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Like a student acing a meaningless test at the end of a lost semester, the New York Jets concluded the 2016 season on a winning note Sunday by routing the Buffalo Bills, 30-10. Now the hard work begins: Figuring out what went wrong during a 5-11 season and how to fix it.
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"We have to do a better job," head coach Todd Bowles said Monday afternoon. "Coaching it better. They have to do a better job playing. Accountability for everyone."
Everyone had a stake in a season that was basically over by Columbus Day. The Jets doubled down on an older core following last season's 10-6 performance, but quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick turned back into a mistake-prone journeyman, cornerback Darrelle Revis' dramatic decline continued and 30-somethings such as center Nick Mangold, wide receiver Brandon Marshall and running back Matt Forte were all slowed by injury.
The Jets never got untracked thanks to a brutal early schedule. They lost five of their first six games before winning two straight to reach the midway point of the season at 3-5. But they lost six of eight in the second half, including four in a row surrounding their bye week.
"I just thought once we got to 1-4, 1-5, we kind of snowballed from there," Bowles said.
The Jets were also let down by younger stars Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, who combined for just six sacks and undermined Bowles by showing up tardy for multiple team meetings. Richardson was also disciplined for posting a profane Snapchat video hours before a game against the Miami Dolphins.
Locker room leadership was also an issue for the Jets as Richardson and Marshall sparred both in public and private. Revis said Sunday the Jets never really recovered from the post-game argument Richardson and Marshall had following a 24-3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 25.
The chemistry likely is to be improved by subtracting Richardson, who is almost certainly going to be traded entering the final season of his rookie deal. Marshall, who has clashed with teammates at all four of his NFL stops and has yet to make the playoffs in 11 seasons, could be a candidate to be traded or released as well.
The bigger challenge for Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan - each of whom is likely entering a "win or else" season under notoriously impatient owner Woody Johnson - will be to address the personnel issues. The opening week quarterback isn't on the roster and the offensive line and secondary both need to be rebuilt.
"A lot of things have to change," Bowles said Sunday.
Or else.
-- A season-ending win didn't impact the draft position for the Jets, who remained locked into the sixth spot.
The Jets were one of two teams to finish 5-11 but will pick ahead of the San Diego Chargers because their opponents' strength of schedule (.518) was weaker than the Chargers' (.543).
Entering Sunday, the Jets had a chance to pick as high as fourth, but even losing to the Bills would not have impacted their draft position because both the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars lost to finish 3-13 and the Los Angeles Rams fell to finish 4-12.
The Jets will be picking sixth for the second time in three years and the sixth time in franchise history. They struck gold in 2015, when then-rookie general manager Mike Maccagnan selected defensive tackle Leonard Williams out of USC. Williams earned team MVP honors this season.
The Jets also found keepers with the No. 6 pick in 1971, when they selected future Hall of Fame running back John Riggins, and in 1976, when they picked quarterback Richard Todd, who started 94 games. They did not fare so well in 1979 (defensive tackle Carl Barzilauskas) or 2008 (defensive end Vernon Gholston).
-- The Jets' schedule is set for next season.
At MetLife Stadium, the Jets will host their AFC East foes as well as the Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. The Jets will visit their AFC East rivals along with the Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The NFL's scheduling matrix meant 14 of the Jets' 16 games were already locked in before the season even started. By finishing last, the Jets earned games against the Jaguars and Browns, who finished last in the AFC South and AFC North, respectively.
