5 Things Geno Smith Has Left To Prove He’s The Future Of The Jets Franchise
We’re only five weeks into the 2013-14 NFL season, but no one thought the Giants would be the winless New York team at this point. After four-year starter Mark Sanchez went down in the pre-season with a shoulder injury, a season that looked bleak to begin with for Gang Green seemed even worse. But with Mr. Butt-Fumble sidelined, the fate of the franchise has been put in the hands of the their rookie quarterback, Geno Smith. As the Jets open the season 3-2 after their win in ATL last night, tied for second place in the AFC east with the Miami Dolphins, Smith has a legit shot at becoming the future franchise QB. Here what’s left for him to do this season to make sure that happens. -- Terrence Watson
Photo Credit: dailyfantasysource
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Show consistent greatness
Even after last night’s road win against Matty Ice and the Falcons, we still don’t know witch Geno we’ll see on a weekly basis. There’s 12 weeks left in the season, which is more than enough time for Smith to prove he’s that dude with more gutsy performances. Bouncing back after getting smacked 38-13 by the Titans speaks volumes for the young QB, but now he has to keep the momentum going. Lead the team to a string of two-to-three wins and show the league he’s for real.
Photo Credit: yahoosports
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Trust himself
It’s pretty well documented that when Smith wasn’t picked in the first round, he was salty. At least pissed enough that he was about to leave until the Jets told him to be easy in the green room because the they were going to take him if he was still on the board by the 39th pick. Whether or not he was overlooked is still up in the air, but he shouldn’t forget that feeling. Ever.
Smith has to prove teams that passed up on him wrong by doing it his way. Last night, he called an audible that may have saved the game. Facing third-and-3 on their final drive, Smith read the defense and noticed the Falcons were coming strong one side for a potential stop in the backfield. Smith went with his gut and called a run play for Bilal Powell, who gained six yards to set up Nick Folk’s 43-yard game winning field goal. Believing in himself and his teammates in a clutch situation like that is more of what we’ll need to see from Smith to make us all believers.
Photo Credit: foxsports
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Win over the NY media
This wont be easy. Geno could call a luncheon with Patrick Ewing, Mark Messier, Carmelo Anthony, Derek Jeter and Jay Z and still none of them could tell them the EXACT formula to win the love from the sleepless city’s sometimes fickle media. Had he lost last night, he’d be written off as the next Ryan Leaf. Since he won, however, he’s the black Broadway Joe. The best advice for him is own up to what goes down on the field. He can’t hide from it and so far, it seems like he has no problem taking the blame for poor play. In a recent profile by the Daily News, Smith said to reporter Manish Mehta about his play against the Titans, “You got to go through some of that in order to learn from those experiences... It’s kind of good that it happens early although you don’t want it to happen at all,” Smith added. “At this point in my career, some of that stuff is a necessary evil.”
Good job, Geno. Work the press.
Photo Credit: sportsworldreport
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Finish the season at or above .500
Keep it 100: No one expects the Jets to win more than six games this season. At least, not at the beginning of the season, not with Sanchez running shit. No way. Smith has given Jets fans new hope and other teams around the league an actual reason to not look at games versus the Jets as automatic W’s. Already plagued with little brother syndrome, having to share a field with the Giants at MetLife Stadium aka The House That Eli Built, Jets fans just need something to be proud of. Making the playoffs would be astronomical in terms of where pre-season projections pegged them this season, but finishing 9-8 (especially in a year that the G-Men fall under .500) would be damn-near just as sweet.
Photo Credit: theshadowleague
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Beat the Patriots in Week 7
The sworn enemy of the Jets are the Patriots (with the Dolphins a close second). Smith almost snuck in a win against Tom Brady & Co. Week 2 in the Jets 13-10 loss. His numbers that game (214 yards and three INT’s) don’t tell the whole story, as he had more than a few potential game changing passes dropped by multiple receivers that rainy day. He gets another shot at them on Sunday, Oct. 20 at home. This is his moment to show his progression, prove he’s now on the same page with his teammates and he’s the future of the franchise.
Photo Credit: NFL
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