Inspiring effort shows everything that’s wrong with Jets
The entire day, in every possible way, was so very Jets.
Because of course they picked the final day of a lost season soiled by rampant underachievement and occasional dysfunction to deliver their most complete game, dominating the Bills on offense, defense and special teams in a 30-10 victory at a half-empty MetLife Stadium.
The win, of course, gave the Jets a season sweep over the same team that beat them twice last year — including the win-and-they’re-in season finale — and denied them a playoff berth.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was the darling of New York last season while throwing a franchise-record 31 touchdown passes, played one of his most efficient games of the season, throwing two touchdowns with no turnovers in what most certainly was his last game with the team.
Fitzpatrick, who was benched twice this season only to return because the guys who took over for him got hurt, looked like the quarterback the Jets thought they were bringing back when they re-signed him for that $12 million in the offseason.
Because of course he did.
Oh yes, and then there was maligned star cornerback Darrelle Revis, who entered the game having not had a single interception this season and only four passes defended, picking off Bills quarterback Cardale Jones and returning it 51 yards late in the game.
So very Jets.
The day’s pièce de résistance came after the game, when Jets management, after weeks of speculation about the job security of coach Todd Bowles, handled the announcement he would be retained with the clumsiness of a teenage boy on a first date trying to negotiate a first kiss.
Minutes after team owner Woody Johnson whisked past reporters without comment, the Jets — in an effort to lift their collective leg and leak all over the media outlets they deemed most critical of the team during this 5-11 season — opted to leak the news Bowles will be retained to one wire service.
So to review: After one of their most impressive wins of the year, the Jets decided to pick a fight with the media.
So very Jets of them.
Here’s the thing: The Jets retaining Bowles is a smart thing, which Johnson should be commended for, staying the course, keeping continuity and not being swayed by frustrated fans as he has been in the past.
And here’s another thing: Bowles knew he wasn’t going to be fired a while ago, because Johnson told him so. So what was the purpose of the team allowing the negative speculation to fester?
“I knew I would be here,’’ Bowles said, “so it really wasn’t a big deal.’’
Except the Jets allowed it to become a bigger deal than it ever should have been by opting against transparency.
“It’s a hard thing now, because everyone wants immediate changes, wants immediate winning, but continuity is something that’s important in this game,’’ Fitzpatrick said.
Left tackle Ben Ijalana called the news of Bowles staying “very comforting,’’ adding, “I think he deserves to be back. I want to see him finish what he started.’’
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said he “kind of figured’’ Bowles would be back, saying, “You don’t fire a guy after one bad season. That’s just not smart. He’s a great coach who had a rough patch this year.’’
Apart from curious handling of the quarterbacks and some abysmal in-game coaching moves, a big part of that “rough patch’’ for Bowles was his failure to curb locker-room dissent that began with Richardson and receiver Brandon Marshall arguing with each other in 24-3 loss in Kansas City in the Week 3. As recently as last week, Richardson still was sniping at Marshall.
Listening to Revis, it sounds like the chemistry issues never were fixed after the Kansas City incident.
“We addressed those issues and … we tried to nip it in the bud,’’ Revis said. “We thought we were OK and we thought we had the guys that were mature enough to handle the situation and move forward, but eventually it unraveled for us and left a dark cloud with the chemistry of the team.’’
It figures the Jets’ best chemistry was on full display Sunday on the last day a lot of these players will play together with sweeping roster and coaching staff changes imminent.
“This was probably our most complete game,’’ Richardson said. “In all three phases, everybody was making plays. This is how we thought we were going to be all season, but for some reason we only did it against the Bills.’’
So. Very. Jets.