Deep into the Jacksonville Jaguars' demolition of the New York Jets on Sunday, Jags coach Doug Marrone chose to run up the score.
Following T.J. Yeldon's one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Jaguars up by 19 points over the Jets, Marrone kept the offense on the field for a two-point conversion attempt.
The attempt failed, but if it had been completed, the Jaguars would have turned a three-score game into a ... three-score game.
Asked about his decision to extend his team's lead from 19 to 21 points, or three touchdowns, with half a minute left in the game, Marrone told reporters, per The Athletic's Daniel Popper, "The chart said go for two."
It should be pointed out that Marrone and the Jets have history. After leaving the Buffalo Bills following the 2014 season, Marrone interviewed for the vacant Jets job, but was passed over for Todd Bowles. Marrone is 14-8 since taking over the Jaguars coaching job, while Bowles is 21-31.
When asked if he was sending a message to the Jets via an unnecessary two-point conversion, Marrone said, "We're not good enough to send a message right now."
The Jets, already embarrassed by Bortles' career afternoon, did not take kindly to Jacksonville's rubbing it in.
"I think it's really disrespectful," defensive lineman Leonard Williams said, per NJ.com, "but at the same time, I think it's up to us to gain that respect from other teams and if teams are disrespecting us, it must say something about us. That's how I took it. I took it really personal and I didn't like it at all."
"That's just what they felt that they wanted to do," outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins added. "Whether it was a statement or not, we'll never know. But we won't forget."
For what it's worth, Marrone's quarterback, Blake Bortles, couldn't have cared less whether Jacksonville went for it or not, telling reporters, "I just work here."
Don't we all.
