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There were a lot of questions today about whether Ryan Fitzpatrick would be back with the Jets next year.
Talk about awful timing.
Isn’t there enough to write about this week, without focusing on off-season contract matters?
I was in the room, and I was totally uncomfortable with the line of questioning.
This is why Bill Parcells always used to call us “commies.” This isn’t the time for this conversation.
The Jets face a challenge of biblical proportions over the next three games – they basically need to win out, and hope for help, to make the playoffs. They have to win two road games (Dallas and Buffalo) and beat one of the NFL’s best teams, New England, at home.
Why are we talking about Fitzpatrick’s contract right now?
Jeez.
What I like about Bowles is, like his mentor Parcells, he doesn’t get sucked into narratives not pertaining to winning the next game.
“We haven’t discussed it yet,” Bowles said about Fitzpatrick’s contract. “We’ll discuss it after the season.”
And you had this question which he shot down quickly.
Q)How much of an accomplishment the playoffs would be to him as a first-year head coach?
“I don’t know,” Bowles said. “I have to get there first and I can answer your question.”
Here is another waste of time he didn’t want to get involved in.
Q)Is Dez Bryant not being targeted as much as you’d think?
“That’s not my concern,” Bowles said. “My concern is just to win the ball game. We know he’s a great player. Whether he gets the ball or not, you have to account for him.”
That is exactly the right mindset. Don’t chase windmills.
Sometimes Rex would fall into these traps and get into long, windy answers – wasting his time and energy.
Bowles shuts it down fast, and moves on to the next question.
Parcells taught him well – just deal with what really matters, not frivolous stuff . . .
Ryan Quigley needs to be a little more consistent. He needs to improve his hang-time.
He’s been in that 4.2-4.4 area too much. He needs to be more in that 4.7-4.8 area, with a bunch of 5.0 second punts mixed in . . .
I might be in the minority, but I think the Baltimore Ravens could help the Jets, at least in one of their next two games. They play the Kansas City Chiefs this week, and the Pittsburgh Steelers next week. Both games are in Baltimore.
If the injury-depleted San Diego Chargers can go right to the wire with the Chiefs in Kansas City last week, why can’t the Ravens pull an upset at M&T Bank Stadium?
While the Ravens are 4-9, every game they have played this year has been close, aside from last week’s loss to Seattle.
It’s unclear if Jimmy Clausen or Matt Schaub will start for them?
Clausen was not terrible in that loss to Seattle. They could not run the ball, and Russell Wilson played out of his mind. Clausen is very comfortable in Mark Trestman’s offense. He played for the current Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator in Chicago.
Schaub thinks he can play this week. We will see. He’s not great, but he’s won a lot of games in this league. You could do a lot worse than Schaub.
And honestly, the Chiefs aren’t a juggernaut. They are very beatable, and have a lot of injuries.
The Jets really need the Ravens help in one, or both, of the next two games.
Like I said, every Ravens game the entire season has been close. Last week was an aberration.
They are a well-coached team, and they have a great culture in Baltimore.
I have a sneaking suspicion they could help the Jets in the next two weeks.
But obviously that won’t matter if the Jets don’t go out and take care of their own business.
December 15, 2105
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