The Jets’ culture has been very different in 2015, with mild-mannered Todd Bowles taking over from Rex Ryan, whose six-year run as Jets coach was boisterous. This week, however, Bowles is bizarrely taking a page out of Ryan’s playbook ahead of the Jets’ important clash with the Patriots.
Bowles is sending out former linebacker Mo Lewis as an honorary captain, per Yahoo. It is an odd choice considering Lewis launched the Tom Brady era in New England. Lewis delivered a brutal blow to then-quarterback Drew Bledsoe, severely injuring him. Brady came in, and the rest is history. So using Lewis as a captain is a counter-productive move if Bowles’ plan is to troll the Pats.
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Ryan has become a master of using captains to unnerve opponents. Earlier this year Ryan sent out linebacker IK Enemkpali to be the captain vs. the Jets. Enemkpali was famously cut by Bowles after he slugged QB Geno Smith in training camp, breaking his jaw and setting the Ryan Fitzpatrick era into motion.
Ryan also sent out RB LeSean McCoy as the only captain when the Bills faced the Eagles. The pre-game antics don’t seem to have much effect; Buffalo is 1-1 in those two high-profile troll jobs.
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It’s unlikely Bowles, who has been all business in 2015, is trying to get under New England’s skin. He likely just wants to honor Lewis, who spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Jets, recording 52 ½ sacks and 1,227 tackles. Don’t expect current Jets LB Calvin Pace to be overly excited about Lewis being captain.
“If [Lewis] didn’t get that hit on the sideline, they might have somebody else at quarterback. But things happen like that sometimes,” Pace told Newsday.
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