Silverman: New-Look Jets Have Same Old QB Issues, And That's A Big Problem
By Steve Silverman
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It may be difficult for Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to rest comfortably this summer.
The Jets should have a much better chance of making a move in the AFC East this season as it looks like there is some vulnerability up in New England. Tom Brady is suspended for the first four games of the regular season (as of right now), and it's a big step down to Jimmy Garoppolo.
I'm not saying the Patriots won't survive, but they will have a lot to overcome that they haven't had to deal with in the past.
While New England won't be a juggernaut at the start of the season, Miami and Buffalo should be better. The Dolphins took small steps over the past two seasons, and they have the NFL's best 1-2 punch at defensive end in Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon. The Bills have the pluses and minuses of Rex Ryan's personality, but the combination of LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins on the offensive side of the ball, along with the defensive duo of Mario Williams and Marcel Dareus, makes them dangerous.
There is a chance for the Jets to overtake any and all of these teams, but nothing is guaranteed. That's because the Jets are so shaky at the quarterback position with Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
A lack of consistency from either quarterback would be bad enough, but throw in the dangerous personality of wide receiver Brandon Marshall and the Jets have a potential explosion on their hands.
While Gailey was ordinary as a head coach with the Cowboys and Bills, he has been a successful offensive coordinator. He does not have a reputation as one of the game's great innovative minds, but he can think two or three steps ahead of the competition and figure out his teams' advantages and weaknesses.
However, he's not going to be able to make something out of nothing. Smith is the team's No. 1 quarterback, and he has done nothing through the first two years of his career to leave any Jets fan with confidence. When it comes to understanding the playbook and executing it, he is no better than average. When it comes to throwing the ball accurately, he is far below that mark.
MORE: Jets' Geno Smith Has First Turnover, But Is Showing Signs Of Progress
He has thrown 34 interceptions in his first two seasons, and while he made some improvement in his second year – he cut the number of picks from 21 to 13 – the Jets were a worse team in 2014. The Jets were 3-10 in games Smith started after going 8-8 during his rookie season.
There is little doubt about the physical tools he has at his disposal, but he just has not made enough progress at reading and diagnosing opposing defenses and throwing the ball with a purpose.
This is a dangerous way to go into the season. The Jets may have brought in the veteran Fitzpatrick to make up for Smith's deficiencies, but he is not going to be the answer to what ails the Jets either.
At his best, Fitzpatrick can step in and give the team a legitimate spark for a game or two. He can find open receivers, get away from the rush and be quite creative. However, Fitzpatrick can't string games together. He's fine for a short period of time, but once you get past that point, he will turn the ball over and make mistakes.
Fitzpatrick may be a Harvard man, but there were moments when he appeared overwhelmed with the responsibilities that his coaches with the Rams, Bengals, Bills and Texans asked of him. It's as if he forgets his limitations and panics.
If Marshall takes on the same role he had with the Bears last season, there could be quite a bit of trouble in the Jets locker room. Marshall had a couple of explosions as Chicago's season fell apart, and he created problems by getting in his teammates' faces.
The odds are that Marshall will be on his best behavior with the Jets, especially in the early going. He will want to make a good impression on head coach Todd Bowles and Gailey.
But what happens if Marshall has just 22 catches for 325 yards and two TDs through the first six games of the season? He figures he should catch 100 balls at a minimum every season. If he is going to miss that mark by a significant margin, he could start to wreak havoc.
Gailey has to figure out a way to make this work. He has two below-average quarterbacks, and a potentially destructive wide receiver. While the running game looks solid with Chris Ivory, the odds are not good that the passing game will have the consistency to make the Jets' AFC East opponents sweat.
Follow Steve on Twitter at @ProFootballBoy
