Joe Namath Thinks Geno Smith Will Be the Jets QB Regardless of What Happens With Ryan Fitzpatrick

One year ago, Geno Smith was penciled in as the starter for the Jets. That all changed on August 11th, when IK Enemkpali punched Geno Smith and broke his jaw. Ryan Fitzpatrick, who the team had acquired in a trade as a veteran backup earlier, got the role and got off to a fast start, as the Jets surprised. It ultimately came up just short, as Fitzpatrick threw 3 interceptions in Buffalo in the finale with the playoffs on the line. That loss cemented Fitzpatrick as the modern (since the playoffs expanded to 12 teams) leader in games started without any playoff appearances.

Was Joe Namath imbibing when he figuratively kissed Geno Smith? Here’s a point/counterpoint on Geno Smith versus Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick had his career year last season with the Jets. He also got to throw passes to both Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. He handled the system and seemed to be comfortable in New York.

That said, his career year was a pretty average year by veteran QB standards. He threw a career-high 33 TDs. He also still threw interceptions at a higher rate, and his completion percentage and yards per attempt were nothing eye-popping.

Geno Smith is very much an eye of the beholder thing. He was mostly bad. The things he was most bad at (turnovers, plenty of the baffling variety) are the types of things that young quarterbacks are best at overcoming as they age. Better not be reckless at all, but better reckless than be someone who doesn’t make plays at all.

Smith has never played with Marshall and Decker (both have supported Fitzpatrick this offseason for what it’s worth), so we don’t know what Smith would have done with both, yet. For much of Smith’s time in New York, he was throwing to Decker (when healthy) and not much else. Last year, in the one game Decker missed, Fitzpatrick had his worst game, against Philadelphia, along with that costly season finale. Having two top receivers can make a lot of middle of the road quarterbacks left.

There’s risk in expecting a 34-year old journeyman to repeat a not-amazing career year. There’s risk in expecting Geno Smith, who has barely played since being punched by a former teammate, to mature. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. At some point, Namath will be right and it will be Geno’s, regardless of what else happens. Not sure we are there yet.