Dr. Geno and Mr. Smith

Adam Purdy--

If the Jets, and more importantly, quarterback Geno Smith, follow the same trend they’ve been on so far this year, they will head into their Week 10 bye with a 5-4 record. Going into the 2013 NFL season, there was nothing positive to say about the New York Jets. Incumbent starting quarterback Mark Sanchez was sidelined with a shoulder injury, and no one knew what to expect from Smith. The press was already talking about whether or not head coach Rex Ryan would make it through the season employed, and ESPN ranked the Jets last in their preseason Power Rankings. Nevertheless, the Jets have been relatively impressive in a 4-3 start to their season, showing an “us against the world” mentality fueled by Ryan, their fearless leader, who has turned the team into one that is feared every other week.

That’s not a typo. I meant it when I said every other week. The Jets have won 4 games this year during Weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7. But during Weeks 2, 4, and, 6, they’ve looked closer to the team that ESPN predicted we would see this season. A big reason for their four wins has been the dynamic play of starting quarterback Geno Smith. However, Smith has also been at fault in their three losses this year. Smith’s on-and-off play this season draws similarities to the novel the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

In their three loses, Geno has shown his Mr. Hyde style of play by posting an average QB rating of 9.7 while throwing only 1 touchdown and 7 interceptions.  When Dr. Jekyll shows up under center, Smith has had an average QB rating of 61.6 with 7 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Undoubtedly, his best performance so far this year was Week 5 against Atlanta. Smith was coming off a very poor performance in Tennessee where the Jets lost 38-13 and he threw two interceptions. He was able to put this setback behind him and threw for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns en route to a much-needed 30-28 victory. All was right in Jets land as Geno was praised for his Monday night performance and some newspapers even called him “Broadway Geno,” referencing the Jet great Joe Namath. But before you knew it, Mr. Hyde was back out there at quarterback for the Jets the following week as they lost an ugly game 19-6 to the always-tough Pittsburgh Steelers. Nevertheless, Jekyll showed up Week 7 leading the Jets to a much needed win over the Patriots to bring them only 1 game back of 1^st place in the AFC East.

While Smith has continued to take steps forward and backward so far this season, I think his development over just 7 NFL games has been impressive. He has repeatedly shown his ability to bounce back and put his not-so-great performances behind him and focus on the next opponent. He’s even grown in his ability to have a short-term memory during games. After throwing 3 interceptions in the 4^th quarter in Week 2 against the Patriots, I thought that his 1^st quarter interception in Week 7 against the Patriots would lead to him unraveling and a Jets loss. I was pleasantly surprised as Geno showed his resiliency on the next drive leading the Jets to a field goal, and in the end a much needed win.

It’s been clear since Week 1 that Smith is very skilled, has a cannon for an arm, and can take off on his own to elude pass rushers when needed. But what I think is most impressive about Smith is his maturity. After all three of the Jets losses, he has been the first person to take the blame for the loss, even going up to every single defensive player on the team and apologizing and promising to improve the next week (which he does). He always looks cool, calm, and collected no matter what the score of the game is and no matter how well or poorly he has played. Smith has even been able to deal with the brutal New York media so far and seems poised to not let what’s written about him, positive or negative, affect his on-field performance.

Being a Jets, Mets, and Nets fan my entire life, I can’t help but think that things are going to take a turn for the worse whenever anything goes right for one of my teams. Throughout the game on Sunday I kept imagining things going wrong for the Jets. I thought for sure the Patriots would score a last second touchdown to win it. I even thought that Nick Folk, as solid as he has been this year, would miss the 42-yard field goal in overtime. Thankfully, the Jets and Geno stayed positive Sunday, as they have all season, and Nick Folk converted on a 42-yard field goal to put the Jets one game closer to first place. 

If Geno continues to evolve the way he has so far this season and Dr. Jekyll as oppose to Mr. Hyde shows up more often this season, along with the Jets' strong defense, the Jets could be on their way to a playoff appearance for the first time since 2010. While I still have my doubts, this team and Smith have given me reason to believe. If Jay-Z and Roc Nation believe in him, then so should I right?