The water is rising around him, but with Sam Dornold three weeks left this season, he is trying to keep his head above all else – and, his jets life.
After a 40-3 defeat to the Seahawks 0-13 on Sunday, the Jets moved into three games of the unbeaten season – Lawrence coming in with a chance to pick the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and Clemson quarterback Trevor. Lawrence’s cry grows louder until the Jets’ season drags on, but Dornold still believes he can be part of a long-term solution.
“I like it here,” Dornald said Monday at a conference call. “I love the people here. I love living here.
“I’ve always said that. I want to be a jet for life. But again, I don’t need that decision. But I feel that way.”
Just three years ago, Dornald was a college quarterback, he was seen as a potential Jets rescuer, but after finishing 3rd overall in 2018, his career at Florham Park did not go as planned. He finished strong last season, but the 23-year-old has been pushed back this season, and as a result, the Jets are in a key position to make his succession next April.
However, Dornald said he was not worried about speculation about his future and was confident in himself.
“I believe in myself as a quarterback and a player in this league,” Dornald said. “Obviously I don’t have that result, but I’m always going to trust myself. I’m very confident that I can go out there on Sundays and play good football.”
That was not enough for Dornold, however, especially recently. When he finished 14 of 26 passes for 132 yards, he had another extraordinary performance against the Seahawks on Sunday. He had almost three interceptions, but the Seahawks dropped all three they had.
Coach Adam Case, who acknowledged that this month was not enough to help his quarterback grow, said Monday that Dornald was not the reason for his struggles.
“It has to be not just him, it has to be around him,” Case said. “Everybody has to do their job. We need tax to do their job, back to do their job, tight edges, getting wide. He can make the right decisions in his readings, but he can’t catch it guys. He guys can’t be in the right places. We all need 11 . ”
Dornald has thrown only two touchdowns in his last six games, with the Jets scoring more than 10 points at one point during that extension. When Dornald was sidelined by a shoulder injury this season, the Jets’ passing game could have been consistent for two positions with Joe Flacco, who said Case Dornold should continue his struggles.
“Guys we need to see him continue to fight,” Case said. “We had to mobilize all our comrades around him, especially offensively, and we started to do better as a team.”
There are only three opportunities to do that this season. Jets Lawrence and Dornold are starting a big office that could turn into a business candidate, which could get a change of scenery that helped more drafted quarterbacks like Ryan Danehill.
But for now, Dornald has a lean on those around him.
“It can be hard sometimes,” he said. “But like I said, I have a huge support system around me. Again, I believe in myself and my abilities. It was never going to shake. ”