Bowles OK with 'pissed off' Fitzpatrick if it means less turnovers

Todd Bowles can send a message through the media, too.

Asked Monday about Ryan Fitzpatrick's postgame comments, where the veteran quarterback blasted the New York Jets for benching him while suggesting his improved play in relief could be the result of a "pissed off" mentality, the second-year head coach welcomed the anger.

"If pissed off is going to stop the turnovers, I'm more than happy to have him play pissed off," Bowles said, via Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News.

Yikes.

Fitzpatrick's benching ahead of this past week came on the heels of a 1-5 start in which he managed just 1,441 yards, five touchdowns, and a league-worst 11 interceptions. The turnover issues reached unfortunate heights during a two-week stretch in which he threw a total of nine picks against the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks.

The 33-year-old is now back in the lead role at least until the Jets deem it time to give one of the younger quarterbacks a chance to show what they can do with live reps.

He'll attempt to build upon a decent performance against the Ravens when the Jets travel to Cleveland and do battle with the winless Browns on Sunday afternoon.