JETS HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, December 30, 2018

Q: Todd, I know it was a disappointing season. Can you share with us some of your thoughts on what you just told your team?

TB: I told them we showed a lot fight, we show a lot of fight every week. We need to understand what it takes to win and lose ball games from a mental preparation standpoint; making key mistakes and execution, and helping the guy next to them. So as they go through the off-season, the hard work they put in, it's not that much different from the top and the bottom. It's just the small details of things, so as we all look in the mirror at ourselves, players and coaches, we will keep each other accountable and come back a better team.

Q: Todd, what happened with Trumaine Johnson?

TB: Coach's decision. Wanted to see the young guys play.

Q: Was it disciplinary?

TB: It was a coach's decision.

Q: Was it the same thing, a coach's decision, on Wednesday or was it…

TB: It was just a coach's decision. Wanted to see the young guys play.

Q: Darryl Roberts, too?

TB: I wanted to see [Ron] Tez's [Miles] play when he's the bigger guy when they ran the ball.

Q: Did Trumaine [Johnson] make the trip, Todd?

TB: Yeah, he's here.

Q: There was a report that he was late to meetings and to practice.

TB: Coach's decision. Anything I will handle internally, nothing's changed from that standpoint.

Q: How disappointing is it that he's a high profile player, to have to make a coach's decision in the last game of the year.

TB: I wanted to see the younger guys play. That's really about it.

Q: How difficult is it to face [Tom] Brady with a secondary that hasn't played all that much, Todd?

TB: It's difficult to face him period. They run the ball well, they throw the ball well, doesn't matter who's out there at corner. He's going to throw the football, so I thought some of the young guys did some good things.

Q: Todd, how do you think Sam [Darnold] played?

TB: I'd like to have some plays back; we can't turn the ball over obviously. We didn't have much production there. We got to execute better all the way around.

Q: How would you assess his rookie year, now that it is over? Sam's…

TB: It has some ups and downs, obviously. It's been a learning process for him. Hopefully that helps him going forward.

Q: Todd, obviously this is a tough time for coaches throughout the week. What are your expectations, are you going to meet with Christopher [Johnson] shortly, tonight or tomorrow?

TB: We meet like we always meet. No different than any other game. I'll meet with him probably tomorrow, or whatever, and we will go from there.

Q: Do you expect to be let go?

TB: I don't talk about my job. That's been consistent since I have been here.

Q: Do you feel like you deserve to be back next year, Todd?

TB: I don't talk about my job.

Q: Todd, what do you make about the team's effort today?

TB: A good effort. Not smart effort all the time, but had good effort. Had some busted plays that went the other way. Effort has never been a problem for us. It's always been situational football and playing the right way at certain times.

Q: How frustrating is it, that you guys make ill-advised mistakes at ill-advised times?

TB: It's frustrating. It happens, I mean, it happens and it's very frustrating. That's our season.

Q: Todd, this was supposed to be the year that you showed some progress re-building. Why did that not happen?

TB: I wouldn't say we didn't show progress. We didn't win games to show progress, but there are a lot of guys and people that showed progress in their own right, that you can't see. So I wouldn't say that.

Q: You've said, a few times Todd, that the record kind of speaks for itself. And obviously the record for the last few years hasn't been great. Do you feel like the talent level on this roster has been enough to get the wins that you need?

TB: I think as a coach, you feel like you can win with anybody. My job and our jobs, as coaches, to go out and coach the guys the best we can to try to win the ball game. So we take our accountability.

Q: Do you have any regrets, from a football standpoint, from the last four years?

TB: No, I don't.

Q: Todd, is it realistic to be a winner with the amount of talent, or the lack of talent, you have on this roster?

TB: As a coach, you are supposed to win, regardless of who is on your roster. And you know, we have guys that can play and we have guys that are coming along that are young. We have guys that got injured, but that's everybody in the league. So you know we don't use that excuse.

Q: What are your emotions, personally, about a 4-12 season?

TB: Probably the same as the record. 4 and 12, you don't feel very good.

Q: Has it been difficult, Todd, this last month coaching with speculation about your job?

TB: No, not really.

Q: Todd, obviously you look at the record the last three years and that will lead people to kind of make a judgement on you as a head coach. Do you believe that you still have what it takes to be one of the better coaches in the NFL?

TB: I don't talk about my job. I think I got better as a coach, each year I have been here and I will continue to do so.

Q: Why do you think the progress you have made hasn't translated into the victory column?

TB: It happens. Football, the ball doesn't bounce your way all the time. You know, it happens. Can't sit here and explain the way the ball bounces.

JETS QUARTERBACK SAM DARNOLD

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, December 30, 2018

Q: Why was it so challenging offensively today?

SD: Just couldn't get anything going. I thought there were some drives where we drove the ball well and moved the ball, just couldn't finish. Couldn't finish in the red zone. I think the first few drives when we were driving, early I think there were two or three drives where we drove down there – if we finish on those drives, I think it's a different game. But at the same time, just got to finish. When we get down there, we've got to finish in the red zone.

Q: How frustrating is it to end the season with a performance like that?

SD: Yeah, it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing to go out here and lose 38 to 3. I'm really proud of the way we fought, the way we competed, it just wasn't enough.

Q: You talked about what it would be like to go against Tom Brady and this team in this environment. What was the experience like?

SD: It was a great atmosphere. Patriots fans are obviously awesome, they bring the juice and when we're on offense, it's tough to hear and all that, tough to communicate. But at the same time, at the beginning of the game and in the first half and even early on in the second half, it was a fun atmosphere, really fun to play in and I'm looking forward to coming back here next year.

Q: How would you assess your rookie season now that it's over?

SD: I'm going to do that Tuesday. I think tonight and tomorrow, I'll really focus on this game and how we can get better. I'll focus on how this whole season went probably Tuesday.

Q: How much of a challenge is it when you have a couple of newer pieces in there like J.J. Jones and Deontay Burnett?

SD: We practice together and got some throws to them during practice and even throughout these last few weeks of practice. I felt comfortable with them, got some completions to them which was good. Obviously me and Tay [Deontay Burnett] have been playing for a little bit together so that wasn't an issue.

Q: Did Todd Bowles talk to the team after the game?

SD: Yeah, yeah. He just said that he's proud of us and proud of the way we fought.

Q: There's a thought that Todd Bowles might be fired. How difficult is that as a player when you know wins and losses end up getting people fired at the end of the year?

SD: To be honest, I'm not really focused on that. Just focused on this loss and talking to my teammates about the loss and how we can get better from here.

Q: What would you say about playing for Todd Bowles as your first head coach?

SD: Coach Bowles is a great coach. He's going to be himself day in and day out and I think any player can respect that and I think all the coaches respect that too. He's awesome to play for.

JETS PLAYERS IN THE LOCKER ROOM

Henry Anderson, DL

(On missing two key defensive starters) 

"It's tough when you have two play makers down, but like I said we got the backups to step up and they are more than capable. As a defense we just have to step up."

(On the roughing the passer penalty call on him) 

"I mean it's dumb by me, but I don't know exactly. I mean I'm running full speed at him [Tom Brady], and unless I dive out of the way to avoid him. That's the only way that I don't hit him. I was trying to slow down, but he continued running into the path that I was running in. So I tried to brace myself against him. I don't exactly know what I'm supposed to do there except jump out of the way."

Jordan Leggett, TE

(On his performance) 

"There are definitely some plays I wish I could have back. We lost and we weren't able to points up on the board so overall I don't think my performance was that great. I have got to try to reflect on this whole season and try to get better this offseason."

(On playing the Patriots) 

"They played a great game, but us, as an offense, we didn't execute. That's really it, we didn't execute. I never really look at a game like that, all these teams are pretty much the same to me. That's kind of how I think we should look at it, it's just another team it doesn't matter who it is. We get the opportunity to play football so we just have to go out there and make the most of it and have fun. It doesn't matter who is across the field or what their logo is."

Josh McCown, QB

(On Sam Darnold)

"He has had consistent growth, from the first week through now. I think that is what's most important. His processing, his understanding of coverages and moving through coverages and reads quickly has been huge and will serve him well in the future."

Elijah McGuire, RB

(On getting a chance to play this season) 

"It's something you have to be ready for. When my number was called, I was ready to go."

(On the future of the team) 

"I feel there are a lot of play makers on this team. We get a couple of pieces back next year and start off on a good note."

(On playing for Todd Bowles) 

"It means everything; he was a guy that would tell you straight up. He would never steer you in the wrong direction and that's the type of guy you want to play for."

(On how he feels going into the offseason) 

"Well for me, going into the offseason I'm putting my head down and going to work. I'm sure the other guys are going to do the same. It's just a bad feeling that we have to go into the offseason with a bad taste in our mouths, but it's something that we have to deal with."

Steve McLendon, DL

(On the pass rush struggle today) 

"There really wasn't a struggle. He [Tom Brady] was just getting the ball out quick. We got to him but he just got the ball out. As we have been watching him play in the past couple games, they try to run the ball to keep the pressure off of him. We were able to contain the run, and at least get the hits on him; he still got the ball out quick. Make no excuses, they won. Tip our hats off to them. They are a great team, great quarterback, and they make smart plays. He knew where to go with the ball. He just had to execute smarter."

(On stopping the run) 

"It's all about wanting. Every day you got to want to stop the run. We weren't going to just let them up and run the ball on us up and down the field. We take pride in that especially the guys up front. We knew what happened the last time when they came to us. Even though the scoreboard looks a little worse this time, we fought. That's all I can really say. I believe in this team. This team is heading in the right direction. You never know what the future may hold. I can say this just for this team, to have a good group of core guys, young guys that play very well. Not only that they play very well together. Hopefully we'll see them stay together, and go for it next year."

Mike Pennel, DL

(On the fourth-down down stop in the second half)

"It was a short yardage play. Me [Steve] McLendon, Leo [Leonard Williams] watch a lot of film so we knew what they were going to run. After that I was lucky enough that the run came to my gap and I just made the play."

(On whether or not it is hard to play with distractions)

"Not at all. Actually it depends on who you are asking. I know a lot of people on this team are still living their dream and they want to be successful on the field so regardless of our record or what goes on with the media we still go out there and put forth our best effort." 

(On what they saw from the Patriots today)

"Divisional opponent, we see them two times a year so we knew what they were going to do. They made more plays than we did. Penalties bit us in the butt, we have to clean that up. If a team runs on us before [in the previous matchup] we are definitely going to go harder during the week to make sure we stop that. We just have to make sure we stop that the first game and the second game."

Rashard Robinson, CB

(On the Patriots offense) 

"They're a good team and they made the plays. It is always a challenge going up against New England, they don't make mistakes."

(On the Phillip Dorsett touchdown) 

"They extended the drive and we were trying to cover them as best as we can. He ran inside and ran back out, then the quarterback got out of the pocket and made an amazing pass. It was tough to cover."

(On the last game of the season) 

"I don't want to say we didn't have anything to play for. This is our job and we take these games seriously. We go out and play our best every time we go on the field."

Buster Skrine, CB

(On the game) 

"I feel like our team it is what it is. Like whoever is in there, everyone is a professional. So you deserve to play when you get a chance to play. They [the Patriots] had a good game plan, they did well, they executed."

(On the feeling after this loss) 

"I enjoyed playing with my teammates. I enjoyed playing with everybody. It's not our first time having a losing season. I understand sometimes it takes some time to get to where you want to be. I think this group of guys can get there. We just need to win a couple and get on a roll, and that type of mentality kind of builds up."

(On Todd Bowles) 

"Yeah Bowles brought me. I'm extremely blessed. Coach Bowles is a good person, a good coach. He leads by example, but yet his wins didn't add up to where he probably wanted to be. He's a good coach, a good person, everybody respects him."

Avery Williamson, LB

(On the loss) 

"We just didn't execute today. They did some things and took advantage of their opportunity."

(On what coach Todd Bowles had to say after the game) 

"He told us that he sees why we are losing. The effort is there. It's definitely why we are losing. We are not executing. He just told us that the reason we are not winning is little stuff, we are not executing. He said the effort is there. It's tough, it's tough. It is tough to go out like that. I like Bowles as a coach."

(On the Rex Burkhead touchdown) 

"It was one on one and I didn't really know what he was going to do. He went vertical. It's tough, I didn't know which way he was going to go. He went vertical and he just beat me."