The back story to Sunday’s Buffalo Bills-New York Jets football game at MetLife Stadium, the last day of the regular season, became less interesting now that Buffalo has fired their head coach, Rex Ryan.
All speculation has ceased. There were rumors. If he won, would he be retained? If he lost, would he be fired? At 15-16 in two seasons, Ryan was cut before his 32nd game.
“It’s a tough business,” said Todd Bowles, the Jets’ head coach, who replaced Ryan to coach Gang Green two seasons ago.
“He’s had a lot of success in this league,” stated Bowles, whose win-loss record is slightly less than Ryan’s. “He’s a good coach. Sometimes things don’t go your way.”
Bowles was 10 and 6 last season; he is 4 and 11 right now.
Ryan was let go six days before Black Friday, the first Monday after the end of the regular season, when coaches and personnel are let go, fired, free to seek employment elsewhere.
Bowles, who has heard calls for his dismissal, has been burdened all season long with quarterback issues, compounded with injuries at other positions throughout the team. He hasn’t really caught a break. Then last week Friday, he was hospitalized for complications regarding gall stones, kidney stones and gall bladder issues. Even athazagoraphobia, the fear of being forgotten, may be setting in.
After spending the night in the hospital, he was cleared by doctors to fly out to New England to coach their game Saturday, a 41-3 loss to the Patriots.
He’s backed both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Bryce Petty at quarterback. Petty was hurt during Saturday’s loss. He’s done for the season.
It’s planned for Christian Hackenberg, their third string QB, to suit up for Sunday, although Jets management is quite reluctant to play him this season. They’ve been very tight-lipped, for a lack of a better word, all season about their plans regarding him and his progress.
“We had a plan for him going in when we drafted him,” stated Bowles, finally being more forthright at the season’s end than any time during it. “He’s taken a lot of reps in practice. If Fitz gets hurt, he’ll go in there and play. If Fitz doesn’t, he won’t play, but he’s ready to play. He’ll be ready to play. Obviously, with experience comes better play, and you’ll see a bunch of things, but putting him in right now isn’t going to hurt or help him.”
Despite the Jets’ woes, Bowles should be retained for another season. Management needs to make it known that he is their coach. They need to straighten out personnel issues through drafts and free agents, walk-ons and potential trades. They should build upon what they have, but stability is key to taking them into next year. A better season next year, more wins than losses, will squelch any of Bowles’ hidden fears.