The New York Jets will look to take some momentum into Week 10 after their victory against the Houston Texans on Thursday.
The Jets made a big change prior to the win, placing starting kicker Greg Zuerlein on injured reserve with a left knee injury. That move led to the team signing Riley Patterson to the active roster, who went three-for-three on extra points against Houston.
Prior to his injury, Zuerlein was struggling to make kicks for New York, going nine-for-15 on field goal attempts, and 13-for-14 on extra point attempts.
When speaking to media on Wednesday, general manager Joe Douglas made it clear that the team has not given up on Zuerlein.
"We all still believe in Z," said Douglas. "Obviously, he struggled with some of the mechanics and had a little tweak here. I think this is a good opportunity for him to hit the reset button. No one is giving up on Zuerlein coming back here and helping us win games and possibly win a championship. This is a great opportunity for him to get right. He is loved and respected by everyone in this building."
It's currently unclear how much time Zuerlein will miss, but even if Douglas claims he will start once he returns, it would be hard for the team to place him back in the lineup if Patterson continues to make kicks.
New York's matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday may end up being crucial, especially since Patterson has yet to attempt an actual field goal.
