I really hate thinking about 2019, this early in the season, but they absolutely must get a pass rusher and multiple oline additions in 2019 via both draft and FA. It should be absolute priority. What if: Tomlin shakes free from Pittsburgh this off season and the Jets draft Bosa and sign Bell. One more bad year to set up the dynasty.
If the Jets can turn this shit around it will be a miracle. Whatever the scheme is on offense & defense it just ain't working. Not only is it a complete bust, the games aren't even fun to watch. The players look like they ain't into it either...just going through the motions. Todd Bowles is sucking the soul out of the Jets. Tear up the playbook now...let's go down fighting.
I like Tomlin a lot, but he was a former defensive coach and DC. No more of those for a while. A BIG NO to Bell. No freaking way.
I'm with you on wanting no part of Bell; but I'd be thrilled if we could sign Tomlin. His background as a defensive coach is more than obviated by both his length of service, and his success, as a head coach.
You made me re-think my position on Tomlin. I decided to look up where they ranked in terms of penalties in the NFL, as I seem to remember that they've had their share of dumb penalties. This season, they're dead last with 100.2 yards per game (ypg), with the next closest team being Jacksonville at 88.5 ypg. Following are their penalty rankings over the last 5 years. 2017 - #9, 54.2 ypg 2016 - #26, 63.2 ypg 2015 - #19, 58.2 ypg 2014 - #15, 55.8 ypg 2013 - #4, 42.3 ypg So they've been pretty inconsistent in terms of penalties. They've also had some diva-like personalities in Brown and Bell, and headcases like Bryant, and a poor secondary that probably got a lot of holding and PI calls against them. Tomlin is definitely a solid HC, but he seems to tolerate more BS than I would like. He would definitely be preferable over another novice HC, but I think I'd rather have Harbaugh or another proven HC with an offensive background.
I agree that Tom;in isn't tops on my list, but I wouldn't rule him out if he still has the fire. I'd be concerned about "Parcells Syndrome" - a successful HC coming here and not really having the full commitment to turn this ship around. I think people underestimate the energy required to "undo" 50 years of failure. It's daunting. In many ways taking over an expansion franchise, or even a team with a much smaller history of losing, is much easier. I really think this is what caused Parcells to bail. He came in thinking it would be a lot easier to change the culture, but it wasn't.
I totally agree with your basic idea/theory, but not necessarily as it applies to Parcells. I don't think he came to the Jets to build a long term, sustained winner or to really turn the Jets around. I think he came here thinking he could win pretty quickly, get paid a lot, win more accolades by winning a SB with a 2nd team, and then quit or retire once the older players he brought in were starting to retire. The Jets weren't the only team he bailed on quickly (he stayed 4 years with the Pats, 4 years with the Jets (but only 3 as HC) and 4 years with the Cowboys, but I think you're right that he thought it would be easier/quicker to turn things around here. He didn't have the energy and didn't want to work that hard. In addition, I think he was starting to have some memory/mental issues...the halfback option pass vs the Lions, going into the '99 season with no backup QB, then when Vinny went down in the opener his going into a shell/self -pity party for a large chunk of the season and sticking with Mirer for too long. In the end, Parcells was about Parcells and his legacy. He wanted to win a SB with more than one team. I don't think he was ever committed to staying here long term even if he had won in '98 and/or '99. He didn't build that team for long-term sustained success. He had a lot of seasoned, older vets who were disciplined and didn't make mistakes, but they were near the end of their careers.
I completely agree with your assessment of Parcells's motive when he came here, and didn't mean to suggest that he came here to build a long term successful team - I was trying to say the opposite actually. But I think a lot of fans - well, me anyway - thought/hoped that he came here to instill a winning culture and to purge the losing culture we had. He had no such desire as it turns out, and that's why I think he's the one I'm most disappointed in.