Listless Jets in downward spiral
New York media calling for coach Bowles’ head after Monday’s embarrassing loss to the Colts
The New York Jets are a mess, on the field and off.
The Jets slumped to 3-9 on the season Monday night after an inglorious 41-10 home field loss to the mediocre Indianapolis Colts. A disaster, from a Jets perspective. No effort. No heart. Nothing. Indy piled up 268 yards and 24 points by halftime, by which time Indy quarterback Andrew Luck had three times as many completions (15, on 18 attempts) as New York’s Ryan Fitzpatrick (five, on 11). The second half was anticlimactic. And that led to off-field angst and fast-developing melodrama.
Outraged, prominent New York media voices overnight and into Tuesday called for the instant dismissal of Todd Bowles. The second-year head coach appears to have lost his locker-room, appears over his head and appears doomed.
Most damning, he’s making indefensible decisions and statements. His handling of his quarterbacks, particularly, has satisfied no one and mystified everyone.
Bowles told the press that Fitzpatrick, the ineffective veteran starter whom Bowles finally benched at halftime Monday, is done as the starter this season. Second-year project Bryce Petty will start New York’s final four games. That’s fine, and overdue. But Bowles claimed the decision was made before Monday night’s debacle. Not as a result of it.
Well, what if Fitzpatrick had scorched Indy’s secondary for seven touchdown passes in a statement victory? Would Jets coaches still bench him and turn to Petty? C’mon, who does Bowles think he’s kidding?
As all the ugliness unfolded at MetLife Stadium, Jets owner Woody Johnson just happened to be hosting vice president-elect Mike Pence in his luxury box.
It wasn’t long before those remaining in the half-filled stands turned into angry boo-birds, in part because the more Petty threw, the less NFL-ready he appeared.
For Johnson to be forced to watch his team play so dispiritedly, so lamely, with the next Veep at his side, had to have been an enormous embarrassment. There will be casualties. AS FOR INDY: The AFC South has been one of the NFL’s weakest divisions for years. Three teams sit tied atop it this week at 6-6: the Colts, the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans.
Jacksonville, as usual, is long out of it at 2-10.
The Colts have won three straight when Luck plays (he missed the U.S. Thanksgiving loss to Pittsburgh with a concussion).
But their remaining schedule is tough: home against Houston, at Minnesota, at red-hot Oakland and home against Jacksonville.
Tennessee’s schedule isn’t much better: Denver, at Kansas City, at Jacksonville, Houston.
Houston’s is kinder: at Indy, Jacksonville, Cincinnati, at Tennessee ... not a winning team among them.
SUSPENSIONS: Two players on Tuesday received four-game suspensions without pay, and one plays for Indianapolis.
Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson violated the NFL’s policy against performing-enhancing substances, while Green Bay defensive tackle Mike Pennel violated the league’s policy and program for substances of abuse.
SALAAM DIES: Former Chicago and Cleveland running back Rashaan Salaam — the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Colorado — has died at age 42 in Boulder, Colo., ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. Cause of death was not immediately known.
Police reportedly ruled out foul play.
Salaam was NFC rookie of the year with the Bears in 1995 after gaining 1,074 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns.
His career in Chicago lasted only three years.
KAP STILL STARTER: San Francisco offensive coordinator Curtis Modkins said Tuesday the team is sticking with Colin Kaepernick as starting QB over Blaine Gabbert. Not that it matters much for the 1-11 Niners, losers of 11 in a row. Both passers are equally ineffective.
JOIQUE RETURNS: Detroit has re-signed RB Joique Bell. He played four seasons with the Lions, from 2012-15, before being cut. Earlier this season he played four games with the Chicago Bears.