How Sam Darnold could set a new record against the Patriots on Sunday

FOXBOROUGH — What might have been. Or still could be, according to Todd Bowles.

If Sam Darnold — who didn’t practice on Wednesday, and appears to be doubtful for Thursday — finds a way to play Sunday against the Patriots, he would be the youngest starting quarterback to face the Patriots in the Bill Belichick Era.

In a year where there’s been a lot of talk about the youth movement under center — as well as the fact Belichick has routinely treated quarterbacks who are 25-and-under like the youngsters that they are at Gillette — this would be the ultimate test. On Sunday, Darnold will be 21 years, 173 days — the youngest quarterback to ever start against Belichick in his New England tenure.

In addition, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, if Darnold ends up squaring off against Tom Brady, it’ll mark the largest age gap (19 years, 306 days) between two starting quarterbacks facing one another since the 1970 merger.

Darnold would be the first quarterback 22 or under to ever make a start in his rookie against Belichick and the Patriots, beating out Houston’s Deshaun Watson in 2017 (22 years, 10 days), Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota in 2015 (22 years, 51 days) and Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 (22 years, 243 days).


(For the record, rookie Josh Freeman appeared in relief in a 2009 game between the Patriots and Tampa Bay. In that one, he was 21 years, 285 days.)

If it’s not Darnold, look for the Jets to go with 39-year-old veteran backup Josh McCown, who has gone 17-for-34 for 135 yards in his lone start this season.

“He gave us a run for our money a year ago,” de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores said of McCown, who went 31-for-47 for 354 yards with two touchdowns and two picks in a 24-17 loss to New England last season.

“He really handles the offense well – you know, he goes in there and they don’t miss a beat. He really does a good job as a scrambler, does a good job in the pocket.”

Of course, the idea of Darnold out there Sunday has to appeal to Belichick: Since 2000, rookie quarterbacks are just 5-17 against him with 21 TDs, 32 INTs and a 54 percent completion rate, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

One weird quirk to those totals, however? As Jets’ rookies, Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez actually managed to beat Belichick and the Pats in their first year in the league.

As a rookie, Smith did it in 2013 when he went 17-for-33 with 233 yards, one touchdown pass and an interception in a 30-27 overtime win for the Jets.

And Sanchez did it in his second career start in the NFL with a similarly pedestrian line of 14-for-22 with 163 yards and a touchdown in a weird 16-9 triumph against the Patriots.

If he can go, could Darnold be the latest Jets' quarterback to upset New England as a rookie?

“(He’s) a big, strong guy,” Belichick said of the Jets’ first-rounder on Tuesday. “He’s got a good arm, (and can) make all the throws. A lot of talent.”

“He’s got a quick release,” Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore said of Darnold. “He can put the ball anywhere on the field. He’s very aggressive and has playmakers around him.”

On Wednesday, it appeared the Jets were trying to play things as close to the vest when it came to their quarterback situation. Darnold’s foot injury has kept him on the sideline since Nov. 4, but Bowles wouldn’t officially rule him out in a conference call with New England reporters. Meanwhile, Darnold sounded an optimistic note about his chances this weekend.

“Every single day, I feel like I'm progressing so much more and doing so much more in terms of running,” Darnold told reporters Wednesday. “Hopefully I can do a little bit more (Thursday) and see where we go from there.”

Gamesmanship, or just game-planning? Belichick sounds prepared either way.

“Every week, we’re one play away from playing the other quarterback, whoever the starter is,” he shrugged. “So, we have to be ready for both (Darnold and McCown). That’s the way it is every week.”