Report: Jets May Wait Until Offseason To Address Head Coach
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There's a pretty good chance Todd Bowles will remain the Jets' head coach for the remainder of the season.
This according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who said Monday the organization doesn't want to make a "rash" decision.
The Jets have not fired a head coach during the season since 1975, when Ken Shipp replaced Charley Winner on an interim basis for the final five games.
Even after yesterday's horrific loss, my understanding is that any possible changes coming to the #Jets would be based on a decision made after the season, rather than during. That is the expectation. Decisions won't be rash.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 12, 2018
The Jets fell to 3-7 with Sunday's brutal 41-10 loss to the lowly Buffalo Bills, who started their fourth-string quarterback after scoring a combined 33 points over the previous four games.
New York has lost four in a row, including defeats to division foes Miami and Buffalo over the last two weeks. The Jets have a bye in Week 11 before returning to action on Nov. 25 against the visiting New England Patriots, who have taken 12 of the last 14 regular season meetings.
The Jets are 23-33 during Bowles three-plus seasons as head coach, but have lost 27 of their last 40 games. They have not made the playoffs since the 2010 season.
Following a 13-6 loss at Miami on Nov. 4, a game in which the defense played very well and the offense struggled mightily, Sunday's matchup with Buffalo looked favorable on paper for the Jets, even with starting quarterback Sam Darnold sidelined due to a foot injury. The Bills entered the game losers of four straight and averaging just 10.7 points per game for the season. Buffalo was also last or near the bottom of the league in most of the other primary offensive categories.
But the Jets simply didn't show up. Under journeyman quarterback Matt Barkley, who was signed off the street on Oct. 31 and had not started an NFL game since 2016, the Bills needed just two plays to take a 7-0 lead and they never looked back.
"Everything that could've gone wrong went wrong," Bowles said. "We stunk it up as coaches, we stunk it up as players."
As is usually the case when a Jets season goes off the rails, MetLife Stadium was half empty on Sunday, and among the fans that were there were ones wearing the Bills' familiar red, white and blue colors.
Expect that trend to continue over the remaining games on the schedule, as there is a good chance New York will not be favored against any of its remaining opponents. After playing at home against the Patriots following the bye, the Jets travel to Tennessee, which beat up New England on Sunday, and then play the Bills in Buffalo, where they have won just once in the last six years.
The Jets then return home to face red-hot Houston and perennial NFC power Green Bay before closing the season at New England.
"We're going to try like hell to win our last six games," Bowles said.
It's too early to say if Darnold will return in Week 12. If he can't go, expect the Jets to again go with veteran Josh McCown, who was 17 of 34 for 135 yards with two interceptions against Buffalo.