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As a writer, you try to stay objective, but we are human, and sometimes some emotion comes into play, especially when you feel like you are being played.
Those entire summer I’ve felt played.
I watched Mark Sanchez win the quarterback competition over Geno Smith in Cortland and Florham Park, and in the preseason games, sans a couple of bad plays.
Sanchez has a much stronger understanding of the offense and how to play NFL QB.
That is so obvious watching the two players perform over the last month.
Look, I know he’s far from perfect, but Sanchez was clearly better than Smith this summer.
But over and over again, we are told by Jets coaches and executives how this competition is “even” and “too close to call.”
To quote the late Art Rust Jr., that is “balderdash and poppycock.”
I think it’s window-dressing.
Smith isn’t ready.
As I shared many times on this site, too many plays this summer he held the ball too long as he surveyed the field attempting to make a decision.
This isn’t going to cut it in the NFL.
You need to make much quicker decision in pro football than he displayed on too player plays this summer.
And this wrap on him didn’t start in Jets camp.
One scout said before the draft, “Geno Smith holds the ball too long. He doesn’t step up in the pocket and takes a lot of sacks.”
The same scout went on to say, “It’s very rare that you see any quarterback who is a [top prospect] take a safety during his (college) career. I put on their bowl game (against Syracuse in Yankee Stadium) – this guy had two in one game. I cannot get that out of my head.”
And guess what – he just had another safety – in the Jets-Giants game. That is inexcusable.
I am so tired of the propaganda.
You saw Smith, against a Giants defense weak at linebacker, throw three picks and take a safety, and he didn’t even play the entire game.
He’s not ready.
How many times do we need to say it.
He’s not ready.
He’s not instant coffee.
He needs a year of intensive training to get stronger physically (he doesn’t have an NFL body yet) and mentally (he needs to learn to read defenses better, improve his pocket presence and make quicker decisions).
Like I’ve said before, I would have started Greg McElroy. He had a solid summer (terrific in the Green-and-White scrimmage),and is very good fit for the team’s new West Coast offense which is predicated on quick decisions, a lot of quick slants and screens and plays of that nature.
But since he wasn’t allowed to be in the competition, it’s a no-brainer to go with Sanchez, who clearly outplayed Smith this summer.
And should have started the third preseason game as a dress rehearsal for the team’s opener. That is usually how the third game is handled.
If he started the game, and played the first half behind the Jets starting line, he probably doesn’t get hurt.
But some people in the building insisted on continuing this ill-conceived quarterback competition between Sanchez and a major project who isn’t ready to play.
It’s time for this game of pretend to end once and for all.
August 25, 2013
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