This loss is indictment of Bowles
The penalties and meltdown that contributed to Jets losses is a byproduct of Jets' awful coaching.
Handing the Cleveland Browns their first win for the first time in 635 days on Thursday night is not the worst thing in the world.
Clevelanders having their Dilly Dilly moment by getting free Bud Light for that elusive win by the home team is not embarrassing.
Here’s why Jets fans should be angry on this Friday: The Jets continue to be undisciplined and stupid in their latest 21-17 loss to the Browns. It’s been the same old story under fourth-year Jets head coach Todd Bowles. One has to wonder if this team will ever play smart under him ever. This is where coaching matters. This is on the head coach when this keeps happening.
The Jets imploded in the second half by committing too many penalties that aided the Browns to extend their scoring drive and get points out of it, especially after Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne’s holding penalty aided the Browns to redo another two-point conversion that tied the game at 17 when Browns running back Duke Johnson gave the ball to Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry, who then threw a pass to Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield in the end zone.
You can’t make this up even if you tried when it comes to the Jets.
When Isaiah Crowell scored for the second touchdown of the game in the second quarter, he decided to celebrate by using the football to wipe his butt that gave the Browns better field position on the ensuing kickoff. It was a harbinger of things to come.
It was surprising NFL Network’s play-by-play announcer Joe Buck did not go on a fake outrage about Crowell’s act after he went on about Randy Moss pretending to moon the Lambeau Field crowd in a 2005 football game.
Trumaine Johnson committed couple of bonehead penalties in the second quarter. After the Jets got a stop at third down, he foolishly decided to throw the ball at Landry that resulted to a penalty and the Browns a first down. Two plays later, he offset a Browns holding penalty by making contact with Tyrod Taylor’s head while he was sliding after a scramble. As a NFL veteran, he of all people should really know better. It’s hard to accept this from a player who played the game for six years now.
Then, there was an offside penalty in the third quarter. That was inexcusable. There was many of that in this game on the Jets’ end. This is where one has to wonder what exactly are the Jets doing at practice each week when they commit stupid mistakes.
Jets quarterback Sam Darnold threw a pass to Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson that should have resulted to a first down. Instead, Anderson fumbled a catchable ball that resulted the Browns to get the first down at the Jets’ 28 on Denzel Ward’s fumble recovery.
Yes, the Jets were fortunate the Browns kicked only a field goal instead of scoring a touchdown there. But no matter. It was stupid. There’s no defending what Anderson did there. It was a ball that should have been caught, and it would have extended the Jets scoring drive and maybe killing the clock instead of giving the Browns an opportunity.
From there, everyone sensed momentum on the Browns. In fact, it probably happened when Mayfield entered the game in the second quarter after Browns starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor left the game with a concussion. The rookie quarterback couldn’t be any worse than Taylor, who started the game by throwing six incompletions.
The Jets had no clue how to stop Mayfield. He was able to move the ball freely against the Jets defense. In the second half, they allowed 211 yards. This is where it’s on the coaching staff for not making adjustments.
The Jets offense did nothing in the second half. They sat on the lead rather than piling it on. It was an interesting strategy since the Jets defense was unreliable in this contest.
This goes back to coaching. Does anyone think Mike Zimmer-coached teams or Bill Belichick-coached teams would melt down the way the Jets did Thursday night?
This isn’t the first time the Jets played this stupid under Bowles. It happened frequently the last two seasons where the Jets would melt down because of penalties. Fair or not, this is on the coach to make sure these things don’t happen.
It’s fair to wonder if Bowles can ever get through with his players. They don’t seem to listen. He couldn’t get Darrelle Revis, Sheldon Richardson and Mo Wilkerson to play hard and smart, as they basically ignored him and not played hard. Now, the current players are doing the same thing here.
It’s hard to blame previous players when the current players are doing the same thing. It’s hard to blame the current players when the coach is not getting their attention.
Bowles will not be judged on wins and losses, but bet on Jets acting owner Chris Johnson and Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan to judge him on the way the Jets play on gamedays.
If the Jets keep melting down like they did Thursday night, there’s going to be a new head coach in 2019.
