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New York Jets’ Feisty Friday is Necessary Evil

By Maurice Moton

Oct 2, 2015; Sunbury-on-Thames, United Kingdom; New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall (15), center Nick Mangold (74) and cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) at practice at the Hazelwood in advance of the NFL International Series game against the Miami Dolphins. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2015; Sunbury-on-Thames, United Kingdom; New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall (15), center Nick Mangold (74) and cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) at practice at the Hazelwood in advance of the NFL International Series game against the Miami Dolphins. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Is New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles right about Brandon Marshall and Darrelle Revis’ fight being no big deal? Is there a cause for concern?

On Friday, New York Jets wideout Brandon Marshall and Darrelle Revis jawed, and the wide receiver took a swing at the seven-time Pro Bowl defensive back, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini:

"Jets WR Brandon Marshall took a swing at Darrelle Revis in practice. Marshall was on the sideline and walked over to Revis, who was on the field. They exchanged words and Marshall threw a punch with his right hand. They were quickly separated. Quincy Enunwa literally picked up Marshall and carried him away."

Then, #JetsTwitter exploded about the scuffle. Local reporters asked head coach Todd Bowles about the ordeal, and he didn’t express any concern. At one point, he said “Love it. We’re not judging a beauty pageant. You want guys on edge,” per the team’s official website.

In the words of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, R-E-L-A-X, relax. As Bowles said in the post-practice press conference, fights among teammates happen all the time, especially during padded practices in the heat.

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Furthermore, the Jets need some rough and tumble leading up to the regular season. More so due to the jovial attitude with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson returning to the team.

Gang Green can’t head into the September laid-back because two well-respected players earned extensions.

The Jets went 10-6 and missed the playoffs after losing to the Buffalo Bills in the final week last year. If it’s not Bowles, someone or an incident must light a fire under this group.

Marshall taking training camp practice to another level says he’s back in competitive mode. Of course, with his borderline personality disorder, it becomes a headline. However, the 11-year pro knows what’s at stake in the upcoming season. Bowles also has a tight hold on the locker room unlike former head coach Rex Ryan, who was a bit more lenient.

As professionals, Revis and Marshall will likely squash this animosity behind the scenes and return to the practice field with same fire without the physical jabs thrown at one another.

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As for the team, it’s a good sign to see the No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 1 cornerback go after each other in such a high-spirited nature. Bowles likely pulled Marshall into his office and warned him about his boxing swing. The Jets certainly need Revis patrolling the secondary. Despite discussions about him moving to safety and losing a step, he’s still the best cornerback on the roster.

In win-now mode with a 33-year-old quarterback, a 30-year-old starting running back and 11-year pro as the No. 1 wideout, the Jets need the aggressive push on the field to fuel a postseason run. As he nurses a healing wrist, Revis should stay away from hand-to-hand combat, especially with a 6’4”, 230-pound wideout. As for all the feistiness among players on the field, carry on, it’s football, not ballet.

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