New York Jets: Geno Smith an Essential Move that Changes Nothing

The New York Jets needed to make a change at quarterback by going to Geno Smith. But, is it really going to help?

New York Jets’ fans know the story by now. The time has finally arrived and, on Wednesday, head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Geno Smith will start in Week 7 against the Ravens. Ryan Fitzpatrick will be No. 2 on the depth chart. Bowles said in his press conference on Wednesday (per team press release) that he could potentially go back to Fitzpatrick and that they will play on a week-to-week basis.

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Let’s take a look at this decision a bit. I know that I have said that Geno would not play a meaningful down. Well, one could argue that at 1-5, there are no more meaningful downs for the Jets in 2016. However, things have gotten worse since I wrote those words. Now, this was a move that had to be made. Why? Bowles explained it perfectly during the press conference (per team press release):

"I felt like it was time for a change. We had six games where we didn’t play very well in five of them. The quarterback is ultimately responsible but I’m responsible, the rest of the team is responsible. I felt like it would be a good time to make a chance to see what he can do. When you have guys of equal talent at a equal talent level and one’s not playing as well, you try to turn to the other one. That’s what we did."

He’s absolutely right. The team is 1-5. The offense is stagnant. Ryan Fitzpatrick has not thrown a touchdown in the second half of any game this year. He has, however, thrown 10 interceptions. No, it’s not all his fault. But we can’t sit all of the wide receivers and fix their hands. When the offense sputters this badly, the quarterback gets changed. That’s the way it works.

But, it’s not going to change anything. The reason? Geno Smith doesn’t get it.

I’m not talking about all of the off the field antics. They are all well-documented, through and including Monday night when he stomped around the sidelines like an eight year old who didn’t get the toy he wanted at Walmart. I’m talking about strictly on the field.

Nothing has changed with his on-field play. Let’s look at two pictures from Monday night to explain, courtesy of NFL Game Pass (subscription required).

This is the sack-fumble that the Jets ultimately recovered. Ben Ijalana was beaten badly by Alex Okafor. He is making a beeline for Geno, and he seems to have no idea that Okafor is coming. He is locked on his receiver and has no pocket awareness. He isn’t moving, stepping up, or doing anything else. Geno has no idea what is going on.

Let’s look at the very next play.

Geno is in the green circle, Tyrann Mathieu in the red. Can you see Smith staring down his receiver? Mathieu is so onto it that he has his hands in the air almost calling for the football. It’s no wonder the Honey Badger picked the ball off—someone with cinderblocks attached to their feet likely could have. You cannot stare down your receivers. Geno Smith should know better than that by now. He does not.

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One might say, “But it was his first series of the year and he hasn’t started a game in two years.” Fair point, if it weren’t the same problems we have seen the entire career. He never has possessed pocket awareness and he has always stared down his receivers. Jets fans have seen this movie before and know how it ends.

Todd Bowles had to make this move. At 1-5, he would have been roasted in New York for sticking with the status quo. But alas, it will not change a thing.