MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The New York Jets are headed to their third straight losing season, and the frustration started to emerge in the aftermath of their 13-6 loss Sunday to the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.
Two of the team's top young players, safety Jamal Adams and wide receiver Robby Anderson, sounded off in the locker room afterward. Anderson said the team is "tired" of rebuilding, and a seething Adams expressed general exasperation following the team's third straight loss.
"It's the same, same, same stuff," Adams said. "It's frustrating. I'm not going to hold my tongue for anything anymore. I'm not a loser. I don't do this for fantasy points. I do this for the love of the game. I'm passionate about this team and I believe in this team.
"I'm sick of losing," he added. "Honestly, I'm sick of losing. I'm fed up with losing. ... It pisses me off every time. I'm not a loser. I want to get back on the winning track. We've lost three straight? Come on, man."
The Jets' struggling offense hit rock bottom, as rookie quarterback Sam Darnold threw a career-high four interceptions and they failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season. They didn't run a single play in the red zone.
Afterward, coach Todd Bowles said he's planning to stick with Darnold, who leads the league with 14 interceptions.
The pressure is building on Bowles, who has a 23-34 record and no playoff appearances. He knew there would be ups and downs with a rookie at quarterback, but he has remained committed to the first-round pick.
Publicly, the players supported Darnold, who cracked 200 yards in a road game Sunday for the first time this season. He's the centerpiece of a rebuilding plan that started last year, but Anderson suggested that rebuilding is a crutch.
"We got to find an answer," Anderson said. "It's got to change. It's my third year. I understand the emphasis on restructure, rebuild, but I think everybody's tired of that. I think that's an excuse. We got to challenge ourselves and improve and make it happen."
The Jets (3-6) have serious issues on offense. Anderson and fellow wide receiver Quincy Enunwa returned from injuries, fueling hope of a turnaround, but there was no spark against the NFL's 27th-ranked defense.
At times, they couldn't even execute a shotgun snap, as center Spencer Long was responsible for at least a half-dozen off-target snaps. He was pulled in the fourth quarter, purportedly because of a hand/finger injury.
Anderson suggested the offense is underachieving, which could be perceived as a veiled criticism of coordinator Jeremy Bates.
"I feel like we have a lot of talent on offense and we're not capitalizing and using each other in ways that we can use our talent and our skill set to our advantage, honestly," he said.
Anderson also said, "We're having an issue getting down the field. I feel like we're stuck, that we're limited. Things aren't flowing. It's tough at this point in the season. We should be solving the issue and it's hurting us."