An unfortunate turn of events has unfolded during the New York Jets’ training camp. New York’s embattled third year quarterback Geno Smith was punched in the face by teammate IK Enemkpali and suffered a broken jaw in the altercation. It is expected that Smith will now miss anywhere from six to ten weeks of action as he heals from this injury.
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Prior to this incident, Smith had looked impressive in training camp according to this ESPN.com report by Rich Cimini. However, Smith’s 71.5 career passer rating has proven to be far less than what the Jets were expecting from him when he was drafted in 2013. That being the case, could this bizarre situation be a blessing in disguise for Gang Green nation?
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It was widely expected that Geno Smith would be the Jets’ starting quarterback on opening day. Despite his erratic play over the last two seasons, the supposed game plan was to see if Smith could finally turn things around with the help of New York’s new offensive weapons. If Smith faltered for whatever reason, the starting quarterback job would then be handed to veteran free agent signee Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Impressive training camp or not, I just don’t believe Smith has what it takes to be a successful starting quarterback at the NFL level. From inconsistent accuracy issues, to ball security problems, to a perceived lack of leadership, Smith’s NFL resume to this point is shaky at best. Therefore, why should Smith be handed the starting job over Fitzpatrick to begin with?
Oct 12, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) fumbles the ball and recovers it against the Denver Broncos during the third quarter of their NFL football game at MetLife Stadium. The Broncos defeated the Jets 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
As for Fitzpatrick, he completed 63.1% of his passes and posted a career high 95.3 passer rating last year for the Houston Texans. Granted, Ryan Fitzpatrick is far from a perfect quarterback as evident by his dismal career record of 33-55-1 as an NFL starter. However, with the way this Jets’ team is constructed, all this offense really needs is a game manager at the quarterback position. From that standpoint, I view Fitzpatrick as a much better option than Smith.
Keep in mind that Smith is a hold over from the last New York Jets’ regime of head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik. Not being hand picked by current head coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan leads me to believe that Smith was going to be kept on a short leash to begin with. Fitzpatrick on the other hand, was signed by the current Jets’ coaching and management staff.
Nov 30, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) throws on the run against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
That being said, why not roll with Fitzpatrick as the opening day starter to begin with? After all, Fitzpatrick was endorsed by those currently within the Jets’ organization. Why risk handing the offense to the inconsistent Smith and waiting until the season goes down the tubes before making a change? Given Smith’s penchant for ineptitude over the past two years, a 2-5 mark is well within the realm of possibility if Smith had remained the starter.
Had that scenario played itself out, the very pedestrian Ryan Fitzpatrick is simply not equipped to come off the bench and save a franchise. He is a steady but unspectacular player that can play effectively with a lead. With New York’s reacquisition of defensive standouts Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie along with last year’s third ranked rushing offense, I think this team is tailor made for Fitzpatrick’s game management style of play.
Dec 21, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Ivory (33) runs against the New England Patriots during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into 2015, I believe the Jets roster looks pretty solid at mostly every position except quarterback. Going through more growing pains with Smith as the starting quarterback was not going to help New York’s cause in my opinion.
It is certainly an unfortunate set of circumstances that led to Smith’s injury. As for IK Enemkpali, he should be ashamed of himself for going Mike Tyson on his teammate. However, I think this unusual scenario will work out favorably for the Jets’. This will give an opportunity to Fitzpatrick to take command of the offense while New York can slowly start to sever their ties to the underwhelming Smith.
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