Here are a few thoughts on Todd Bowles' decision to fire offensive coordinator John Morton after only one season:

1. Bowles is out of mulligans. He's preparing for his fourth year as New York Jets coach, and he's already looking for his third coordinator, equaling Rex Ryan's total over six years. This is a make-or-break hire for Bowles, whose choice will impact the quarterback situation, which will impact the entire franchise.

He must hire someone whose reputation and/or system can attract free agents. In other words, would Kirk Cousins find the Jets appealing if they hire a first-time coordinator? Conversely, the team must find a quarterback who is compatible with the new coordinator and his system. It goes hand in hand.

If they go the draft route for a quarterback, the new coordinator will be entrusted with developing the future of the franchise. It's the most important decision of Bowles' tenure; he can't afford another mistake. This is a new direction for the Jets offense -- again.

2. This won't be an easy hire because the Jets don't have an established quarterback, and the rest of the offensive talent is marginal, to put it kindly. Hot-shot candidates won't be flocking to this team. It could be a repeat of last offseason, when no one wanted the job. Bowles settled for Morton, a relative no-name who had no background with quarterbacks. Look how that worked out.

3. The top candidate is quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, who is regarded within the organization as a bright and creative coach. Bowles might prefer him because he'd provide some semblance of continuity. The quarterbacks respected Bates for his teaching ability, but can he handle an entire offense? He hasn't called plays since 2010, when he was a one-and-done coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. That Pete Carroll fired him after only one season was a surprise because he is known as a patient and loyal boss.

Bowles should explore other possibilities before promoting Bates. Former Pittsburgh Steelers coordinator Todd Haley has been mentioned as a potential candidate -- he and Bowles spent time together in Dallas -- but Haley-to-the-Jets was losing steam as of Wednesday night.

4. Clearly, Bowles erred in his decision to hire Morton, a weird choice from the outset. It always raises eyebrows when a defensive-minded coach hires a coordinator whose background is rooted in the passing game. They clashed throughout the season, sources said, and players grumbled because of Morton's refusal to stress the running game.

Morton's overall performance wasn't as bad as some have portrayed it, but you'd have to be a fool not to recognize that there was a problem behind the scenes -- philosophical, personal, etc.

Give Bowles credit for taking action. He didn't fire Morton to save his own butt; if that were his motivation, he would've canned him before the season ended. Bowles, emboldened by a two-year contract extension, did it to restore harmony and demonstrate accountability, two of his major themes in 2017 (and beyond).

As Bowles told the players in their end-of-season meeting, no more excuses.