Todd Bowles all business as he prepares for pivotal year

[Gas2No99]

Todd Bowles all business as he prepares for pivotal year

 

A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:

1. Not ready for fun: The record isn't good, and Todd Bowles knows it. He's 20-28 in three seasons, with no playoff appearances. He's not hiding from it; he's attacking it.

 

Todd Bowles doesn't shy away from the challenge his record presents, and he's hoping a successful season can change the narrative. AP Photo/Seth Wenig

"We get judged on wins and losses and, right now, I'm not a very good coach," he said at the conclusion of minicamp. "Hopefully, we can win a lot of games and I can become a very good coach."

Unlike some coaches, who lightened the mood in June with team trips, celebrity guest speakers and quirky activities (see: Bill Belichick, the no-fun coach), Bowles sent a message by sticking to football, just football, according to several players. Their only day to relax was June 7, the final day of OTAs. He made it a meetings-only day, cancelling practice -- a pleasant surprise for the players.

Oh, sure, Bowles invited military personnel to practice one day in the spring, as he usually does. They conducted team-building activities that included a taxing physical component, so it wasn't exactly party time.

The players took it upon themselves to kick back on their own time. For instance, the entire offensive line went for ice cream the other night (yes, really) and the defensive line enjoyed a gluttonous dinner at a New Jersey steakhouse, where the players devoured seafood towers that included everything from oysters to lobster. Mike Pennel wasn't able to attend, but he paid the bill. Big Mike, as his teammates call him, came up big.

But during work hours, it was football over fun -- a good move, according to one veteran.

"Fun is winning. When you're winning, that's fun," tackle Kelvin Beachum said. "That's what we're worried about. I applaud all the teams that do it -- I've been on teams that have done that -- but right now we're trying to build something so we can get to that point. You have to get to the playoffs before you get to have those kind of opportunities. We haven't been there yet."

2. If at first you don't succeed: Zack Martin's monster contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys this week served as the latest painful reminder for Jets fans on how their team botched the 2014 draft. Martin is one 13 players with multiple Pro Bowls from that talent-rich draft, one of the best in recent memory. With 12 selections, the Jets should've made a killing, but only one has become a productive player -- wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (sixth round).

Privately, former general manager John Idzik, the mastermind of the debacle, has told people his picks weren't properly developed. That's what you call passing the buck.

Anyway, the current regime is taking another swing at the 2014 draft. Thanks to free agency, the Jets have stocked up on '14ers: Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (first round), center Travis Swanson (third), center Spencer Long (third), linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (fourth) and linebacker Avery Williamson (fifth).

Maybe they'll hit on a few this time.

3. Full house: It'll be crowded and cumbersome, fascinating and perplexing. We're talking about the quarterback situation, of course -- one of the NFL's longest-running soap operas.

There will be speculation over the next two months about the possibility of trading Bridgewater, but the reality is the Jets probably need him. My gut tells me they will go into the regular season with three quarterbacks. Here's why:

Josh McCown will be 39 and has an injury history; Bridgewater's surgically repaired knee is a question mark; and Sam Darnold is a rookie with only 22 college starts to his name. Bowles said Bridgewater is healthy, but I talked to someone with knowledge of his devastating injury in 2016 and that person wonders if his knee can withstand the rigors of a full-time gig.

Without a sure thing at quarterback, it pays to hedge your bets and keep all three.

There's one caveat: If Darnold has a lights-out preseason and wins the job, it wouldn't make sense to keep both McCown and Bridgewater. They'd be eating up $16 million in cap space while riding the bench.

4. New title for Lee: Linebacker Darron Lee is the odds-on favorite to be the primary playcaller on defense. In fact, he practiced with the speaker in helmet throughout the spring, enabling him to get the calls from the sideline. This is a big step for the former first-round pick, who called it "a huge honor." The middle linebacker usually gets the job, as Demario Davis and David Harris did in past years, but Avery Williamson is new to the system. There's also a chance he may not be an every-down player, and you want the playcaller to be on the field at all times.

"It means a lot," Lee said. "It shows the trust [Bowles] has in me, just as he knows I have that trust in him, that he'll put us in the best position to make plays."

5. Quick hits: A few thoughts and observations on minicamp and the OTA practices:

a. Darnold did what a high draft pick is supposed to do: He demonstrated the physical talent that got him into that position. What impressed me were his intangibles, the stuff you can't teach. I'm not going to put him in the Pro Bowl just yet -- remember, these were non-contact practices -- but he stamped himself a legitimate contender for the starting job.

b. I really liked Jeremy Bates' enthusiasm and teacher's mentality on the field. The new offensive coordinator will be vital in Darnold's development. Their personalities are different -- Bates is fire, Darnold ice -- but they're both gym rats. The offensive linemen seem to like Bates because of his commitment to the running game.

c. It's a deeper roster than a year ago, which will create good competition in training camp. There are a few positions where they actually have legitimate backups and might have to cut decent players.

d. Under-the-radar players who impressed: Wide receiver Chad Hansen, tight end Neal Sterling, running back Elijah McGuire, linebacker Anthony Wint, Pierre-Louis and safety Doug Middleton.

e. Players who need to step it up in training camp: Wide receiver ArDarius Stewart, linebacker Dylan Donahue, cornerback Rashard Robinson and fullback Lawrence Thomas.

f. Defensive end Leonard Williams looked quicker than in past years. Bowles singled him out, saying Williams has improved his conditioning. He's making a contract push.

g. Something tells me the seemingly never-ending search for punt and kickoff returners will continue. Rookie Trenton Cannon, the latest hope, is very fast, but he's not a natural punt returner.

6. Camp Bowles: The training camp schedule still is being finalized, but I'm hearing the annual Green & White scrimmage could be at Rutgers instead of MetLife Stadium. As usual, the Jets will train at their Florham Park, New Jersey facility, but it could be tough to see them, as the general public might have access to only three practices. Part of the reason is because they will be out of town the week of Aug. 12. They'll be in Richmond, Virginia for three joint practices with the Washington Redskins.

 

7. The last word: "I think I got to see him play one time in his high school career. And then in his Canadian league career, I got to see him one time in person. It was after our last minicamp practice last year. I flew to Vancouver to watch him play in their last preseason game. So it's kind of surreal to see him every day in practice. ... The first time I get to coach my son is in the National Football League, on the highest level of football possible. So that's a little different." -- defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers on DB Kacy Rodgers II.

8. On that note: Happy Father's Day to all the dads, especially to mine, who shows uncommon toughness on a daily basis.

 

[dbatesman]

My biggest complaint about Bowles as always been that he’s too zany, so it’s good to hear he’s finally getting serious

[Fantasy Island]

Todd Bowles is a ****ing joke.  He is lucky that there is a quota for ****ing jokes.

[Drums]

31 minutes ago, Fantasy Island said:

Todd Bowles is a ****ing joke.  He is lucky that there is a quota for ****ing jokes.

Out of curiosity, who would you have hired (and when), and what would you expect to happen differently? Playoffs? AFC Championship? 

[Larz]

Is this any different than his approach from last year? 

[ASH1962]

Wait, now he is all business? What was he "all" the last 2 seasons?

 

 

[Freemanm]

2 hours ago, Fantasy Island said:

Todd Bowles is a ****ing joke.  He is lucky that there is a quota for ****ing jokes.

What about the whole Donald Trump/Ivanaka Trump - oh wait, I mean the whole Kacy Rodgers/Kacy Rodgers Jr. thing going on?

[afjetsfan]

I would love nothing more than Todd Bowles to turn the corner this year and turn the Jets into a quality team that is prepared week in and week out. That is all we can ask for as fans.  Take the roster you are given and make them winners.  Overcome weaknesses (pass rush, OL, ST) and turn them into strengths.  Take our strengths (secondary, WRs, QBs, DL) and make them legendary.  In game management needs to be flawless.  Adjustments need to be seamless.  Everyone needs to know what they are doing at all times.  That is what we should expect from our HC.  Anything less should result in his being fired at the end of the year.  4 years is enough.  Of course he'll be graded on a curve given the talent of the team, but he needs to bring it.  It is somewhat reassuring that he knows the Jets record over the last 3 years is his report card, but now he needs to turn that around.  This is his make or break year.  I hope he gets us there.  

 

[Jet9]

2 hours ago, Drums said:

Out of curiosity, who would you have hired (and when), and what would you expect to happen differently? Playoffs? AFC Championship? 

These are fair questions for the anti-Bowels crowd. That said, he's waaaay too conservative. I understand 'wepinz' and all that. Just saying, that's my issue with him. 

[Drums]

26 minutes ago, Jet9 said:

These are fair questions for the anti-Bowels crowd. That said, he's waaaay too conservative. I understand 'wepinz' and all that. Just saying, that's my issue with him. 

Agreed but let’s see what happens when he has confidence in his QB to do more than just manage a game. If Darnold is as advertised, I don’t think he’ll be as conservative. 

[Joe W. Namath]

3 hours ago, Drums said:

Out of curiosity, who would you have hired (and when), and what would you expect to happen differently? Playoffs? AFC Championship? 

We wanted Dan Quinn.  He is an awesome coach.  He has unfortunately run into the super bowl champion in the playoffs the last 2 years.

Instead, we have Bowltite.

[Drums]

1 minute ago, Joe W. Namath said:

We wanted Dan Quinn.  He is an awesome coach.  He has unfortunately run into the super bowl champion in the playoffs the last 2 years.

Instead, we have Bowltite.

Look at what Quinn took over and look at what Bowles took over. Apples and eggs to me. I watched Quinn blow a super bowl. If he did that with us he would have been public enemy #1 and we would have been wishing we had Bowles. 

[joewilly12]

3 hours ago, Drums said:

Out of curiosity, who would you have hired (and when), and what would you expect to happen differently? Playoffs? AFC Championship? 

Dan Quinn would have been a way better choice. 

[southparkcpa]

54 minutes ago, Drums said:

Agreed but let’s see what happens when he has confidence in his QB to do more than just manage a game. If Darnold is as advertised, I don’t think he’ll be as conservative. 

He has absolutely lost games for the Jets with some play calls, clock management and things that you NEVER see good coaches do. He simply doesn’t have the tools. I’m have not seen anything from him that tells me he can lead a team. he is Herm, Rex and Kotite wrapped into one. 

[56mehl56]

1 hour ago, Drums said:

Agreed but let’s see what happens when he has confidence in his QB to do more than just manage a game. If Darnold is as advertised, I don’t think he’ll be as conservative. 

Will you feel the same when Darnold is handing off with the Jets down multiple scores in the 4th quarter , you know field position and all.

[Drums]

19 minutes ago, 56mehl56 said:

Will you feel the same when Darnold is handing off with the Jets down multiple scores in the 4th quarter , you know field position and all.

If Darnold is as advertised, hell yes I'd be pissed. I don't believe it will happen though. None of us can predict the future but I know a lot of people on here whined Bowles would treat Darnold like he treated Hack and Petty and those people were dead wrong so far (were you one of those people?), so how can we really know he'll be so conservative until he's doing it with Darnold?

[Drums]

1 hour ago, southparkcpa said:

He has absolutely lost games for the Jets with some play calls, clock management and things that you NEVER see good coaches do. He simply doesn’t have the tools. I’m have not seen anything from him that tells me he can lead a team. he is Herm, Rex and Kotite wrapped into one. 

I agree with you here. Sometimes his adjustments are terrible and I think that's his biggest weakness but I don't think he's as bad as the haters say. And no one here is tooting his horn as the greatest coach. He's somewhere in the middle and he's going on his fourth year with a potential FQB so I am curious to see what he can do this year. 

[56mehl56]

1 hour ago, Drums said:

If Darnold is as advertised, hell yes I'd be pissed. I don't believe it will happen though. None of us can predict the future but I know a lot of people on here whined Bowles would treat Darnold like he treated Hack and Petty and those people were dead wrong so far (were you one of those people?), so how can we really know he'll be so conservative until he's doing it with Darnold?

How are we dead wrong so far, Hack got lots of offseason and preseason reps but Bowles never committed to develop him, blame it on the CBA, his talent level etc , but when the chips were down Bowles took the safe route. Bowles is already saying McCown is 1, Teddy is 2 and Sam will be given a chance to win the job. Its what defensive minded coaches do , take the safe route on O and bank on their D units. I'd be happy seeing Sam sit on the bench early on if i felt the team was developing him, the problem is he'll sit the bench because Bowles is too scared of coming out of the gates 0-3.  

[Drums]

23 minutes ago, 56mehl56 said:

How are we dead wrong so far, Hack got lots of offseason and preseason reps but Bowles never committed to develop him, blame it on the CBA, his talent level etc , but when the chips were down Bowles took the safe route. Bowles is already saying McCown is 1, Teddy is 2 and Sam will be given a chance to win the job. Its what defensive minded coaches do , take the safe route on O and bank on their D units. I'd be happy seeing Sam sit on the bench early on if i felt the team was developing him, the problem is he'll sit the bench because Bowles is too scared of coming out of the gates 0-3.  

I see what you're saying but this offseason OTAs and minicamp doesn't seem a little different to you? I'm going with the wait and see approach. On top of that, I don't want Sam Darnold to play his first 3 games within 11 days. I'm rooting for him to start right after that--with the third game being a Thursday night game, he will have 10 days to prepare for his first NFL start. 

[jgb]

8 hours ago, Gas2No99 said:

1. Not ready for fun: The record isn't good, and Todd Bowles knows it. He's 20-28 in three seasons, with no playoff appearances. He's not hiding from it; he's attacking it.

You mean like punting deep in the 4th down two scores? 

[Fantasy Island]

8 hours ago, Drums said:

Out of curiosity, who would you have hired (and when), and what would you expect to happen differently? Playoffs? AFC Championship? 

David Shaw

[Bugg]

Issue is the guy is no offensive genius. In fact he does really nothing with the offense other than pick the OC. He could've picked anyone in the pro or college ranks with a rep for a serious pass offense. And he picks first he picked a retired guy who wanted to run the 1975 Steelers ground and pound offense. Followed by another guy that he said "passed too much" when 1. by any measure it wasn't so and 2. pass offense is what wins NFL games.

Now, I was no fan of Rex Ryan. But for a while at least the guy in his chosen end of the pool had some good defenses. Bowles' defenses have been uniformly crap.  

This guy as of today objectively adds nothing. He's no brilliant strategist. There are too many games where this team has looked woefully unprepared. On defense he lines up his 3-4, nickel and dimes  on passing downs and that's it. He has no idea how the clock and timeouts work. As with a lot of bad coaches, he calls plays and that's about it. 

[jgb]

1 hour ago, Bugg said:

Issue is the guy is no offensive genius. In fact he does really nothing with the offense other than pick the OC. He could've picked anyone in the pro or college ranks with a rep for a serious pass offense. And he picks first he picked a retired guy who wanted to run the 1975 Steelers ground and pound offense. Followed by another guy that he said "passed too much" when 1. by any measure it wasn't so and 2. pass offense is what wins NFL games.

Now, I was no fan of Rex Ryan. But for a while at least the guy in his chosen end of the pool had some good defenses. Bowles' defenses have been uniformly crap.  

This guy as of today objectively adds nothing. He's no brilliant strategist. There are too many games where this team has looked woefully unprepared. On defense he lines up his 3-4, nickel and dimes  on passing downs and that's it. He has no idea how the clock and timeouts work. As with a lot of bad coaches, he calls plays and that's about it. 

The irony is for a defense coach who appreciates a good run game, why in God's green earth do the Jets refuse to spend draft capital on the offensive line? Same exact story with Rex. If under Rex, Jets had used just two of the SIX CONSECUTIVE 1st round defensive picks on O-Linemen, he might still be coaching here.

[slats]

11 hours ago, 56mehl56 said:

How are we dead wrong so far, Hack got lots of offseason and preseason reps but Bowles never committed to develop him, blame it on the CBA, his talent level etc , but when the chips were down Bowles took the safe route. Bowles is already saying McCown is 1, Teddy is 2 and Sam will be given a chance to win the job. Its what defensive minded coaches do , take the safe route on O and bank on their D units. I'd be happy seeing Sam sit on the bench early on if i felt the team was developing him, the problem is he'll sit the bench because Bowles is too scared of coming out of the gates 0-3.  

There are plenty of reasons not to like Bowles, but none of them are in this post. Hack wasn't developed because he wasn't developable. He was given more opportunities than his talent level deserved. He's probably retired right now. Bowles is listing his QBs in seniority order, which is fine and means little. Darnold got the most reps this spring and a ton more work with the starters than Teddy. I agree with @Drums in that I'd prefer Darnold doesn't start those opening weeks of the schedule, and it's entirely possible that the coaches have also come to that same conclusion - barring Sam blowing everyone out of the water in the preseason. Sam's a great prospect, but no rookie QB should have short weeks to prepare for his second and third career starts. 

[Drums]

9 hours ago, Fantasy Island said:

David Shaw

Four years ago? I don't know much about him outside of his Wikipedia, and he seems to have potential, but was he a potential NFL HC candidate over the past four years? 

[JetFaninMI]

I'm willing to give Bowles a clean slate this season. I did the same thing with Macc and even though they drafted Darnold his other picks pissed me off to no end. Still I will wait and see how they look but so far same old same old. Bowles needs to improve with in game stuff. That's my main problem with him. Despite all his other bullsh*t if he can improve on that it's progress. We will see but I don't expect much.

[nyjunc]

I really, really, really, really want Bowles to succeed but it is alarming how in year 4 he finally means business. 

[joewilly12]

 

Opening odds to be the first NFL head coach fired

 Hue Jackson +350 Adam Gase +750 Marvin Lewis +1000 Vance Joseph +1000 Dirk Koetter +1200 Jay Gruden +1200 Todd Bowles +1600 Bill O'Brien +2000 Jason Garrett +2500 John Harbaugh +2800 Jon Gruden +2800 Pete Carroll +2800

[MaxAF]

Posted this stat on another thread:

First 3 seasons:

Belichick: 20-28

Bowles: 20-28

He hasn’t had much to work with and made his mistakes. He was correct in not throwing Hack and Petty out there. I’m going to give him a pass for now but he must make a considerable improvement this year. The team looks to be better on paper. Players seem to respect him and locker room is rumored to be pumped and together. I don’t know how much say he has in the Draft or with FA’s. Mac is doing the picking.

[jetrider]

Quote

The players took it upon themselves to kick back on their own time. For instance, the entire offensive line went for ice cream the other night (yes, really)

Quote

The offensive linemen seem to like Bates because of his commitment to the running game.

Those two details go hand in hand.

Pass blocking requires more hustle, more motor, more technique, more quickness, more stamina, for a longer duration. It's more work.

Dennison (and Bowles) better get those lazy-ass loafs in gear for Darnold. Just sayin'.

[jgb]

On 6/20/2018 at 9:28 PM, MaxAF said:

Posted this stat on another thread:

First 3 seasons:

Belichick: 20-28

Bowles: 20-28

He hasn’t had much to work with and made his mistakes. He was correct in not throwing Hack and Petty out there. I’m going to give him a pass for now but he must make a considerable improvement this year. The team looks to be better on paper. Players seem to respect him and locker room is rumored to be pumped and together. I don’t know how much say he has in the Draft or with FA’s. Mac is doing the picking.

There is a greater chance that Belichick forgets all about football and becomes Bowles next year, than the other way around. Brain trauma, stroke... these things are unlikely but possible. 

[nyjunc]

On 6/20/2018 at 9:28 AM, MaxAF said:

Posted this stat on another thread:

First 3 seasons:

Belichick: 20-28

Bowles: 20-28

He hasn’t had much to work with and made his mistakes. He was correct in not throwing Hack and Petty out there. I’m going to give him a pass for now but he must make a considerable improvement this year. The team looks to be better on paper. Players seem to respect him and locker room is rumored to be pumped and together. I don’t know how much say he has in the Draft or with FA’s. Mac is doing the picking.

Todd Bowles has been a disaster as a HC but so was bill belichick before Tom Brady

[MaxAF]

3 hours ago, nyjunc said:

Todd Bowles has been a disaster as a HC but so was bill belichick before Tom Brady

There you go. ?

[68JET11]

On 6/19/2018 at 7:21 AM, nyjunc said:

I really, really, really, really want Bowles to succeed but it is alarming how in year 4 he finally means business. 

Not me anymore... I did at first, because I thought maybe he had some Parcells in him, but this man has proven to not know much about decision making and how to coach a team on SUNDAY's... Here's my problem with him even coaching this year... Let's say he has an 8-8 record or somewhere near there, and still is showing the bone headed decisions he makes week in and week out. Does Chris have enough hutzbah to fire him... We need a coach who is not afraid to take some risks, and also knows something about the modern game... 

[nyjunc]

19 hours ago, 68JET11 said:

Not me anymore... I did at first, because I thought maybe he had some Parcells in him, but this man has proven to not know much about decision making and how to coach a team on SUNDAY's... Here's my problem with him even coaching this year... Let's say he has an 8-8 record or somewhere near there, and still is showing the bone headed decisions he makes week in and week out. Does Chris have enough hutzbah to fire him... We need a coach who is not afraid to take some risks, and also knows something about the modern game... 

I want any Jets HC to succeed, I am hoping Bowles finally gets it but I don't have any confidence in that happening and barring an 0-16 season I don't think Chris Johnson would even consider firing him.  He likes to lose along w/ player arrests going up and Bowles has been outstanding in those areas.