They say its impossible to win games in the NFL without a top notch quarterback. Therefore every analyst, fan and social media slick talker who was calling for Jets head coach Todd Bowles head after he followed a promising 10-6 rookie coaching season with a dismal 5-11 record in 2016, were out of line for wanting the Jets to give him the hook so quickly. He’s coaching his ass off with this sorry Jets team, despite being at the bottom of the AFC East standings.
Damian Hector on Twitter
@nyjets were suppose to be 0-5 by now right? Great coaching by Todd Bowles, keeping these guys motivated that’s 3 in a row
Thats what fans do in New York when they dont get their way. They call for the coach’s dome. Fortunately for Bowles, Jets owner Woody Johnson wasnt studying that nonsense. Fans might have had these huge expectations for the Jets in 2016, but any solid football guy knew the team had major issues, including a lack of talent on both sides of the ball.
The quarterback that was supposed to lead them was the overrated Ryan Fitzpatrick, who finished the season with 12 touchdowns and 17 picks in 14 games. Bryce Petty and Geno Smith got a chance to strut their stuff and finished with a combined four TDS and 8 interceptions.
It was one of those throw away seasons which allowed Gang Green to draft high and build some pieces for the future. Media saw how bad the other QBs had it, but still called for Bowles firing for reasons like refusing to throw second-round rookie draft pick QB Christian Hackenberg to the wolves.
Everybody knew better than the head coach last season. He couldn’t put enough lipstick on the pig to make it an attractive product.
Entering this season, the analysts, fans and football geniuses predicted that the Jets will be one of the NFLs worst teams and Bowles would coach himself into being fired with the help of having no elite quarterback, running back or receivers to speak off, and this false idea developing that he wasnt a good game manager and strategist.
DERON on Twitter
First, go 2-14. Next, fire Todd Bowles. Next, put macc in hot seat. Last, select USC QB Sam Darnold (or Josh Rosen) w/ no 1 pick in 18 draft
With a huge 31-14 division win over the surging Buffalo Bills on Thursday, the Jets advance to 4-5, have found a quarterback in Josh McCown and Bowles’ credibility as a coach should be at an all-time high.
Sure, McCown is just serviceable and a band aid, but hes learned to manage games and the Jets staff is doing a tremendous job of picking spots for him to be successful and the players are executing. If you thought Bowles underachieved with the team he had in 2016, then he has overachieved so far this season as the Jets are in a rebuilding phase and still havent found their DeShaun Watson to take the team to the next level.
Now, the NY media has done a 360 and thinks Bowles and his staff should stay.
Sports Illustrated on Twitter
The Jets were supposed to be a laughingstock, but Todd Bowles and the coaching staff deserve to stay (by @ConorOrr) https://t.co/8eT6bAVXqI
Building a winning culture doesnt happen overnight. This is a completely different Jets team than the one who captured lightning in the bottle with Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez, going to back-to-back AFC Championships.
It wasnt that long ago but the uneventful and embarrassing departures of both signaled a pitiful end to that era and it’s almost as if it never happened. Bowles needs more talent and a guy that he can put behind center for the next decade and go from there.
In the meantime, he has the Jets playing hard, winning games most people expect them to lose and still thinking playoffs, nine games into a season that was supposed to be a disaster.
