New York Jets: No playoff mandate for Todd Bowles for 2018

New York Jets ownership is still not applying a playoff mandate to the coaching staff. Is that wrong?

The New York Jets are heading into season number four with Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan. The last two seasons saw the team turn in 5-11 records, although under very different circumstances. The first was a miscalculation based on 2015 and the second was a rebuilding year. Thus far, Jets ownership has remained faithful to this regime, giving both Maccagnan and Bowles contract extensions prior to the end of the regular season.

Understanding that 2017 was a rebuilding season, Jets owner Woody Johnson did not put a playoff mandate on his team and staff. He went with the idea that he would keep both general manager and coach around if he saw enough progress. Now, Woody Johnson is working for President Trump, so the day-to-day ownership of the team has been turned over to his brother Christopher.

Like brother, like brother I guess (via NJ.com):

"“I have no mandate,” Johnson said. “Believe me, I want to get to the playoffs. I want to build a team with Mike and Todd that can compete for the playoffs every year. That can’t happen fast enough. But there’s no mandate.”"

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The acting owner is a big fan of Todd Bowles:

"“He’s a great leader of men. He got the most out of his guys. He got more than anybody imagined out of these guys. The predictions the beginning of the season were pretty dire. I think some stars, some young stars emerged. An extraordinary core emerged. I attribute that to Todd and his staff.”"

Clearly Mr. Johnson had his heart set on keeping the regime intact. For what it’s worth, Chris Johnson deserves credit for keeping this attitude in 2017. He essentially was a brand new team owner. It wouldn’t have been the first time that a guy with his hands on the wheel made quick changes when he got in charge. Impulsivity is human. Give Johnson credit for letting Bowles and company do their jobs.

Could Johnson be going too far by keeping the same attitude in 2018? It depends upon how far he takes it. The answer to the question is, possibly.

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Not making the playoffs is still a possibility. The Jets have a lot of holes to fill, and even a great offseason doesn’t necessarily fill all of them. It is possible for the team to be headed in the right direction and still miss the playoffs for another year. So the no mandate is probably the right move.

Where does it stop? Jets fans have come to accept mediocrity for a long time. The organization has almost promoted a culture of it. Jets fans have been taught to embrace minor moral victories as major developments. Some even raved about the work of Todd Bowles even though the record was 5-11, marking the first back to back losing seasons since Rich Kotite. My point is that player development is good, but wins have to come eventually.

How little progress from 2017-2018 would be worthy of a firing? A third losing season? Less wins than these last two years? A third straight five win season? If the playoffs don’t matter, wins should factor in, otherwise the patience we are seeing from ownership will become complacency.

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