FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Quarterback Josh McCown is one of the feel-good stories of the NFL season.
The 38-year-old is in his 15th NFL season. It should be his 16th, but he was out of the league in 2010, playing instead in the now-defunct UFL.
Cast aside by the lowly Cleveland Browns after last season, the New York Jets took a flier on him in the spring and he's been everything they could've hoped for.
He's been a mentor to the team's young receivers, he's affable with the media and he's always optimistic, even in the most trying times. Plus, he's completing 70.5 percent of his passes, which is third in the league behind Alex Smith and Drew Brees, and his next touchdown pass will tie his career high for a season, when he had 13 in 2013 for the Bears.
Here's the problem: As his been the case throughout his career, McCown is a solid quarterback in the first half of games, but he really struggles in crunch time.
Maybe that's why his career record is 21-47 and he lost 20 of his 22 starts in three seasons before coming to New York.
Maybe that's why Matt Forte, who was McCown's teammate for three seasons in Chicago before they both landed back together with the Jets this year, quibbled with offensive coordinator John Morton's pass-first approach after Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Falcons.
And maybe that's why the Jets, despite their moxie and occasional entertaining offense, are destined for their third last-place finish in four years.
"We can't make key mistakes," head coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday's game. "We just have to win a ball game."
When a team blows a lead, there are many variables. And there were plenty of culprits on Sunday more deserving of blame than McCown (see: wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, kicker Chandler Catanzaro and the whole offensive line).
But here are the facts: The Jets have lost three games in a row. In each game, McCown has thrown a touchdown pass on the opening possession. The Jets have led the last two games going into the fourth quarter. And in all three, they've scored a combined 13 second-half points.
McCown has eight touchdown passes and two interceptions in the first half of games this season, but only four touchdowns and five picks in the second half, including two touchdowns and four interceptions in the fourth quarter.
Plus, he's been sacked nine times in the fourth quarter, the most of any period.
Again, there are plenty of variables as to why the Jets' offense stalls late in games, including penalties and lack of a consistent running game.
And some would argue, rightfully, that McCown's fourth-quarter numbers would be better had his touchdown pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins against the Patriots not been overturned.
Still, this isn't a new trend for McCown.
In his career, the fourth quarter is the only quarter McCown has more interceptions (37) than touchdown passes (36), and he's been sacked 80 times in the fourth, far more than any other quarter.
"All of us together have to look inside ourselves and figure out what the heck's going on, why we don't finish," McCown said after Sunday's game.
"We just have to find a way to close out games. That's the next step for us. We're a new group that came together this year and we're trying to grow up fast."
But McCown is grown up. Only two quarterbacks -- Tom Brady and Brees -- are older than him. So it's unlikely the old dog will learn new tricks on how to close out games in the fourth quarter.
That said, don't expect McCown to lose his starting job anytime soon.
When asked if the Jets (3-5) would give Bryce Petty and/or Christian Hackenberg a look at some point, Bowles responded: "I looked at all of my young quarterbacks in the summer. Josh is my quarterback."
For better or for worse.
--Running back Matt Forte was critical of first-year offensive coordinator John Morton's play-calling after Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Falcons.
"I only had four carries this game," the 10-year-veteran said after the game. "I don't think we ran the ball enough with this weather being the way it was."
Morton called 22 runs and 36 passes. Though Forte had a season-low in carries, he was involved in the passing game, as per usual, with six catches for 45 yards. Bilal Powell ran the ball 14 times for 33 yards.
"There should've been at least one person getting 20 carries, the way the weather was," Forte said. "I thought we were going to grind them out on the ground. It ended up not turning out that way."
On Monday, Forte said he spoke with head coach Todd Bowles and Morton about his comments.
"We talked about some ways to win football games and then we went on to Buffalo," he told ESPN after Monday's walkthrough, adding that it was "overkill" to keep harping on what he said after the game.
In his weekly interview on ESPN Radio on Monday, Bowles said Forte shouldn't have gone public with his complaint, but that it came out of frustration.
"Every running back wants the ball more in certain situations," Bowles said. "But we got down a little bit in the second half, so we had to throw a little bit more. There was no harm meant by it. I understand perfectly what he was saying.
"It's a throwing league, but we can run the ball, too. We can be balanced either way. ... We had a good game plan going in."
Bowles added the players' frustration might be coming out more because "they're pissed off" with the recent losing streak. But in his weekly press conference with reporters, he said the issue with Forte was "a waste of (his) time to even talk about."
Forte has 164 rushing yards and no touchdowns in six games. His career low for rushing yards in a season is 813, which he had last year.
--The Jets again struggled covering tight ends in Sunday's 25-20 loss to the Falcons, as they have now given up five touchdowns to tight ends in the last four games.
It would have been six, but Austin Hooper dropped an easy pass on the goal line in the second quarter. Hooper scored the Falcons' first touchdown and finished with four catches for 47 yards.
On Atlanta's first scoring drive, Hooper and fellow tight end Levine Toilolo combined for four catches for 56 yards.
The Jets may have had an excuse for the poor coverage on the possession, as head coach Todd Bowles said their headsets went out during the drive and they lost communication on the field for "about three plays."
"It makes it tough, so you leave that one defense in there and you play a blanket defense," Bowles said. "I don't know why it malfunctioned, probably was weather."
NOTES: CB Morris Claiborne (foot) did not practice Monday. Head coach Todd Bowles said "it's possible" Claiborne could play Thursday against the Bills. ... DE Muhammad Wilkerson (shoulder, foot) did not practice Monday. Head coach Todd Bowles said it's "gonna be tough" for Wilkerson to play on a short week. ... FB Lawrence Thomas (concussion) will not play in Thursday's game against the Bills, according to head coach Todd Bowles. ... SS Terrence Brooks (hamstring) did not practice Monday. ... DE Ed Stinson (neck) did not practice Monday. ... TE Jordan Leggett (knee) did not practice Monday. ... CB Buster Skrine (concussion) was limited at Monday's practice. ... RT Brent Qvale (toe) was limited at Monday's practice. ... RT Brandon Shell (neck) was limited at Monday's practice. ... RB Matt Forte (knee) was limited at Monday's practice.
REPORT CARD VS. FALCONS
--PASSING OFFENSE: B - Josh McCown completed a season-high 78.8 percent of his passes in the steady downpour for 257 yards and didn't throw an interception for the first time since Week 3. But while he moved the ball some late in the game, McCown remained without a fourth-quarter touchdown pass during the Jets' three-game losing streak. McCown, who completed passes to eight different receivers, at least seems to be gaining a nice rapport with second-year receiver Robby Anderson, who had a career-high 104 yards and a touchdown on six catches.
--RUSHING OFFENSE: F - Matt Forte complained after the game about offensive coordinator John Morton not calling enough rushing plays, but when he did, the Jets were atrocious. Bilal Powell had 33 yards on 14 carries, and Forte had four carries for seven yards. The Jets had only one carry go for longer than six yards, Powell's 12-yard run on the first play of the game. Rookie Elijah McGuire got only one carry, his lowest total since the season opener, presumably because he took over kickoff return duties from the inactive ArDarius Stewart.
--PASS DEFENSE: C - The Jets' streak of five straight games with an interception came to an end against Matt Ryan, who was 18-for-29 for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan would have had even better numbers if he didn't lose two fumbles on quarterback-center exchanges. Muhammad Wilkerson finally recorded the Jets' first sack by a defensive lineman, but New York gave up a receiving touchdown to a tight end for the fourth straight week. Austin Hooper would have had a second had he not dropped a pass at the goal line. And when Morris Claiborne went out with an injury, Ryan went up top to Julio Jones for 53 yards with Darryl Roberts in coverage to set up a field goal.
--RUSH DEFENSE: C - The Jets were doing a decent job corralling Atlanta's potent running back duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman through three quarters, but then Coleman went for 71 of the team's 140 rushing yards in the fourth quarter, including a 52-yard burst through two attempted arm tackles to set up the eventual game-winning touchdown three plays later. The Falcons ran for 4.4 yards per carry on 32 attempts and seemed to wear down the Jets' defense late.
--SPECIAL TEAMS: F - Jeremy Kerley's muffed punt was the Jets' lone turnover of the game and came at a most inopportune time, with New York down by two and about to get the ball back inside seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Chandler Catanzaro had missed two field goals all season coming into the game, but missed two on Sunday, from 46 and 48 yards, both wide right. Punter Lachlan Edwards had a solid 45.8 net yards on his five punts, including three inside the Falcons' 20-yard line, but the Falcons did have an 80-yard return for a touchdown nullified by a questionable penalty.
--COACHING: D - Same old story. Credit head coach Todd Bowles for having his team put up a good fight against a superior opponent on paper. But three blown leads in three weeks is a tough pill to swallow for a fan base that had just started getting its hopes up after a three-game winning streak.
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