–The Jets reportedly contacted the Steelers about running back holdout Le’Veon Bell on Monday, but as of Wednesday, there had been no further communication between the teams.
No offer was made for Bell, according to reports, as general manager Mike Maccagnan simply called Pittsburgh to express interest in the back, who continues to refuse to sign his one-year franchise tag as he seeks a long-term deal.
–On Tuesday, the NFL “informally/privately apologized” to the Jets for Morris Claiborne’s holding penalty on Cleveland’s first two-point conversion attempt, according to The New York Daily News, after which they got another try and converted a trick play to tie the game at 14 with 42 seconds left in the third quarter.
Claiborne was flagged for holding on receiver Antonio Callaway and Baker Mayfield was sacked. A Browns offensively lineman was also called for holding on the play, but the offsetting penalties allowed Cleveland to replay the down. On the ensuing play, receiver Jarvis Landry threw a left-handed pass to Mayfield in the end zone.
After Wednesday’s practice, head coach Todd Bowles was also asked about Trumaine Johnson’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty earlier in the game, when he tried handing the ball to Landry after an incompletion.
Said the coach: “They are calling a lot of things these days.”
–On Tuesday, The New York Daily News also reported that Bowles would be taking some of the play-calling duties away from defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers, specifically in two-minute and hurry-up situations.
Bowles, who was defensive coordinator for the Cardinals for two seasons before becoming head coach of the Jets, denied the report.
“100 percent false, completely a lie,” a testy Bowles said Wednesday. If somebody said it, it didn’t come
out of my mouth. I have no idea where it came from. I’ve got nothing else to speak on it, I haven’t done any of it, and I don’t know where it came from. It didn’t happen. It hasn’t happened. I’m pretty much a straight-shooter, if I’ve got something to say, I will probably say it. It will come out of my mouth. It never came out of my mouth, and it never happened. End of discussion, it never happened. It’s not going to happen. If I want to take the play calling or call something for the offense, I have that prerogative to do as a head coach. I never did any of that.”
Cleveland scored the game-winning touchdown on Thursday with 2:04 to play after going 75 yards in 15 plays on a drive that took 6:52 off the clock. They converted two third downs on the drive and Carlos Hyde scored from a yard out on third-and-goal.
The Jets have given up 13 points so far this season inside of a minute left in the first half.
“Penalties hurt us when we got off the field,” Bowles said, adding that “communication has been fine” for the defense is late-in-half situations. “We had a defensive breakdown that put them in field-goal range and that hurt us. It was that simple.”
BY THE NUMBERS: (-1) — Despite intercepting five Matt Stafford passes in their Week 1 victory in Detroit, the Jets are minus-1 in turnover differential after three games. The defense hasn’t made an interception in the last two games, while Sam Darnold has been picked off five times in three games and Robby Anderson has lost two fumbles.
