? Would Bowles bail on Fitzpatrick? Ordinarily, you don't want to see a coach do a quick about-face, but this is no ordinary situation. I think there would be protesters at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 27 if Bowles sent a 1-0 Petty back to the bench.

Never a dull moment with the Jets and their quarterbacks.

2. Changes looming? If Bowles survives the season -- and I think he will -- it wouldn't be a surprise if he makes changes on his staff. "Status quo" would be a tough sell, especially if they continue to sputter. One guy on the hot seat is offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, whose unit has regressed this season.

The Jets re-signed Fitzpatrick, in large part, because of his relationship with Gailey. They were terrific last season. But Fitzpatrick has played his way out of the team's future, and that undoubtedly will have an impact on Gailey.

Gailey raised eyebrows last week when he admitted he misjudged the distance on a third-and-1 play in Miami. From his press-box view, he thought it was third-and-2, maybe longer, so he called a pass -- incomplete. By the time he realized he was wrong, it was too late. He admitted he may have changed his call. Kudos for honesty, but it will only fuel that narrative that, at 64, he's past his best years.

3. Historically bad on D: Every player that wears the green and white should cringe if his team ever draws a comparison to the 1996 Jets, who finished 1-15. You don't want to go there. Well, sorry to bring this up, but ...

The Jets are allowing 26.1 points per game, their highest single-season average since 28.4 in (take a deep breath) 1996.

They still have to face the New England Patriots twice, so that average could rise.

4. What's in a nickname? Remember when Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson were part of the "Sons of Anarchy" defensive line? Their partner, Damon Harrison, is gone, but I'd say the name still fits, considering recent events.

5. Just call him Pinocchio: Richardson said he's been late to only one meeting this season. Remarkably, his nose wasn't growing as he spoke. I can tell you this: There was more to his one-quarter benching than one lateness. Does anybody believe one transgression would result in the same punishment as Wilkerson, who fessed up to a missed walk-through and lateness on multiple occasions? Come on.

While we're on the subject ...

Here's one thing that doesn't add up: Why wasn't Wilkerson disciplined for skipping the Oct. 22 walk-through? He didn't play the next day because of an injury, but he was back in the lineup the following week. The law-and-order coach should've sat him for the first quarter of he Oct. 29 game in Cleveland.

6. You call this progress? Blunders by the special-teams unit have directly contributed to two losses, mostly recently last week. They're on their fifth coordinator in the last five years, and it's still the same ineptitude. The Jets seem incapable of winning a game with a big play on special teams.

Their last kickoff return for a touchdown? Joe McKnight (2012). The last punt return for a touchdown? Jeremy Kerley (2012). The last blocked punt? Antonio Allen (2013). The last blocked field goal? Muhammad Wilkerson (2013). In each category, the opposition has done it more recently.

Wait, here's a positive: No one has returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown against the Jets since 1980.

You know that's coming soon.

7. Embarrassing moments: Admit it, you laughed Thursday night when the Cleveland Browns burned a timeout before the first play because they had 12 players on the field. Well, you shouldn't have been so quick to mock the winless Brownies because the Jets did the same thing in 2014 against the Kansas City Chiefs, except they had to burn the timeout because they had only 10 on the field. Until Thursday, the Jets were the last team to do it, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

8. From Patriots to Jets in one night: Defensive lineman Anthony Johnson was sitting on the sofa in his Foxborough, Massachusetts, apartment at 6:30 p.m. last Monday when he received a call from his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

"Great news," Rosenhaus told him. "You're going to New York."

The Jets wanted to sign Johnson, a member of the New England Patriots' practice squad, to their 53-man roster. He started packing immediately. The Jets sent a car service at 8:30 and, by midnight, he was in New Jersey. Yep, things move fast in the NFL.

Johnson, undrafted out of LSU in 2014, thought he had a future in New England, especially after playing 43 snaps in two of the first three games. But he quickly learned the Patriot Way isn't always rainbows and sunshine.

"The way New England runs everything, the way Bill Belichick handles it, it's a different system," Johnson told me. "You can start one game and get cut the next game and go to the practice squad, and you don't know why. That place operates a lot different than the other 31 teams in the NFL."

Johnson said he's thankful to Belichick for the chance, but added, "I'm looking forward to showing the NFL who Anthony Johnson really is."

9. No longer Magic Mike: Tough week for general manager Mike Maccagnan, who saw two offseason acquisitions bite the dust -- Ryan Clady (injured reserve) and Jarvis Jenkins (released). The Jenkins move never made sense. They committed $3 million guaranteed to a backup at a position of strength. Clady was worth a shot, considering they gave up only a fifth-round pick, but he couldn't beat the injury bug. This time it was a torn rotator cuff.

10. One-armed tackle: Clady's linemates were blown away by the toughness he exhibited over the last month, playing through severe pain in his left shoulder. Because it was his outside shoulder, the veteran left tackle struggled to block speed rushers on wide moves. He was able to practice only three times over the last three weeks, leading to his shut-down.