New York Jets: Todd Bowles discusses team penalties

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Aug 23, 2015

Head coach Todd Bowles of the New York Jets just got his first preseason win for the team that saw them beat the Atlanta Falcons to the tune of 30-22. A win is a win but it wasn’t the kind of victory that Bowles would have liked to have seen due to all the penalties and miscommunications. Regardless, it comes at the perfect time since preseason football allows teams to work out all the kinks before they stay to play opposing teams in games that actually matter.

Thanks to the Media Relations Department of the Jets, here is what Bowles had to say about all the penalties, injuries and the hottest topic in town regarding the quarterback situation. Enjoy!

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On if the game plan was to play the starting offense for the entire first half…

Yes, both (the offense and defense). We said we were going to do that going in regardless because those guys needed to play and they needed to get some time.

On the first-team defense…

We busted a coverage the first play that got them down there. Other than that, I thought they got going a little bit. They got the ball on the three and I thought they should have kept them out of there. We got them to third down but one big play they got the fullback and we busted the coverage. Other than that, the tackling was a lot better. They played the run a lot better. We’ve still got a ways to go but I thought they took a step today.

On the touchdown on Antonio Cromartie…

That was a bust too. That was a bust in communication and a miscommunication.

On the penalties…

It was 17 to be exact and you aren’t going to win ball games having 17 penalties. The effort was great, penalties were terrible. That was way more than I imagined. We got better in some areas. We got worse there, we’ve got to clean that up.

On the offensive line…

I just think they started slow. They hadn’t played together in a while. They got started slow. They needed to play because they needed time to figure everything out and luckily they figured some things out and they got a little better as it went.

On if it is hard to judge first-team performances against non-starters…

No, we were going to play regardless. I think for me it was more looking at our team trying to jell than looking at who we were playing against. I know it’s a preseason game and having them only play a series last week, they needed to play together to try to jell so we weren’t worried about who we were going up against. I know it’s preseason. We were doing it for our sake and not theirs.

On Ryan Fitzpatrick…

He was steady. I thought they knocked a lot of balls down. I’ve got to see the film to see if that was quarterback-related or offensive line related. But he was poised. He knew where to go with the football. He did a good job.

Aug 21, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) attempts to pass against the Atlanta Falcons during first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

On being run heavy in the first quarter…

No, we were trying to take what they gave us and for plays and audibles, the count, runs were more prevalent than the passes.

On if the light came on for Leonard Williams…

I hope so. He had two big plays. You saw the big play. I’ve got to look at the film to see how he did on every other play, but he did make two big plays that kind of turned on the light for everybody.

On the difference for Bryce Petty this week compared to last week…

For me, he was a little more poised and that’s the progress we’re trying to get with him – get better every week, a little bit better every week. And he got better from last week to this week, so hopefully he’ll keep moving forward.

On Jets injuries…

(Jeremy) Kerley has a concussion. Shaq Evans has a back sprain. (Durell) Eskridge came out with a concussion. There’s one more…(Daryl) Richardson has a concussion. (Ben) Ijalana had a knee. (Dashaun) Phillips had a rib injury. Those are the ones I can remember off the top off my head.

On whether he felt Darrelle Revis held Julio Jones in the first quarter…

He didn’t hold him. I thought their feet got tangled up. The angle the referee had, I could see why he threw it because he was behind them. If the ref throws the flag, it’s a penalty. If he doesn’t, it’s not. I don’t think he held them. I thought their feet got tangled.

On whether he felt Williams safety contributed to the momentum shift…

I thought it woke the guys up a little bit. He’s been playing with a lot of energy. I felt that after that, guys started playing. Haven’t not played in a while and then getting them together, they have to understand what game situations are like. We can’t start that slow.

Aug 21, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive tackle Leonard Williams (62) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback T.J. Yates (13) during first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

On what he chalks the penalties up to…

A lot of it is immaturity. Over-aggressiveness. They have to be cleaned up because we won’t win like that.

On the visiting offense going down the field on the first team defense on its opening drive for the second straight week, and whether it’s disappointing…

It’s not. I told you, they busted the coverage and had miscommunication. That was the one play that got them down the field. They understood what happened there and cleaned it up.

On whether they can afford to have those mistakes on defense…

No you can not.

On if it’s a learning curve issue as they get adjusted to his system…

No, that wasn’t (a) learning curve. That was communication.

On this being the time to eliminate mistakes…

That’s what preseason is for. You don’t want them. You can learn from them. Hopefully, we learn from this one. We learned something last week about tackling. Hopefully, we’ll learn from penalties this week. We have to get better every week. We have to progress next week. Hopefully the penalties go down next week. We’re going to work our butt’s off on it and go from there.

On Chan Gailey’s four and five-wide sets and empty formations, and if that’s a glimpse into the offense this season…

A little bit was scheme and a little bit was just throwing it. We had a lot of tight ends down, so we’re trying to steal some plays here and there. (Kellen Davis) was the biggest guy, so he got to do some of the blocking.

On if he liked what he saw chemistry-wise with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brandon Marshall…

They were getting better as the game went (along). I thought Fitz made some plays. Brandon’s a big guy and when he’s covered, he’s not covered. Hopefully, that can work out for us.

On which injury he feels is the most serious…

I couldn’t tell you yet. When I go back in and get an update, I’ll be able to tell you a little more.

On if he said that Eskridge had a concussion…

Yes.

On whether that is a really big problem since he had those issues at Syracuse…

I have to see how serious it is. I won’t know until I go back in there.

On whether it’s three guys with concussions…

Yes.

Next: New York Jets: Top 7 wide receivers to make final roster

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