The New York media loves to pick on the Jets, printing numerous headlines that are certainly SNL worthy. Their latest victim: quarterback Geno Smith. After being drafted number 39th overall, Smith has come under serious heat for his attitude and performance. Is this criticism warranted or is New York desperate for some drama?
The Smith takedown began even before he was drafted by the New York Jets. He was projected to go as a top five pick and was visibly disappointed when this didn’t happen. Critics were harsh on the fact that he was constantly checking his phone and was thinking about leaving before the second round.
Then Smith fired his agents shortly after being drafted by the Jets and the media tagged him with full “diva” status. Many pundits blamed Smith’s attitude for why he went so late in the draft.
It only seems fitting that Smith would go to the most dramatic team in the NFL. The Jets took on Smith to add him to a five person competition for the quarterback position. Even though Smith seems like a front runner, Mark Sanchez is definitely getting the most reps in. Smith still has a lot to learn before he can be the starting quarterback.
While he was at West Virginia University, Smith was surrounded by a supporting cast that really helped him to succeed. In New York, the offensive line isn’t exactly the cream of crop and he will need time to readjust to the type of athletes he is working with. Smith must learn how to play to their strengths as well as hide their weaknesses. His footwork has also come into question during his combine as well as his first practice.
This is something that is easily fixable over the needs time to learn the West Coast Offense run by offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. The Jets made the mistake of letting Sanchez on to the field before he had truly been comfortable in the offense. It looks like they won’t be making this mistake again.
If the Jets choose to sit Smith this upcoming season, he will reap the benefits of learning from a veteran quarterback as well as know the playbook inside out. Since Smith went so late in the draft, it seems as though many teams thought he wasn’t ready to be an instant star.
All of this negativity surrounds Smith and he hasn’t had his first start. His combine proved to be sensational, with 60 of 64 passes completed and the quickest time out of all the quarterbacks for the 40-yard dash. His current teammates have nothing but good things to say about him and he handles the press like a pro. If anything, Smith is his own worst critic, giving himself an F for his first work out performance. While he did get yelled at a couple of times for not running the offense correctly, he definitely did not earn an F.
The Jets should be looking to get rid of Sanchez in a couple of years now that they have Smith in their hands. His arms strength and athleticism surpass the other four quarterbacks, including Sanchez. Smith should do well for the Jets and when his time comes, it’s a real possibility that he can lead them to bigger and better things. We can only hope that he doesn’t become the ringleader of the Jets’ circus.
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Touring the Capitol 