Todd Bowles is not going anywhere, at least not
right now.
According to multiple reports, the Jets are not planning to drop the
axe on their head coach during the team’s bye week and will stick with the
embattled coach for the rest of the season.
Once the season ends, the front office will re-evaluate Bowles
future with the team. Bowles, who is 23-35 as Jets coach is signed through the
2020 season thanks to an extension he signed at the end of last season.
After Sunday’s 41-10 meltdown at the hands of Matt Barkley and the
Buffalo Bills, it would have made perfect sense for the Jets to ditch Bowles to
the side and settle with an interim coach for the rest of the season.
The Jets played unprepared, uninspired football on Sunday, something
that has become a trademark of the team all season. The offense failed to move
the football with any degree of efficiency, as offensive coordinator Jeremy
Bates turned in yet another ultra-conservative game plan for the Jets offense.
New York was 1-for-12 on third down, Sunday, and managed only a single yard in
the entire first quarter.
Meanwhile, the defense was picked apart by Barkely who was a free
agent just 12 days ago. Barkley, a well-traveled journeyman is not going to
confuse anyone of Jim Kelly, but on Sunday he looked the part against a
clueless and unprepared Jet defense.
The Bills rolled up 451 yards on Gang Green, and took a 31-3 lead
into halftime. In fact fans could have left after the first drive where the
Bills needed only two plays to put the ball into the end zone.
The decision to keep Bowles is not going to please the fan-base, but
the front office is not going to make decisions based on what the fans want.
Many media outlets reported Monday that the Jets don’t feel they have a viable
replacement for Bowles on staff, and they don’t want to “disrupt” the
development of rookie quarterback Sam Darnold.
The reasoning sounds a little ridiculous, especially the
latter. Two years ago the LA Rams fired
Jeff Fisher with three weeks to go in the 2016 season. It had no negative effect
on Jared Goff’s development. Goff has become a perennial Pro Bowler under Sean
McVay.
Even the Cleveland Browns didn’t think firing of Hue Jackson three
weeks ago would negatively impact rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. In fact,
they believed the firing would only help his development. Mayfield threw three
touchdowns in a win against the Falcons yesterday.
So it is hard to fathom how keeping Bowles around for six more games
is going to positively impact Darnold when the team around him is already
playing with little heart and desire to begin with.
By keeping Bowles, the Jets are only delaying the inevitable. With
games against the Patriots, Packers, Texans, and the suddenly surging Titans on
the schedule, things could get even uglier than they are right now. And the
calls for Bowles to be removed are only going to grow louder with each week.
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