FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- After an abbreviated debut with the New York Jets, former All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is poised to make his re-debut Sunday.
Fitzpatrick, who missed two games after injuring his groin on the sixth play of the season opener, practiced fully Thursday and proclaimed himself ready to play against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
He will rejoin a secondary mired in a historic interception drought. The Jets have gone 20 consecutive games without an interception -- 632 pass attempts, to be exact.
"It would be very nice, very sweet" to make the slump-busting interception in his return, Fitzpatrick said with a smile.
It was a frustrating September for Fitzpatrick, one of the Jets' key offseason additions. He was acquired from the Miami Dolphins in a trade and signed a three-year, $40 million contract.
Then came opening day against the Tennessee Titans.
"I started watching film on Tennessee probably in June, so I felt really, really locked in, really in tune with how the game was going to go and how it was going to flow," Fitzpatrick said. "And then six plays in, what happened happened.
"I tried my best to finish the game, but as a DB with the groin, it's kind of tough. So it was frustrating, but also at the same time, you still have to stay locked in. You can't be mad in those circumstances. I was still trying to help the teammates in the best way we can."
The Jets (1-2) have performed reasonably well without Fitzpatrick, who was replaced in the lineup by former starter Andre Cisco. Their defense is second in yards allowed (258 per game) and 12th in scoring (20.3 points), but it has only one takeaway -- a fumble recovery in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers.
It's a familiar theme; the Jets had only four takeaways last season, a league mark for futility.
"I look at it like this: We just have to keep scratching, clawing and fighting and they'll come our way," said coach Aaron Glenn, the defensive playcaller this season.
The Bears still haven't announced whether Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent will start in place of the injured Caleb Williams (hamstring). The Jets say they're preparing for both backups.
They know Ben Johnson's offense can be confusing, with its myriad formations and pre-snap motion. Fitzpatrick, a three-time first-team All-Pro, is a cerebral player who can be a steadying presence in the secondary.
"I think A.G. has gotten in a groove and has really figured out what he wants us to be as a defense in regards to schematics," Fitzpatrick, 29, said of Glenn. "So I think this week would just be the week that all things are clicking."
