Geno Smith was always believed to have the upper hand in the quarterback competition between him and Michael Vick. After last night’s third pre-season game, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan made it official according to NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones:
Rex Ryan says Geno Smith will be Jets starter in Sept 7 opener vs OAK. "Yeah, he'll be our starter. He's done everything we've asked."
— Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) August 23, 2014
Smith had his most impressive start of the pre-season last night, completing 9 of 14 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Jace Amaro. The Jets lost 35-24 to the New York Giants with the Giants scoring 28 second-half points.
Overall, Smith has had a solid pre-season, completing 23 of 33 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He is unlikely to play again until the Jets’ Week 1 opener against the Oakland Raiders.
Vick had a solid game against the Giants, completing four of five passes for 35 yards and a touchdown, but does seem just fine with providing a great backup to the young QB Smith.
The Jets get a winnable opener against the Raider, but things get much tougher after that, with games against the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Detroit Lions, followed by tough AFC matchups against the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, and division-rival New England Patriots.
The Jets ranked 26th in the NFL in passing last season. Smith will be looking to turn things around this season while relying on the Jets normally stout defense.
