Jets’ loss to Titans brings out rare side of Todd Bowles
The Jets’ 26-22 loss to the Titans really stung Todd Bowles, who did not hide his emotions after the game or Monday on a conference call with reporters. The Jets blew a 16-point lead with sloppy play and silly penalties down the stretch.
“Frustration obviously, pissed off obviously,” Bowles said of the mood around the team. “It’s one of those games you’ll remember for the rest of your life, as a player or a coach and you’ll never forget about it. It can propel you to be better at your job or it can make you go in a shell, and I don’t think we have those kinds of guys. But of course, everybody is frustrated and pissed off.”
Bowles said the Jets will refocus, though, after this loss.
“This game will stick with me for the rest of my life,” Bowles said. “I’ve been in about three of them, and this will go right up there with them games. You’re at your wits end for a second and then you come back and [ask,] ‘How can we get better? What do we’ve got to do? How can we improve? And you go X, Y, Z.’ And you keep on moving, keep grinding.”
There are not many things left to look forward to in this lost season, but seeing rookie quarterback Sam Darnold take the field again is one.
It sounds as if there is a good chance that will happen this week against the Bills, although Bowles, as usual, was tight-lipped about whether Darnold will practice fully this week. It sounded as if Bowles will hold off on naming a starting quarterback again this week.
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“I mean he’ll practice, I’ll just see where he is from an accuracy standpoint, a timing standpoint, [and] a rust standpoint,” Bowles said. “He’s got to see plays and I had him only throwing three [days] last week. Which he did get better and everything was fine, but he’ll get better even this week and then we’ll make that determination on Sunday.”
After Sunday’s loss, Bowles said Darnold was healthy enough to play, but did not have enough practice reps. Darnold has been out since Nov. 4 with a sprained right foot.
“He had a great number of reps, he was prepared, but you’re not going to come three days as a rookie and be fresh off your reads and not have any rust to go in a ballgame and play on Sunday after you’ve been out for two weeks,” Bowles said. “You need some time to get your timing back and everything else. So, we’ll continue to give him reps and when I think he’s ready, he’ll play.”
Rookie DL Nathan Shepherd played just 12 snaps Sunday, his lowest total of the season.
“Goose [Henry Anderson] and Mike [Pennel] have been playing better,” Bowles said. “Obviously have a little more experience, but I think Shep’s going to be a good player, but he’s had some things to learn. So we just lighten his load a little bit.”
