Todd Bowles doesn’t care about lack of sacks

Head coach Todd Bowles of the New York Jets doesn’t care about the lack of sacks from his defensive line. It’s all about winning football games in his book.

The defense of the New York Jets sure has gone against the initial thoughts of everyone before the season began. Many believed the defensive line of the Jets would be one of the biggest strengths of the team thanks to Pro Bowl defensive ends Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams.

Needless to say, they haven’t lived up to their potential at all. Neither Wilkerson or Williams have gotten a single sack this season, which is alarming as it is disappointing seven weeks into the regular season. Perhaps they’ll have a breakout game at some point but the truth of the matter is, something is wrong.

Wilkerson has been hurt so far this season with shoulder and toe injuries as Williams has been dealing with a nagging wrist injury. It’s hard to be dominant, let alone be effective, if a defensive end is always playing hurt. At this point in time, head coach Todd Bowles isn’t concerned at all about the lack of sacks from his defensive line.

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Courtesy of the Media Relations Department of the Jets, here is what Bowles said earlier this week about being next to last in the NFL when it comes to sack percentage:

On if being next to last in the league in sack percentage is unacceptable…

There are a lot of things that we have to get better at that are unacceptable to me, but winning games is the biggest thing to me. The other stuff comes with it. Sometimes you can get sacks and win games. Sometimes you can get sacks and lose games. It doesn’t bother me. If we can win ball games, we’re fine.

On if he is disappointed that Williams and Wilkerson have not produced statistically as well as many observers would have predicted…

They’re playing hard. They’re playing well and they’re doing everything we’re asking them to do. I’m not disappointed in those two at all.

At the end of the day, it’s great to see a head coach not throw his players under the bus but Bowles is a bit lenient when it comes to his underperforming defense. If the Jets were able to bring more pressure to opposing quarterbacks, they might even have a better record which would continue having them overachieve this season.

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Overall, it looks like nagging injuries are what’s preventing both Wilkerson and Williams from doing what they do best. It’s part of playing professional football as one can only hope they eventually heal and live up to their potential. For now, Bowles doesn’t care about sacks but more about winning football games as the defensive secondary of the Jets has done a solid job at keeping games close.