After an abysmal performance by New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, it’s believed that Michael Vick will be taking over starting duties. Smith had one of the worst games possible, throwing for only five yards off of two completions. He also threw 3 interceptions on the day, meaning more of his passes were caught by the Bills then they were by his own team. The Jets would fall behind early, and eventually lose their seventh straight game.
With Michael Vick taking over, it looks like it will be the end of Geno Smith’s season as starter for the Jets. But is that a good idea?
The quarterback position is the most important in football, and every team needs a franchise quarterback to be successful. The Jets took Smith 39th overall in the 2013 draft, hoping that he would be the signal caller they needed in order to take the next step and challenge the Patriots for an NFC East title.
But Smith was disappointing in his rookie season. He threw 21 interceptions and only completed 55% of his passes. There were some bright spots though. Smith threw for over 3,000 yards and had 12 touchdowns. He also proved his ability to use his feet, finding the end zone six times.
Smith has been worse so far in his 2014 campaign. He has already thrown ten interceptions through seven and a half games, and his already bad QBR has continued to drop.
So why should the Jets start Smith?
At 1-7, the Jets are all but out of the playoffs. If Vick were to come in as quarterback, the team will most likely improve. They may end up with around five or six wins. But what good is a six win season?
They will finish last in the AFC East unless we see an implosion by one of the teams in front of them. With Smith sitting on the bench he won’t get any better and develop as a player. Vick will lead them to victories, but he is not the long term solution. Vick is 34 years old and has struggled with injuries in what is now the twilight of his career.
Vick will win the Jets a few games this season, but it’s a short term solution. The most Vick may do is possibly save Rex Ryan’s job, which may be gone anyway. At the maximum Vick has three seasons left at best, and the Jets will have to make serious changes if they are to make the playoffs in that time.
Starting Smith allows the Jets to develop him a bit more, and make a final decision on his fate with the team. If Smith turns this season around, he may get a shot at another season at the helm. He will most likely get better with more experience and more time practicing with Vick.
If they sit him on the bench, they will do better this season, but still not make the playoffs. Come summer, the Jets will most likely be looking for another rejected quarterback to take the starting role, and will be in an endless cycle.
Vick may win a few games, but in the long run, Smith is the better option.
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