Todd Bowles, reporter spar over secrecy about Jets' QB plans
Coach Todd Bowles talks to the media Tuesday after practice during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The daily questions about who the Jets’ starting quarterback is going to be are starting to get to everybody. On Tuesday, Todd Bowles and a reporter got a little testy with each other as the coach denied being secretive about his plans for how he intends to deploy his quarterbacks in Friday’s preseason game against the Giants.
Asked why he felt the need to keep secret his plan for Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater and rookie Sam Darnold, Bowles said he isn’t being secretive at all.
“I usually don’t reveal any starters, or who plays,’’ he said. “I’m not trying to keep a secret, or hide anything. All three quarterbacks need to be ready to play, because you need to see how they react to certain situations when they have to come in, be it from the bullpen, or whether they’re the starter. So you want to get reactions, and it’s part of the evaluation process, so I choose to do that. It’s not anything I’m trying to keep hidden and secret.’’
To a follow-up question, Bowles said that because it’s only preseason there is no competitive advantage to keeping secrets about his plans for the quarterbacks’ playing time. Then, a reporter said, “So why don’t you just tell us?’’
Bowles replied, “I just explained myself. So if I just explained myself and you don’t understand, then I can’t help you.’’
That was the extent of the testiness, though. The questioning quickly turned to the nuts and bolts of how Bowles is handling the situation. He said the quarterbacks don’t know yet who is starting, who is playing, or how the playing time will be divided Friday. He said he typically informs them the night before the game.
In an interview with WFAN’s Mike Francesa later in the afternoon, Darnold was asked if he would be disappointed if he didn’t start the regular-season opener Sept. 10 in Detroit.
“No,’’ he said. “Whatever the coaches want, obviously, that’s what it is, and how it goes… I’ll be the best starter, or the best backup, I can be.’’
However, judging by the amount of work Darnold has gotten in the preseason games and in practice, it certainly looks as though he is going to be the Week 1 starter.
In the opener against Atlanta, the 39-year-old McCown started and played just one series – a three-and-out – before giving way to Bridgewater, who played two series (touchdown pass, field goal). Darnold came on in the second quarter, threw a TD pass and played the rest of the game. In the second game, a 15-13 loss to Washington, Darnold started and played the first half, with Bridgewater playing the second half. McCown did not play.
In practice this week, Darnold has been getting most of the first-team reps, while Bridgewater has been working mostly with the backups and McCown has worked with the scout team. On Tuesday, that meant a total of four snaps for McCown, all handoffs.
But when asked at the start of his post-practice news conference if he had any more clarity on how he would use the quarterbacks Friday, Bowles said, “Not at this time.’’ When asked if he intended to play only two of them, he said, “We don’t have clarity on that yet. I’ll discuss it with them and go from there.’’
Bowles was asked how he thought Darnold played in the second game, after having viewed the tape.
“I thought he played well,’’ Bowles said. “I mean, two sacks – one, I think [Washington’s Daron] Payne beat [Jonotthan] Harrison right off the snap, he had nothing to do; the second one, there wasn’t anybody open. He had some tough throws. He didn’t get a chance to make any throws down the field [but] he did everything that was asked of him.’’
And as for how Darnold reacted last week when informed he’d be starting against Washington, Bowles indicated he took it in stride.
“They’ve all been even-keeled anyway,” he said, “so whether they’re starting or coming in in relief, they’ve all been very even-keeled.’’
Notes & quotes: Apparently concerned about the health of K Cairo Santos, who is still healing after groin surgery in the offseason, the Jets claimed K Jason Myers off waivers from Seattle. The team also has Tyler Bertolet on the roster. Bertolet has done the kicking in the first two preseason games.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
