Is it time for New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan to bench Geno Smith, and give Michael Vick an opportunity? The Jets have some major issues. Smith isn’t really progressing all that quickly, but this loss today was more than just Geno Smith ups and downs, or proverbial “growing pains.”
“FUCK YOU!” Smith yelled at a fan at MetLife Stadium moments after the Jets’ 24-17 home loss to the Detroit Lions.
According to ESPN.com, footage of the incident, caught on camera by WCBS 2 New York, shows Smith — with his helmet off — glaring into a crowd before spewing the profane response. The heckler isn’t seen on camera, and there is no audio of the fan yelling at Smith.
Smith opened his postgame news conference by apologizing for the outburst.
Barring several bad performances, Fox Sports Jay Glazer reports that the New York Jets will stick with QB Geno Smith:
“The Jets are sticking with Geno Smith. The plan is to stick with him long term unless he puts together several horrible games where he just digresses. This week, they did extra work with him in the red zone, something that he struggled with Monday night against the Bears.”
Smith went just 17-33 for 209 today. He then received the dreaded “vote of confidence” from Ryan; who named him the starter for next week versus San Diego. But it might not be long before Vick takes over.
Fox’s Dave Wannstedt this morning:
“There’s an expression among coaches: ‘Good coaches lose games but they never lose the team’ and head coach Rex Ryan has lived that the last couple of years. His players play for him. If I were Rex Ryan right now in the back of my mind I’d have Michael Vick ready to go. If Geno goes in there and turns the ball over, he’s coming out. You can’t win by turning the football over.”
NBC Sunday Night Football Analyst Tony Dungy on switching to Michael Vick: “I would make the switch if I were trying to win this year. If I’m trying to see if Geno Smith is my quarterback of the future, I’d stick with him.”
I’m not sure Geno Smith really has any confidence or swagger right now as the Jets are a mere 1-3.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and very often writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his features stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2