This Sunday afternoon was just like many others lately. The New York Jets took the field only to once again lose, showing absolutely nothing worth of notice on both sides of the ball. As the Gang Green suffered their second loss in a row, falling farther below .500, it became pretty obvious that this was shaping up to be yet another losing season. Bowles' third losing season in a row. The Jets lose. We're used to it by now. It's not that they lose but how they lose. If they don't turn the ball over, then they simply cannot execute. If they do execute, they commit a dumb penalty that moves them back. There's always something. It's the Same Old Jets again and again.
Bowles' Jets finished dead last in the division in the previous two seasons. Last Jets head coach to finish at the bottom of the AFC East for two season in a row? Rich Kotite. Kotite was quickly fired after his second season and never had another job in the league again. Bowles, however, keeps getting a free pass. Bowles' Jets have never made the playoffs. Only Walt Michaels, back in the 70s, lasted this long without making it to the postseason.
We knew this was going to be a long season when the Jets chose rookie Sam Darnold to be their starter. Darnold was supposed to be mentored by Josh McCown and develop through the year. Instead, Bowles' and Co. have kept putting him in situations where he simply cannot succeed. It's true that the supporting cast, hampered by injuries, is pretty bad to begin with. But predictable first down runs and numerous 3rd and long situations are simply setting Darnold up for a failure. If it's not the plays, then it's the penalties. The Gang Green had seven pre-snap infractions in this afternoon's loss against the Bears. Is this how you develop the quarterback of the future?
Bowles is mediocre. He still hasn't learned how to make in game adjustments. If it goes well, great. If it doesn't, oh well... we'll keep doing whatever we've been doing no matter how bad it is. The Week 3 embarrassment against the Browns, who hadn't won a game in almost two years, was a perfect example of Bowles' ineptitude. It just had to be the Same Old Jets who helped Cleveland end their long losing streak. The Jets simply could not adjust, they could figure out how to stop a rookie quarterback playing his first NFL game. Baker Mayfield has been pretty average since that game but Bowles' Jets made him look like the second coming of Tom Brady.
The Jets have had just one winning season in the last eight years, courtesy of Ryan Fitzpatrick. It's also been eight years since their last playoff appearance. Yet the Jets management keeps being faithful to their commitment to mediocrity, their commitment to Todd Bowles. It's time to let him go if Sam Darnold is to ever become the franchise quarterback we all hope he will be.
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