Lichtenstein: Jets Won't Miss Geno For Any Of Those 6-10 Weeks
By Steve Lichtenstein
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This Jets training camp has been inundated with disappointing news.
The Geno Smith incident is NOT one of them.
There may be a few Jets fans out there who cling to the belief that Smith has the talent to burst through the league's starting quarterback floor. Most like me, knowing Smith would be given the keys for a third straight year despite his lousy production, merely hoped that with an improved supporting cast Smith would take a few baby steps this season. A lower turnover count would have sufficed.
Of course, all that has been tabled for at least six-to-10 weeks after reserve linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali "sucker-punched" Smith in the jaw during a locker room altercation on Tuesday, according to Jets coach Todd Bowles.
Bowles said Smith's jaw will require surgery and Ryan Fitzpatrick has been promoted to the starting role.
Fate can be funny.
Fitzpatrick, by any measure, is the better quarterback. Smith is a better runner and has a bigger arm, but the position is about more than physical gifts. It's about mental processing speed and leadership.
Fitzpatrick is no Aaron Rodgers, but he can be an adequate caretaker on a team that emphasizes defense to win games. He went 6-5 as a starter last season for Houston before he broke his leg in a December loss to the Colts, though to be fair none of the victories were over impressive teams. His 2014 numbers included a 63 percent completion percentage and a 17:8 TD-to-interception ratio.
Smith has turned the ball over a ghastly 41 times in 30 games in his two seasons. Simple dump-offs too often resulted in pick-sixes.
So while no Jets fan should jump for joy any time a player sustains an injury, the fact that this incident accelerated Fitzpatrick's elevation to the starting role can be deemed a hopeful unintended consequence.
Simply put, the Jets now have a better chance to win a few more games. Will it be enough to reach the postseason? That's still very doubtful. Tom Brady or no Tom Brady, New England is still king in the AFC East until proven otherwise. Getting to 10 wins for a wild card will require significant good fortune, something uncommon for the Jets historically.
First, the Jets must now pray that Fitzpatrick gets through the preseason in one piece. Rookie Bryce Petty will take years to learn the pro game and the list of unemployed quarterbacks league-wide at this stage is not exactly bountiful. Michael Vick, anyone?
As a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft (another John Idzik special), Enemkpali was easy to let go. Smith, a 2013 second rounder who was recently first on the Jets' depth chart, will likely continue to be rewarded with mulligans.
Details about the incident were initially hazy, but Bowles told the media that "it had nothing to do with football. It was something very childish."
Geno Smith: Immature on the field and now immature off the field. He will not be missed.
Follow Steve on Twitter at @SteveLichtenst1
