Jets coach Todd Bowles has almost no time to save his job

Their brief responses and their frowning scowl all told, painting a disturbing picture of a stunted team that could not escape.

One-by-one, the New York Jets players were held responsible for another defeat on Sunday, unsuccessfully trying to explain how they spoiled another opportunity, an inescapable confrontation with their longtime rival, the Miami Dolphins.

This is the kind of devastating defeat that, with hindsight, may be the reason a coach is fired.

And Todd Bowles is running out of time.

This 2018 season was about one thing: the development of Sam Darnold, the 21-year-old quarterback to whom they paid a high price for draft No. 3 seven months ago.

And at the present time, the baby-faced leader of this irregular team does not read the defense systems properly, seems to have lost confidence in his pocket, and returns to the neglect he has sometimes shown at the university.

The Jets' offensive performance in the 13-6 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday – with the exception of Quincy Enunwa's relentless efforts to break the tackle – was inept. The coaching staff's decision not to change blocking patterns, player calls, or offensive line staff? Questionable at best. Meanwhile, the Jets defense played well, limiting Miami to 104 passing yards and 64 yards rushing.

But a loss is a loss. And that falls on all.

Bowles in particular.

"I understand the emphasis on restructuring, rebuilding, but I think everyone has enough," said third-year receiver Robby Anderson. "I think it's an excuse. We must challenge ourselves, improve and succeed. "

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Victory and loss records are the way we evaluate head coaches. Just ask Hue Jackson, recently sacked. But these 16 games were more important for the Jets, much more critical.

The most damning point of this defeat was not the pathetic final score, nor the fact that New York has now fallen to 3-6 overall and 0-2 in the AFC East Division. That's because the Jets – a company that has spent decades looking for a legitimate and enduring face for its franchise – could finally have a long-term option to Darnold. And this coaching staff finds new ways to hinder its development.

Nine games in his rookie season, Darnold regresses. The rookie leads the league with 14 interceptions and has seven sacks, seven interceptions and only two touchdowns in the last three games.

<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "And this is a large problem for a defensive coach who is 13-27 (with no playoff appearances) in the last three years. "data-reactid =" 40 "> And it's a large problem for a defensive coach who is 13-27 (with no playoff appearances) in the last three years.

As a result of this seven-point loss, irritated players offered a direct assessment of their individual and collective failures. A veterans center dismayed, apologizing for not being able to properly photograph a football because of a finger injury that has afflicted him for three weeks. Darnold deplores his extremely inaccurate shots, including four interceptions at the height of his career. And an edgy second-year security who insisted that his defense did not do enough to create turnovers.

"It's the same thing, the same thing. "I'm fed up with losing," said 23-year-old defensive leader Jamal Adams. "Too much is too much."

"First of all, I think everything starts with me," said Darnold, shot. "I think I just have to be more specific. … I just have to have a better plan. "

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "At the center of this debacle was Bowles, whose comments post-match did not explain the lack of urgency that his team has consistently shown over his last four years; lack of half-time, play or match allhourly adjustments each week; and worse, a practical reason for Spencer Long – and his dislocated middle finger – to be in the game after repeatedly firing repeatedly out of the reach of his 6-foot-3 rookie quarterback. "data-reactid =" 44 "> Bowles was at the center of this debacle, whose comments after the match did not explain the lack of urgency shown by his team in the last four years: absence of half-time , play or break. allhourly adjustments each week; and, even worse, a practical reason for Spencer Long – and his dislocated middle finger – to be in the game after repeatedly firing repeatedly out of the reach of his rookie quarterback of 6-foot-3.

"I trust that they think they are the best for me and this team," Long said. "They think we have a better chance with me there, so I play."

The story continues