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Bowles Mistake Highlights Lack Of Faith In Petty

Los Angeles Rams v New York Jets Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

If there is one thing you can say for Todd Bowles, he really doesn’t care what you or I think about him. Saying that, his latest choice leaves me questioning him now more than ever.

The lifespan of a coach’s tenure is short. The lifespan of a coach’s tenure is very short when he makes poor decisions.

It’s very likely that Todd will be back for 2017, giving the coach a 3rd year to rescue a ship that is fighting against the tide. Unfortunately by choosing to stick with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bowles has chosen to intensify pressure on himself.

If you listen to Bowles and his mundane answers during his recent press conference, you’d have heard a man with a short-sighted plan expressing his belief that the QB with the lowest passer rating in the entire NFL, gives the Jets the best chance to win. The best chance to win some meaningless games, because I hate to break it to you...the Jets are not going to the play-offs.

Now this is a sad indictment of the Jets QB situation. When Bowles was asked about Petty, his answer spoke volumes:

On the possibility of reaching the end of the season without knowing more about Petty or Christian Hackenberg by playing them…

I actually know quite a bit about both of them so it’s not paramount for them to play right now, and right now Fitzpatrick gives us the best option. You don’t have to play a person to see what they have. Petty’s time will come. We’ll be patient with that.

So the 2016 season is basically over. Ryan Fitzpatrick is putting up some of the worst stats for a Jets QB in the last 40 years and he is rated as the worst QB in the NFL this year, but he’s the best option? What does that say about his opinion of Petty? Petty’s time will come? If it isn’t here with the situation outlined above, when will it be?

Nobody is saying that Petty is definitely the answer. I personally don’t think Petty will be the man to lead the Jets back to the play-offs, but we know that Fitzpatrick isn’t. So what’s the harm in trying Petty? It seems to me as though Bowles has already made his mind up, and his reluctance to make a change is pure stubbornness.

Bowles hinted that he doesn’t give jobs away. So even if you’re the worst player at your position in the league, you’re safe! Accountability anyone? No wonder players miss meetings and show a complete lack of respect.

The truth is he didn’t give Petty a chance, if you believe that Bryce was given a fair shot to win the job, you’re kidding yourself. He played one game with a very conservative offensive game-plan after splitting reps all week.

Someone tweeted me last night stating they were sick of the organisation being inconsistent. I argued that the Jets are one of the most consistent franchises in the NFL, they consistently make bad decisions which prevent them from discovering long term solutions.

Todd Bowles sticking with Ryan Fitzpatrick is yet another example of a poor decision. Ryan can win every single game left on the schedule, and it wouldn’t matter. Even the Jets can’t sell Fitzpatrick as the 2017 QB for the New York jets...can they?