HEADLINE

Bowles won’t say if Jets QB Darnold will start

The Sports Xchange

December 07, 2018 at 1:17 pm.

New York Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold participated fully in practice for the third straight day on Friday, but head coach Todd Bowles would not say if he will return to the starting lineup on the road against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Darnold returned to practice a week ago before missing his third game because of a right foot injury and worked with the first team this week. Bowles didn’t say if Darnold of Josh McCown, who replaced Darnold, would start against the Bills.

“Between him and Josh, they both had good weeks,” said Bowles, who also was asked what Darnold needs to improve on in the final weeks of his first season.

“Well everything. Obviously as a rookie quarterback you’re going to have improve on everything every week, and that’s any one of our rookies at any position. He’s got to get better with reads, and he will with playing time and everything else and progressions and getting in and out of the huddle, which he had been doing a good job at before he got hurt.”

The 6-3, 225-pound Darnold, the third pick of the 2018 draft by the Jets out of USC, has completed 159 of 289 passes, 55 percent, for 1,934 yards and 11 touchdowns with 14 interceptions while being sacked 21 times. He also has rushed for 61 yards and a score.