The problem is that Bowles was supposedly "playing to win" in sticking with Fitzpatrick. That was the excuse. A field goal isn't the decision you make if you're "playing to win". That's the decision you make when you don't want the headlines to be "Jets shutout 41-0". It's indicative of someone making decisions to try to keep his job.
Yeah he was a moron for the way he handled Fitz this whole season Bowles has made tons of dumb mistakes this season but kicking a field goal where the game is 100% over doesn't matter to me either way You can't be playing to win down 41-0 because there is literally no shot to win If it was only 24-0 I'd actually be upset because it would still technically be a 3 score game
Kicking the FG was the right call. We were out of the game and avoided giving a hated division rivsl the shutout. It is bad enough that we handed Belichick his 200th win, no need to pad his stats further. Besides it gave fans a chance to see our best player Nick Folk on the field.
He did it because that is how the jets lost to the damn Dolphins and he is too stupid to understand it is because the jets are a crappy them and not because the players just sprinted 50yards. If Bowles stays, all three coordinators have to go.
We should be so lucky. Gailey was a chimera from day one, over-employed and he proved it during his time in Buffalo. I have no idea why they went with him. Maybe they thought it statistically inevitable he'd finally make some good decisions? And If this year's disastrous showing by the D and special teams wasn't enough to get Rodgers and Boyer removed by TB, nothing will except the removal of Bowles himself. It's time for Woody to act decisively on this, although I have little confidence in that happening.
Bowles shit canned Bobby April on the way home from Buffalo last year, but the Special Teams this year was possibly worse. I'm not sure because I started to watch the games early on like they were train wrecks and I was peaking thru eyes covered by my hands with one eye. The longer it went on the worse the disaster revealed itself. They need to tell me wtf happened and/or cut mf's with an explanation, or that staff has to go. Some of the mistakes being made were fundamental errors. I don't think Bowles is fully equipped to be the General that is needed to lead an NFL team on the field. That's not a knock on him really, because that guy is hard to find. It doesn't help when Woody is incompetent in that role himself as CEO.
I like it, even if it doesn't make a lot of sense. Also like deus ex machina. It's apparent that English isn't getting through to the players so why not?
A lot of the kids at my school couldn't get their heads around the idea that an English teacher could also be a football coach. I loved the dichotomy.
Historically, it was the right move. Looked pathetic watching it live, but people are crazy with how they think. 41-3 looks much better in the history books than 41-0. To a rational person that makes no sense, but I get Bowles doing it and not allowing someone to say "Remember the low point when Bowles was SHUTOUT in NE?!" It's ridiculous, but I understand, and in the end agree. I guess. Haha.
It's not the reason that a coach should be canned. It is however, at the sorry end of a disastrous season, and that's the reason it's being seen as the signal of something offensive, stupid, pathetic, or whatever. It's neither surprising nor something to raise one's ire. I mean, a team that gave up weeks ago isn't suddenly going to get tough against NE and play for pride or respect so Bowles, in a manner of speaking, tried to salvage some for them. And it can only get worse, as we get Buffalo next week. Rex wants to leave on a positive note, and I fear we're going to hand it to him. All you can do is shrug your shoulders, vent a little bile around here to share the misery among some like-minded friends, head to the beer store and hope for better next year. Like I've done for most of the previous 45 years. <sigh ...>
It's creating headlines now. "It was overshadowed by the many other storylines that unfolded, but Todd Bowles' decision to kick a field goal late in Saturday's game -- down 41-0 -- was one for the history books. It marked the first time since 2008 that a team attempted a field goal while trailing by at least 40 points in the fourth quarter, according to Pro Football Reference" Down 41 Points, Bowles Makes Decision for the Ages (via http://ble.ac/teamstream-) http://teamstre.am/2iz744w
It made absolutely no difference at that point. What, go for it and lose 41-7 instead of 41-3? Like that's so much better right? There are plenty of things to complain about with Bowles, but this isn't one of them. They were losing, why give the Patriots the satisfaction of a shut out? I love how Cimini cherry picks stats. How many games have there even been in 4th quarters with teams trailing by 40+? So it hasn't happened in 8 years. Who cares? I'm sorry I hate Bowles, but complaining about this is beyond stupid.
Bowles has done that many times this season, not sure why anyone thinks he's going to magically wake up and change his conservative nature over night. His uber conservative style is one of the main reasons I want him gone. It's comical how piss poor he is in situational awareness and perception. He has coached extremely poorly this year and I don't know if he can improve. I mean, we were getting our asses shredded by 41 points and so instead of being ballsy and trying to score a touchdown you settle for 3 points? Not only does it send a horrible message to your own team but imagine how much Belichek and the rest of those assholes were laughing at him
I can't really fault Bowles much for going for the FG. As someone already stated, 41-3 looks better than 41-0. I've coached football for a while and have found myself staring down the barrel at a shutout or two against a vastly superior opponent. Sometimes, just getting something towards the end of the game, just so that you can hang your hat on at least something having gone right for you, is enough to give you a springboard into the next week. Granted, that's more of an issue at sub-pro levels, needing to find a positive heading into the next week, but given that I could see myself doing something similar, I can't really blast Bowles for it.
Yeah I understand THAT kicking of the FG more than kicking one at 34-10 against Miami a couple weeks ago then not even bothering to do an onside kick down three TD's. There wasn't much purpose to that lol
