FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A few thoughts on New York Jets Justin Britt Womens Jersey coach Todd Bowles' announcement that Ryan Fitzpatrick, despite having a torn ligament in his left thumb, will start on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars: 1. Frankly, I'm a little surprised Bowles clarified the situation so quickly. All he needed was one practice to determine Fitzpatrick is good to go for Sunday -- a mere two days after expressing pessimism. What can we read into this? It's pretty clear: Bowles would rather take his chances with a slightly compromised Fitzpatrick than a relatively healthy Geno Smith, whose bruised left shoulder appears fine. The gap between Fitzpatrick and Smith never has been greater. 2. Don't let that fancy Harvard education fool you. Fitzpatrick is a tough dude. 3. The Fitzpatrick news created a Luke Willson Youth Jersey palpable sense of relief in the locker room. It's apparent from listening to players that Fitzpatrick has won their trust and they believe he gives them the best chance of winning. Some people might interpret that as an anti-Geno sentiment; I think it's more pro-Fitzpatrick. The Jets (4-3) have dropped two in a row and can't afford a loss on Sunday to the lowly Jaguars. The players know this, and they're grateful Fitzpatrick will be leading them. 4. Smith said he has mixed feelings: happy for Fitzpatrick, disappointed for himself. I came away from Smith's media session thinking he's really bummed about not getting the start this week. He said, "I understand what's going on" and the "message has been sent" that it's Fitzpatrick's job to lose, but you could hear some disappointment in his voice. He could have strengthened his cause by playing better against the Oakland Raiders. I think he knows his future is elsewhere. 5. Naturally, Fitzpatrick downplayed the http://www.seahawksofficialnflonline.com/WOMENS_YOUTH_KEVIN_PIERRELOUIS_JERSEY.html potential impact of the injury, but it's fair to wonder whether the Jets will have to tweak their offense to compensate. Two concerns: Can he handle snaps from under center? Can he grip the ball in his left hand on handoffs to the right side? The Jets are in the shotgun formation about 55 percent of the time, which helps. What about the other 45 percent? An AFC personnel executive suggested the Jets use the pistol formation. If they do, it would be a departure for the Jets, who have run only 15 plays out of the pistol.