Jets boxed themselves into impossible corner with Todd Bowles

[Ken Schroy]

  Jets boxed themselves into impossible corner with Todd Bowles

 

There was a distinct tone in Todd Bowles’ voice in the aftermath of the Jets 31-19 loss to the Saints on Sunday in New Orleans that made it sound as if he doesn’t have a worry in the world about his future as the Jets head coach. Bowles sounded like a coach who’s merely in the middle of his rebuild of a Jets team that had just been officially eliminated from the playoffs, assuring a seventh consecutive playoff-less season as coal in the Christmas stockings of its famished fan base. And he sounded OK with it. Bowles sure didn’t sound like a beleaguered coach who has lost 20 of his last 30 games (after a 10-6 first year) and should be wondering whether he’ll be brought back for a fourth season. “This is going to turn,’’ Bowles said, sounding very much like someone expecting to be a part of that turn. “I believe we have a good core group. We’ve got to eliminate the number of the mistakes … and we’re going to be right there.’’ Right where? That’s the question. There’s been no indication from Jets management that Bowles has been assured (verbally or otherwise) of anything regarding his future by ownership. So, what gives? This: The fact that Jets owner Woody Johnson boxed himself into a corner on Bowles’ future when he told reporters before this season that the coach would not be evaluated on wins and losses.

“The way I want to be judged this year, hopefully from the fans’ standpoint, is watch how we improve during the year, look at each individual on the team and see how they’re getting better,” Johnson said in the spring. “If they’re getting better, that’s a mark of progress. That’s what we’re looking for.” If Johnson is going to hold himself to his words, then it’s likely the Jets will be faced with the lukewarm decision to hand Bowles a modest contract extension despite three straight seasons out of the playoffs under his watch. Because it is difficult to argue against the fact that the Jets do have some young, developing talent that has made strides this season. “There are lot of guys that are coming on and coming on together, and that gives us hope,’’ Bowles said Monday. Still, it feels more than a bit uncomfortable that many are celebrating the Jets for winning five games this season. It feels somewhat soft that they’re being praised for being competitive in all but two of their 14 games, including Sunday’s closer-than-expected loss to the Saints, who were 16 ½-point favorites. Since when do we dole out medals for trying around here? The fact is the Jets, who’ve lost seven of their last nine games, have benefitted greatly from the ridiculously low expectations placed upon them before this season. I never bought into the talk of the Jets going 0-16 or even the notion of them winning only one or two games. Their defense had enough talent to keep most games close, and veteran Josh McCown, though universally dismissed as a player when he was signed, is a professional quarterback.

Yet, when you listen to the Jets players — and even Bowles now — you hear them referring to those low expectations and patting themselves on the back for surpassing them, winning more games than most expected them to. “We won five games, so we surpassed your guys’ [media] expectations of going 0-16,’’ receiver Jermaine Kearse said. “They said we were going to win zero games this year,’’ cornerback Buster Skrine said. “I know that everybody that watches our team play knows our team is growing. Our team knows we’re a good team.’’ The Jets are in the complicated position of assessing who they are — an overachieving team on the rise with developing young talent or a team in need of a lot of help considering they’re 10-20 in their last 30 games? “There are some things we’re doing good out there, some things we can continue to build off of,’’ Kearse said. “I don’t think we’re far away. There have been games we didn’t finish that we could have [won] — three or four games we gave up ourselves. We win those games and we’re in playoff contention. “But the reality is that we didn’t and we’re stuck in this situation. So, what are we going to do to get ourselves out of this situation?’’ Whatever they do, it appears they’ll be doing it with Bowles coaching them.

Well I guess when you win 5 games instead of 2 or 3 you are a sucksess in Jets world. Reading articles like this is sickening but reality here.

[shuler82]

The fault in that logic is that it would be one thing if the team was being competitive with a group of young core players who were being coached up and contributing. It's another when it's being led by a 38 year old QB and a collection of players on short term deals who may or may not be part of the team's future. Sure, that falls on Mac. But i just don't see the improvement with Bowles to justify bringing him back. Not in game planning, not on game decisions, not with managing the locker room.. He may not be the be all and end all of the team's problems, but this organization will never take the next step with Bowles running the ship.

[Integrity28]

Nobody shoots for the middle like the New Jersey Jets.

[Kleckineau]

Evidently Bowles was an early adopter of the no losers / everyone gets a trophy philosophy.

[ChuckkieB]

We need a coach and GM that do not accept mediocrity.  Participation trophies don't challenge players, it coddles them.  I want to root for a team that shoots for greatness every year and is pushed to excel by the organization and held accountable if they fail to deliver. 

[section314]

5 minutes ago, ChuckkieB said:

We need a coach and GM that do not accept mediocrity.  Participation trophies don't challenge players, it coddles them.  I want to root for a team that shoots for greatness every year and is pushed to excel by the organization and held accountable if they fail to deliver. 

 

[drsamuel84]

17 minutes ago, shuler82 said:

The fault in that logic is that it would be one thing if the team was being competitive with a group of young core players who were being coached up and contributing. It's another when it's being led by a 38 year old QB and a collection of players on short term deals who may or may not be part of the team's future. Sure, that falls on Mac. But i just don't see the improvement with Bowles to justify bringing him back. Not in game planning, not on game decisions, not with managing the locker room.. He may not be the be all and end all of the team's problems, but this organization will never take the next step with Bowles running the ship.

That actually falls on ownership for creating the structure they created.  Bowles is doing what he thinks gives the team the best chance to win and honestly, who can blame him he's been given no assurances beyond this year and even if it's not here he has to be thinking about his future in the league.  On the otherhand you also have a GM who has no power over the coach in regards to who plays and who doesn't.  In some organizations with the right owner who's more hands on and knows football that can work but for the Jet it makes no sense as neither Woody or his brother are "Football Guys" who should be involved in personal decisions.  If you want a structure with the HC and GM on the same level then they should've followed the Jaguars structure and hired a Tom Coughlin type that the coach and GM report into.   

[ASH1962]

"The Wall of Gaylord" has now officially been changed to "The Wall of Bowltite" where they can now pin all of their 4th place finishes, moral victories, details about getting blown out of games but being in the game for the first half and so on. Glad to be a fan of this franchise, really.

[Lith]

We started the season 3-2.

We are 2-7 in the last 9.

We have given up 120 points in the last 4.

We still have no QB, no edge rusher, no #1CB going into next season, no feature back under 30 and an OL full of question marks.

Is that progress?

[SenorGato]

This is the least impossible corner the franchise has ever been in. They’re not committed to sh*t payroll wise, have gotten good QB play more often than not under whoever you want to credit 2015-2017,  they compete against better teams despite a massive gap in talent, young players are slowly starting to pop up...I’m not for or against Bowles but these seem like some pretty big positives in setting up a quick turnaround. 

[Matt39]

1 minute ago, Lith said:

We started the season 3-2.

We are 2-7 in the last 9.

We have given up 120 points in the last 4.

We still have no QB, no edge rusher, no #1CB going into next season, no feature back under 30 and an OL full of question marks.

Is that progress?

The team is most likely going to be worse next year.

[FidelioJet]

The problem is the Jets are a shoot for a wildcard organization.  Their plan is to keep all games close and hope to once in a while find 10 wins and sneak into the playoffs.  Great year is 10 wins, bad year is 5 - usually they'll fall somewhere in between...that's who they are - If they had a few breaks - got luck in some of the close games they would be fighting for a wildcard.  

That seems to be their organizational philosophy - which is the only way to explain this fascination with drafting interior defensive players and playing stable yet ineffective veteran QB's.

Until this ownership understands that offense is the way to long-term sustained success and that you might end up being a 1 or 2 win team if you miss on the QB - we're doomed to this 5-10 win franchise.

[rangerous]

2 minutes ago, SenorGato said:

This is the least impossible corner the franchise has ever been in. They’re not committed to sh*t payroll wise, have gotten good QB play more often than not under whoever you want to credit 2015-2017,  they compete against better teams despite a massive gap in talent, young players are slowly starting to pop up...I’m not for or against Bowles but these seem like some pretty big positives in setting up a quick turnaround. 

i think you're mostly right.  i can take or leave bowles.  imo the best thing that come from this season is finding out if bowles is the right guy for the future.  strong showing against the chargers and the patsies will be positive steps.  on the other hand if they come out unprepared like against the broncos, it should be time to change.

as for next season, who knows.  it rides on who they draft and if they address the qb position with an eye on the future.

[The Crusher]

19 minutes ago, drsamuel84 said:

That actually falls on ownership for creating the structure they created.  Bowles is doing what he thinks gives the team the best chance to win and honestly, who can blame him he's been given no assurances beyond this year and even if it's not here he has to be thinking about his future in the league.  On the otherhand you also have a GM who has no power over the coach in regards to who plays and who doesn't.  In some organizations with the right owner who's more hands on and knows football that can work but for the Jet it makes no sense as neither Woody or his brother are "Football Guys" who should be involved in personal decisions.  If you want a structure with the HC and GM on the same level then they should've followed the Jaguars structure and hired a Tom Coughlin type that the coach and GM report into.   

Football guys? Have we even established they are guys yet ? Am I allowed to ask that? 

[SenorGato]

It’s funny to think that if they sign Cousins they’re getting nearly a decade younger at QB. 

[MDL_JET]

13 minutes ago, Lith said:

We started the season 3-2.

We are 2-7 in the last 9.

We have given up 120 points in the last 4.

We still have no QB, no edge rusher, no #1CB going into next season, no feature back under 30 and an OL full of question marks.

Is that progress?

No worries. We'll have 2-3 of those solved by next season. Including the QB. Trust the process.

[Jetsplayer21]

He came from a losing orgsnization, he is use it too 

[JustInFudge]

 The only measurable meaningful category in which the Jets have shown improvement is offensive pts per game they went from 30 to 20.  This can be attributed to both better QB play and an easier schedule. Which is ironic considering they were recently held scoreless.  Overall, the offense hasn't been very good.  So I cant really look at it and say its better than last year.  I guess the WR's are better, maybe?  

Defense?  They're not better at all.  In fact, after revamping their terrible secondary, they went from 11th overall in yards to 24th and have given up the  2nd most passing TD's in the NFL.  They went from 28 to 26 in ppg allowed.  So... Improvement!!!???!!!

 

[Ex-Rex]

1 hour ago, shuler82 said:

The fault in that logic is that it would be one thing if the team was being competitive with a group of young core players who were being coached up and contributing. It's another when it's being led by a 38 year old QB and a collection of players on short term deals who may or may not be part of the team's future. Sure, that falls on Mac. But i just don't see the improvement with Bowles to justify bringing him back. Not in game planning, not on game decisions, not with managing the locker room.. He may not be the be all and end all of the team's problems, but this organization will never take the next step with Bowles running the ship.

Very faulty logic indeed, but we have come to expect that from our feckless ownership. Bowles is NOT a good HC and that is the way it is. Simply put, the Jets - once again - got a few meaningless wins with veterans leading the way at QB, WR, LB and DL and not young guys. The young guys we have show promise but I doubt they will take the next step with Bowles at the helm.

[Ex-Rex]

58 minutes ago, ChuckkieB said:

We need a coach and GM that do not accept mediocrity.  Participation trophies don't challenge players, it coddles them.  I want to root for a team that shoots for greatness every year and is pushed to excel by the organization and held accountable if they fail to deliver. 

Indeed. I would tell some of these guys that think they are good that they need to win more than five friggin games a year to be called good. These guys think they get trophies for trying hard. Rich Kotite used to give them out all the time and the team got worse each year. With Bowles, I see the same pattern.

[Warfish]

2 hours ago, Ken Shroy said:

  Yet, when you listen to the Jets players — and even Bowles now — you hear them referring to those low expectations and patting themselves on the back for surpassing them, winning more games than most expected them to. “We won five games, so we surpassed your guys’ [media] expectations of going 0-16,’’

So very Jetsy.

Exhibit A why the NEw York sports media should be ignored.  Bowles keeping his job because a bunch of truly ignorant New York sports media heads went full-retard-hyperbole in their "predictions" of the Jets as a 0-16 team.....f' me man.  That is just peak Jetsyness.

If only we all got such breaks in life, some chucklehead sets exceedingly low (false) expectations, and when even the most minor effort exceeds them, declare victory and keep your job.  What a life.

[UnitedWhofans]

2 hours ago, FidelioJet said:

The problem is the Jets are a shoot for a wildcard organization.  Their plan is to keep all games close and hope to once in a while find 10 wins and sneak into the playoffs.  Great year is 10 wins, bad year is 5 - usually they'll fall somewhere in between...that's who they are - If they had a few breaks - got luck in some of the close games they would be fighting for a wildcard.  

That seems to be their organizational philosophy - which is the only way to explain this fascination with drafting interior defensive players and playing stable yet ineffective veteran QB's.

Until this ownership understands that offense is the way to long-term sustained success and that you might end up being a 1 or 2 win team if you miss on the QB - we're doomed to this 5-10 win franchise.

IN the AFC East, they really dont have a choice

[UnitedWhofans]

2 hours ago, JiF said:

 The only measurable meaningful category in which the Jets have shown improvement is offensive pts per game they went from 30 to 20.  This can be attributed to both better QB play and an easier schedule. Which is ironic considering they were recently held scoreless.  Overall, the offense hasn't been very good.  So I cant really look at it and say its better than last year.  I guess the WR's are better, maybe?  

Defense?  They're not better at all.  In fact, after revamping their terrible secondary, they went from 11th overall in yards to 24th and have given up the  2nd most passing TD's in the NFL.  They went from 28 to 26 in ppg allowed.  So... Improvement!!!???!!!

 

To be honest, and I've thought this for awhile, using yards given up as a benchmark to judge a defense is not good. 

Getting in between the 20s is too easy nowadays. 

What's also interesting is that for 2 of the 3 years Bowles ad Macc have been here they have gotten solid QB play from veterans. Veterans having career years.

 

 

[UnitedWhofans]

AS to the offense, there were people saying that the Jets could end up being one of the lowest scoring offenses in the HISTORY of the NFL.

The record is the 1992 Seahawks who in 16 games scored 140 points (8.8 pts/game)

[Gastineau Lives]

3 hours ago, Lith said:

We started the season 3-2.

We are 2-7 in the last 9.

We have given up 120 points in the last 4.

We still have no QB, no edge rusher, no #1CB going into next season, no feature back under 30 and an OL full of question marks.

Is that progress?

Um, hello, it's called learning how to win.

[FidelioJet]

47 minutes ago, UnitedWhofans said:

IN the AFC East, they really dont have a choice

No, you shoot to win - if you end up not winning, against possibly the best team in NFL history, that's okay...

The Jet's organization philosophy is to maintain a low floor which also means a low ceiling.  They're not trying to build a winner, they're trying to make sure they don't have a bad loser.  Two very different things.

[Scott Dierking]

3 hours ago, Matt39 said:

The team is most likely going to be worse next year.

oh

[JustInFudge]

1 hour ago, Warfish said:

So very Jetsy.

Exhibit A why the NEw York sports media should be ignored.  Bowles keeping his job because a bunch of truly ignorant New York sports media heads went full-retard-hyperbole in their "predictions" of the Jets as a 0-16 team.....f' me man.  That is just peak Jetsyness.

If only we all got such breaks in life, some chucklehead sets exceedingly low (false) expectations, and when even the most minor effort exceeds them, declare victory and keep your job.  What a life.

The best part of this was how the rallying cry went from: we're not tanking, our goal is the Super Bowl every single year.. to.. we've won 5 games and you all predicted zero so we've had a good season and exceeded expectations. 

[Matt39]

7 minutes ago, Scott Dierking said:

oh

Where are they getting better? Unless Mccown is back (which would be silly) to stabilize a bad roster again it's hard to see improvement. Too many needs at important positions to see much improvement next season. The good players unfortunately arent difference makers. There's no QB, no LT(no line really) no early down back under 30, no pass rusher, no corner, no return specialist. Pass rushers and QB's dont hit free agency....

We're going to be looking at a rookie QB with a bad roster. Next year is year 1.

[JustInFudge]

24 minutes ago, UnitedWhofans said:

To be honest, and I've thought this for awhile, using yards given up as a benchmark to judge a defense is not good. 

Getting in between the 20s is too easy nowadays. 

What's also interesting is that for 2 of the 3 years Bowles ad Macc have been here they have gotten solid QB play from veterans. Veterans having career years.

 

 

I would typically agree but when you completely revamp your secondary and you proceed to go from 11 to 20 and have given up the 2nd most passing TD's in the NFL, it's probably a good way to reinforce what you're seeing game day. The defense is terrible.  The more meaningful stat is pts per game allowed and the Jets went from 28th in the league to 26th. Couple it altogether, not a good look for a team with a former DC and secondary coach who pours all his valuable assets into the defense.

There is nothing interesting about getting the exact type of QB performances that you've come to expect from 12+ years of Fitz and McCown being in the NFL.  Nothing at all.  The better word would be depressing. 

[joewilly12]

The hiring of Todd Bowles was a knee jerk reaction by owner Woody Johnson there were many better candidates for the position and there still are today as we speak. We are 3 years into Todd Bowles with zero improvements on and off the field, game day mistakes, failure to make adjustments, play smart football and win games.  

The day Todd Bowles is fired and we don't have a HC we will be an improved franchise. Until then settle for mediocre sloppy football with a team that quits. 

@Jet Nut   LOL 

[T0mShane]

4 hours ago, Ken Shroy said:

  Jets boxed themselves into impossible corner with Todd Bowles

 

There was a distinct tone in Todd Bowles’ voice in the aftermath of the Jets 31-19 loss to the Saints on Sunday in New Orleans that made it sound as if he doesn’t have a worry in the world about his future as the Jets head coach. Bowles sounded like a coach who’s merely in the middle of his rebuild of a Jets team that had just been officially eliminated from the playoffs, assuring a seventh consecutive playoff-less season as coal in the Christmas stockings of its famished fan base. And he sounded OK with it. Bowles sure didn’t sound like a beleaguered coach who has lost 20 of his last 30 games (after a 10-6 first year) and should be wondering whether he’ll be brought back for a fourth season. “This is going to turn,’’ Bowles said, sounding very much like someone expecting to be a part of that turn. “I believe we have a good core group. We’ve got to eliminate the number of the mistakes … and we’re going to be right there.’’ Right where? That’s the question. There’s been no indication from Jets management that Bowles has been assured (verbally or otherwise) of anything regarding his future by ownership. So, what gives? This: The fact that Jets owner Woody Johnson boxed himself into a corner on Bowles’ future when he told reporters before this season that the coach would not be evaluated on wins and losses.

“The way I want to be judged this year, hopefully from the fans’ standpoint, is watch how we improve during the year, look at each individual on the team and see how they’re getting better,” Johnson said in the spring. “If they’re getting better, that’s a mark of progress. That’s what we’re looking for.” If Johnson is going to hold himself to his words, then it’s likely the Jets will be faced with the lukewarm decision to hand Bowles a modest contract extension despite three straight seasons out of the playoffs under his watch. Because it is difficult to argue against the fact that the Jets do have some young, developing talent that has made strides this season. “There are lot of guys that are coming on and coming on together, and that gives us hope,’’ Bowles said Monday. Still, it feels more than a bit uncomfortable that many are celebrating the Jets for winning five games this season. It feels somewhat soft that they’re being praised for being competitive in all but two of their 14 games, including Sunday’s closer-than-expected loss to the Saints, who were 16 ½-point favorites. Since when do we dole out medals for trying around here? The fact is the Jets, who’ve lost seven of their last nine games, have benefitted greatly from the ridiculously low expectations placed upon them before this season. I never bought into the talk of the Jets going 0-16 or even the notion of them winning only one or two games. Their defense had enough talent to keep most games close, and veteran Josh McCown, though universally dismissed as a player when he was signed, is a professional quarterback.

Yet, when you listen to the Jets players — and even Bowles now — you hear them referring to those low expectations and patting themselves on the back for surpassing them, winning more games than most expected them to. “We won five games, so we surpassed your guys’ [media] expectations of going 0-16,’’ receiver Jermaine Kearse said. “They said we were going to win zero games this year,’’ cornerback Buster Skrine said. “I know that everybody that watches our team play knows our team is growing. Our team knows we’re a good team.’’ The Jets are in the complicated position of assessing who they are — an overachieving team on the rise with developing young talent or a team in need of a lot of help considering they’re 10-20 in their last 30 games? “There are some things we’re doing good out there, some things we can continue to build off of,’’ Kearse said. “I don’t think we’re far away. There have been games we didn’t finish that we could have [won] — three or four games we gave up ourselves. We win those games and we’re in playoff contention. “But the reality is that we didn’t and we’re stuck in this situation. So, what are we going to do to get ourselves out of this situation?’’ Whatever they do, it appears they’ll be doing it with Bowles coaching them.

Well I guess when you win 5 games instead of 2 or 3 you are a sucksess in Jets world. Reading articles like this is sickening but reality here.

This is like when I was at the Olive Garden last week and I really wanted the chicken parm but there was a dead rat in the corner and I was like, well now I’m really boxed into this here corner and ate the rat.

[Scott Dierking]

10 minutes ago, Matt39 said:

Where are they getting better? Unless Mccown is back (which would be silly) to stabilize a bad roster again it's hard to see improvement. Too many needs at important positions to see much improvement next season. The good players unfortunately arent difference makers. There's no QB, no LT(no line really) no early down back under 30, no pass rusher, no corner, no return specialist. Pass rushers and QB's dont hit free agency....

We're going to be looking at a rookie QB with a bad roster. Next year is year 1.

This week 16 of 2017. Anyone making predictions on 2018 season results at this time speaks nothing of what they know.

No offense, but your predictions do not ring of Nostradamos, just like mine.

[MDL_JET]

12 minutes ago, Matt39 said:

Where are they getting better? Unless Mccown is back (which would be silly) to stabilize a bad roster again it's hard to see improvement. Too many needs at important positions to see much improvement next season. The good players unfortunately arent difference makers. There's no QB, no LT(no line really) no early down back under 30, no pass rusher, no corner, no return specialist. Pass rushers and QB's dont hit free agency....

We're going to be looking at a rookie QB with a bad roster. Next year is year 1.

Pretty sure the Jets will add new players. You list that as if they won't sign or draft anyone.

[Ken Schroy]

13 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

This is like when I was at the Olive Garden last week and I really wanted the chicken parm but there was a dead rat in the corner and I was like, well now I’m really boxed into this here corner and ate the rat.

Well at least the breadsticks are good there. LOL