Jets Q&A: Accepting a penalty backfires on Todd Bowles

Why didn’t Todd Bowles decline the offensive pass interference penalty called on third down during the Patriots’ first TD drive?

Bowles played the percentages, and it backfired. If he had accepted the penalty, it would have put the Patriots in a fourth-and-2 situation at the Jets’ 24-yard line. Bill Belichick could have decided to go for it or kick the field goal. He was never given the option because Bowles believes Belichick would have gone for it.

Bowles accepted the penalty, making it third-and-12 from the Jets’ 34, and Tom Brady found Rob Gronkowski for the tying 34-yard touchdown.

“Third-and-12 are better odds than fourth-and-2,” Bowles said. “Third-and-12 were good odds for us. We’ve been pretty good at third-and-12. We knew they would have gone for it on fourth-and-2. We figured if we backed them up, we had a chance [for them] to kick a field goal.”

What’s the team’s confidence level in offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates?

It can’t be that high. The Jets have scored only three touchdowns in their last four games, totaling 39 points in that time.

When Jermaine Kearse — who caught his first touchdown pass of the season — was asked if he thinks the Jets should open things up more, he declined to answer. When he was asked if the offensive players have confidence in Bates, he again declined to answer.

“I understand everybody’s frustrated,” Kearse said. “We’re frustrated. Our fans are frustrated. We’re all frustrated. We’re just trying to find ways to get things going out there, to make plays, and we’re all in it.”   

The Jets say they want to be known for running the football. Then why was their dropbacks-to-run ratio higher than 3-to-1?

Bowles said it was because the Patriots were “crowding” the line early, so the Jets looked to pass more. Josh McCown attempted 45 passes and was sacked twice. The Jets ran 15 times.

“We had some success passing the football,” Bowles said. “We tried to do some things. It didn’t work out.”

Did Brady know he completed the touchdown pass to Gronkowski?

He said he didn’t because he was on the ground, and he couldn’t really tell because there was a lot of cheering. That’s because there were a lot of Patriots fans in the seats for this Jets home game.

“I saw him get by the middle linebacker and I saw the corner squeeze and I threw it,” Brady said. “I didn’t really see the end of the play. I heard the cheering. I wasn’t sure if the Jets intercepted it or if we made the play. I was so happy Gronk made it.”   

What happened to McCown’s hand?

He hit his right thumb on a helmet and was bleeding. McCown said they “fixed it up” and that it didn’t impact him in the game. When he left the stadium, his hand was wrapped. But because the players are not allowed to talk about injuries, McCown wouldn’t say much about it.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.