Jets coach Bowles is hospitalized
‘Santa Flacco’ takes care of Ravens’ offensive linemen
New York coach Todd Bowles was hospitalized Friday with what the team called an “undisclosed illness,” and he did not travel for the game at New England today.
In a statement posted on the team’s website, the Jets said Bowles was in stable condition, but it was uncertain if he would eventually join the team in time for the game.
The 53-year-old Bowles fell ill early Friday afternoon and was taken to the hospital, where general manager Mike Maccagnan visited him. Maccagnan has remained in constant contact with Bowles, who wants to coach the game but will need to be cleared by doctors. If Bowles is unavailable to coach, assistant head coach Mike Caldwell will fill in against the Patriots.
Bowles got his Jets tenure off to a promising start with a 10-6 2015 season. But New York has struggled to a 4-10 mark this season and failed to make the postseason for the sixth straight year.
RAVENS: Quarterback Joe Flacco bought an Oculus Rift and Alienware bundle for all 14 offensive linemen on the active roster, practice squad and even injured reserve. The presents were delivered Friday before practice, prompting guard John Urschel to tweet a picture of the gifts and writing that “Santa Flacco always comes through!”
“I heard the Oculus is pretty cool, and the Alienware is supposed to be some superpowerful computer,” center Jeremy Zuttah said. “He definitely takes care of us.”
Flacco declined to divulge the final price tag for all 14 presents, but an Internet search shows that a single bundle is priced by several retailers at about $3,000.
BROWNS: Coach Hue Jackson has reminded his players not to take their last chance at home for granted. The 0-14 Browns, who host San Diego today, would set a franchise record for losses in a season with one more defeat.
“It is the last time in front of (the fans that) this group will be together in that stadium,” Jackson said. “They need to understand that. Everybody in that room will not be back here next year.”
It’s also important for players to dodge the embarrassment of becoming just the fifth NFL team since 1944 to go winless. People forget about one-win teams. But the 1960 Dallas Cowboys (0-11-1), 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14), 1982 Baltimore Colts (0-81) and 2008 Detroit Lions (0-16) can’t escape their places in history.
EAGLES: Ryan Mathews’ season is over after he suffered a herniated disk in his neck in Thursday’s 24-19 win over the New York Giants. Coach Doug Pederson called it a “pretty major deal” that will cause Mathews to miss “some significant time.” The Eagles finish their season next Sunday against Dallas.
Even before the injury, Mathews’ future with the Eagles was in question. The 29-year-old, seven-year veteran has one year remaining on a three-year, $11 million contract. The Eagles would save $4 million in cap space if they release him.
VIKINGS: Running back Adrian Peterson will not play today at Green Bay because of knee and groin injuries. He returned last weekend for his first game in three months, playing 12 snaps in his return from surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee.
CARDINALS: Defensive back Tyrann Mathieu went on injured reserve, the third time the do-everything defensive back has finished the year on the injury list in his four NFL seasons. Mathieu had been trying to play through a shoulder injury.