PITTSBURGH -- Trailing by two scores in the fourth quarter and time ticking away on Sunday, New York Jets coach Todd Bowles opted to play it safe. Twice.All it did was cost the Jets a chance to keep the explosive Pittsburgh Steelers within arms reach.Not that Bowles was in the mood to second-guess himself following a 31-13 loss that dropped his team to 1-4. Given a choice, hed kick again. Both times.If it was the same situation, Id probably punt, Bowles said. When you talk hypothetically after you lose a ballgame, it doesnt help anyone. I stand by that decision.And the Jets find themselves standing at the bottom of the AFC East along with the Miami Dolphins. New York was competitive for most of the game against one of the NFLs most dynamic offenses and even led 13-7 late in the second quarter before a secondary missing star cornerback Darrelle Revis cracked .The Steelers roared back to go up 24-13 on a touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown with 14:55 to go. The Jets faced a fourth-and-1 at their own 29 with just over 13 minutes to go when Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Bilal Powell for an 8-yard gain. Bowles challenged the spot, only to see it upheld on replay.Needing about a foot to extend the drive and keep Roethlisberger and company off the field, New York punted.The Steelers promptly moved deep into Jets territory before a fumble by Roethlisberger was recovered by Sheldon Richardson. The Jets made it to midfield when Fitzpatrick missed Brandon Marshall on third-and-2 at the New York 46 with 7:36 to go. Again, Bowles sent on punter Lachlan Edwards. This time, the Steelers went 79 yards in 12 plays, finishing off the Jets with a 5-yard pass from Roethlisberger to Sammie Coates.There was enough time on the clock, Bowles said. We figured we could get them pinned down there and go three-and-out. Thats what we were thinking.Instead, the Jets find themselves find themselves on a three-game losing streak heading to a Monday night trip to Arizona next week.Fitzpatrick, who turned it over 10 times in the previous two weeks, avoided critical mistakes and completed 25 of 38 passes for 255 yards and a 15-yard TD toss to Marshall. Yet he was also on the sideline watching helplessly while the Steelers went on their clinical clinching drive.The veteran refused to blame Bowles, instead pointing the finger at himself for not connecting with Marshall, an incompletion that set up Bowles cautious call.What was going through my head was, `I cant believe I missed that throw on third down, Fitzpatrick said. That whole scenario we shouldnt have been in because I shouldnt have made that poor throw the down before. I know we all have faith and confidence in coach.Maybe, but a year after going 10-6 and narrowly missing the playoffs, the Jets suddenly find themselves with little room for error.People in the media are going to call us out, are going to ask to bench us, including me, said Marshall, who caught eight passes for 114 yards and the second-quarter score. Its a good positon for us. We have one of the most-talented teams in the league. We can either fold it up or continue to stick to it and work. Plenty of teams have been in this positon and come out better on the other side.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLKendrick Bourne Super Bowl Jersey . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. Robbie Gould Super Bowl Jersey . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/C-J-Beathard-49ers-Jersey/ .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. Kwon Alexander Super Bowl Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Richard Sherman Super Bowl Jersey . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston.CHICAGO -- White Sox right-hander James Shields vowed Tuesday to stay in the rotation despite back pain and asked for patience from fans amid the worst season of his career.A day after Chicago manager Robin Ventura suggested Shields could be shut down, the 11-year veteran said a doctors visit produced good news.Knock on wood, I havent missed a start my whole career and I dont really plan on it, either, Shields said. Its one of those things where Im pretty sure Ill be out there on Saturday.Shields struggled early in the season with San Diego, even allowing hefty New York Mets pitcher Barolo Colons first home run in May. He faced public criticism from Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler, then was dealt to the White Sox on June 5.Besides a six-start stretch in July when he had 1.71 ERA, Shields has been hit hard. Hes 3-10 with a 7.50 ERA in 17 starts with Chicago. He said hes had off-and-on back pain.Its been a crazy year, man, Shields said. A lot of things going on. Obviously I got traded. Things that happened in San Diego that werent under my control. Come in here to a new team, probably out of the gates tried to do too much, then settled in and then didnt do to well.Shields was an All-Star with Tampa Bay in 2011 and helped Kannsas City reach the World Series in 2014.ddddddddddddHis nine straight 200-inning seasons make the longest active streak in the majors.I know hes always taken the ball, Ventura said. If hes feeling healthy hes going to go back out there and pitch.The 34-year-old takes pride in his uniquely heavy workload at a time when other pitchers are doing less in an effort to stay healthy and effective.Some years you have a really good feel for the baseball and some years you dont, Shields said. Unfortunately this year I havent felt it like I wanted to. Ive been a bulldog my whole career and Im going to assess things this offseason and hopefully finish strong.Shields, a combined 5-17 with a 6.05 ERA with the Padres and White Sox, is in danger of a 20-loss season if he stays in the rotation.He can opt out of his contract after this season, but almost certainly wont. Hes due $21 million in each of the next two years.I love it here. If there is any city my wife wanted me to go to it was Chicago for sure, Shields said. Hopefully the fans will stick with me a little bit, believe in me and we can get better next year. ' ' '