Palladino: Going With Smith Will Finish Rex

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Palladino: Going With Smith Will Finish Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan

 

 

Rex Probably Won't Survive If Smith Is Allowed To Learn On The Job

 

 

September 2, 2013 9:15 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Ernie Palladino

 

» More Ernie Palladino Columns

 

 

Now the Jets are ready to flip the page. Start a new chapter. Dump the old and usher in the new.

 

 

If Rex Ryan and John Idzik have indeed decided that the Geno Smith era will begin in earnest Sunday, the Jets will not just be committing to change from Mark Sanchez, but will effectively move away from Ryan. Jets fans will now witness the final phase of the coach’s fall from blustery braggart to humbled loser, and now to sacrifice at Idzik’s altar.

 

 

It will go like this. Ryan, in a position after two horrid seasons where he must show steady growth in his team, will now theoretically stick with the rookie Smith and all but assure himself of a second consecutive losing season. Word was that he might have been leaning toward the safe option in Sanchez, but that fateful fourth-quarter encounter with since-released Giants defensive tackle Marvin Austin put Smith in the driver’s seat by default.

 

 

Shortly thereafter, the decision reportedly was made to stick with Smith, whose mid-camp ankle sprain still hasn’t completely healed.

 

 

Ryan could have named Smith the Sept. 8 starter against Tampa Bay, leaving the door open for Sanchez and his shoulder to return the following week. But the weekend’s revelation that the Jets have gone into page-turning mode indicated a reversal of that thinking, possibly one that will have fatal job consequences for the man who tattooed his wife wearing a No. 6 Sanchez jersey to his shoulder.

 

 

It will come down to whatever number Idzik believes is good enough to keep Mike Tannenbaum’s coach around. By allowing Smith to learn on the job, the Jets might be dooming themselves to a six-win season. Does Rex survive that? Under normal circumstances, probably not.

 

 

 

 

It would be one thing if Ryan was Idzik’s guy. Then, a little leeway would be understandable. But general managers brought in from the outside tend to have short fuses for inherited coaches. They want their own guy in there. Another flameout, even one created because of a decision ultimately beneficial to the organization’s future, could become the ideal excuse for Idzik to lobby Ryan fan Woody Johnson for change up top.

 

 

The flip side is that Idzik could stick with Ryan, realizing that any switch to a rookie quarterback represents a potential sacrifice of a season. The past two years make such an appraisal difficult, however. These are not the Giants, after all. When Tom Coughlin pulled Kurt Warner for Eli Manning after a 5-4 start in 2004, the final 6-10 mark had no effect on Coughlin’s job status. It was the coach’s first season, and both he and GM Ernie Accorsi well knew Manning’s 1-6 record marked a necessary step in his development and the team’s future advancement. Basically, they sacrificed a potential playoff contender.

 

 

If Idzik takes the same approach, then Ryan might just survive regardless of the final record.

 

 

The more likely scenario is that Ryan steps up to the coaching gallows at season’s end. That is, unless Smith gets hurt, he re-installs Sanchez, and the Jets take flight. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility. Like him or hate him, Sanchez still gives the Jets the best chance to win, if only because of his experience. This is an offense that could not overcome Sanchez’ 52 turnovers the last two years. It certainly won’t survive a kid quarterback throwing two or three bad interceptions each game.

 

 

And, let’s face it, starting quarterbacks go down an awful lot in this league. No matter what the plan, Sanchez probably isn’t done in MetLife Stadium yet.

 

 

Bottom line, if Smith is really the way Ryan wants to go, he can hope for only two outcomes regarding his coaching career.

 

 

That Idzik shows the patience of Job with both Smith and Ryan as his second-round pick goes through the bumps, or that he at least applies the axe to Ryan’s neck in a merciful, quick manner after the dust Smith kicks up settles at season’s end.

 

[Gastineau Lives]

Mark Sanchez gives us the Jets the best chance to win...six games for the third season in a row. How would that save Rex, exactly?

 

This guy lost me here: This is an offense that could not overcome Sanchez’ 52 turnovers the last two years. It certainly won’t survive a kid quarterback throwing two or three bad interceptions each game.

 

The VINCE LOMBARDI PACKERS couldn't survive a QB throwing 48 interceptions. As if this is a possibility. And what the hell is a bad interception? Is he saying that Smith could throw 40+ bad interceptions and sprinkle in another 10 good ones?

 

I swear.

[CobraVerde]

If Ryan has a top 5 defense it would be stupid to fire him. One thing this organization has always lacked is consistency. People always want to hit the home run and aren't willing to do the time it takes to be a winner. Sticking with Ryan takes away any uncertainty from players who don't know who the coach is. Media is already labeling him dead man walking and I think he's gonna surprise us all. He's a good coach.

[flgreen]

If Ryan has a top 5 defense it would be stupid to fire him. One thing this organization has always lacked is consistency. People always want to hit the home run and aren't willing to do the time it takes to be a winner. Sticking with Ryan takes away any uncertainty from players who don't know who the coach is. Media is already labeling him dead man walking and I think he's gonna surprise us all. He's a good coach.

 

 

I agree, but Ryan is being dealt a real tough hand this season with Smith as the starter.  Don't think Rex is Idzik's kind of guy, and he'll be gone soon as Woody gives the OK

[Guest]

people do have to have patience with Geno Smith's development, I think realistically that will give Rex Ryan some leeway. Smith has a lot more room to make mistakes because after all he is a rookie. some interesting notes from my last thread:

 

John Elway only completed just 1 out 8 passes in his week 1 debut

Dallas Cowboys lost 11 games that Troy Aikman played in his rookie year.

look up how many turnovers Peyton Manning had in his rookie year please...ill save you the google, 28.

 

people gotta be patient and not base an entire career on Pre Season or a week 1 start versus the Bucs.

[Jetsfan80]

I agree, but Ryan is being dealt a real tough hand this season with Smith as the starter.  Don't think Rex is Idzik's kind of guy, and he'll be gone soon as Woody gives the OK

 

If Rex wasn't Idzik's kind of guy he should have fired him before this season.  Otherwise that makes him a weakling who is catering to Woody's demand that Rex be given 1 more year.  

 

I don't think either of these are true.  I think Idzik knows Rex has value but needs him to show it this year before handing him a contract extension.  Nor do I think Idzik is the type to be bullied by Woody Johnson.  

[dbatesman]

poor Rex you guys :(

[bitonti]

It's not like he has a choice

[flgreen]

If Rex wasn't Idzik's kind of guy he should have fired him before this season.  Otherwise that makes him a weakling who is catering to Woody's demand that Rex be given 1 more year.  

 

I don't think either of these are true.  I think Idzik knows Rex has value but needs him to show it this year before handing him a contract extension.  Nor do I think Idzik is the type to be bullied by Woody Johnson.  

 

Gm jobs don't come around very often.  Who knows if he would have ever been offered one again.  The pay scale from a GM to the #3 guy in the FO is mega. 

 

Yep, I think he is catering to  Woody's demand.  Only thing that can save Rex now is 1)  Smith hopefully being better then I think he is, or 2) rex's D playing lights out, and Woody thinking Idzik  didn't give Rex a fair chance to save his job,

[T0mShane]

If Rex wasn't Idzik's kind of guy he should have fired him before this season. Otherwise that makes him a weakling who is catering to Woody's demand that Rex be given 1 more year.

I don't think either of these are true. I think Idzik knows Rex has value but needs him to show it this year before handing him a contract extension. Nor do I think Idzik is the type to be bullied by Woody Johnson.

Fascinating bit of wordcraft here.

[Jetsfan80]

Fascinating bit of wordcraft here.

 

Don't act like you're not impressed.

[Larz]

so that evil accountant is setting rex up to fail....

 

bwahahahahahahahahaha

 

<evil hand wringing>

[JerryK]

I don't study the draft, but the gist I got was that Smith is probably only an average qb... and that's after he gets time to 'settle in'.

 

So to me, all this "drop Sanchez for Geno" talk is like trading an old horse for a younger 3-legged one.  What's the point?

[slats]

If Rex wasn't Idzik's kind of guy he should have fired him before this season.  Otherwise that makes him a weakling who is catering to Woody's demand that Rex be given 1 more year.  

 

I don't think either of these are true.  I think Idzik knows Rex has value but needs him to show it this year before handing him a contract extension.  Nor do I think Idzik is the type to be bullied by Woody Johnson.

It was pretty widely reported that Rex staying on was non-negotiable as far as Woody was concerned. If Idzik taking the job with that caveat makes him a weakling in your eyes, so be it. It's not a matter of being bullied. He was hired to do a job, and the guy writing his paychecks told him how he wanted it done. I'm sure Idzik has a lot of leeway for getting the team where he wants it to be in the next couple years, but firing Rex this year was not an option for him.

That doesn't mean that Idzik is hellbent on firing Rex ASAP, either. But Rex has to prove himself this year, and it remains to be seen how fair a shot Idzik is going to give him.

[SayNoToDMC]

If only Rex was allowed to pick his own coordinators and QB! ******* Idzik

[SenorGato]

Everything will finish Rex because he is already finished. 

[SenorGato]

It was pretty widely reported that Rex staying on was non-negotiable as far as Woody was concerned. 

 

 

Serious question: is this true? At some point I think it just kinda became accepted that Woody forced Rex on Idzik to save a million, but I'm not sure they actually ever felt the need to go ahead and prove that somehow. 

 

I also don't believe anything in the NFL is reported so much as contrived and force fed as undeniable truth. It's undeniable because nothing says the opposite either, and neither Idzik, Rex, or Woody have ever had to comment on it. That's how "reporting" in the NFL works. 1984 up in this bitch. 

[faba]

Yeah Idzik is the devil- has out out for Rex and Sanchez and whoever gets in his way-not

[slats]

Serious question: is this true? At some point I think it just kinda became accepted that Woody forced Rex on Idzik to save a million, but I'm not sure they actually ever felt the need to go ahead and prove that somehow. 

 

I also don't believe anything in the NFL is reported so much as contrived and force fed as undeniable truth. It's undeniable because nothing says the opposite either, and neither Idzik, Rex, or Woody have ever had to comment on it. That's how "reporting" in the NFL works. 1984 up in this bitch.

Woody fired Tannenbaum, kept Rex, and had Rex sit in on interviews to hire the new GM. It was widely reported that Rex staying on was a condition of employment for the new GM, and there were no reports contrary to that - to the best of my knowledge.

I think it's pretty clear but, then again, I also think we landed on the moon.

[SenorGato]

Fair enough sir fair enough. It fits the 2013 narrative much better anyway. 

[CrazyCarl40]

To be fair, hitching his wagon to Sanchez probably did him in more than anything else.

[Thor99]

You know you're in trouble if Mark Sanchez can save your job.

[jack48]

If Geno develops, there are no hijinks, and no bonkers press conferences, I think Rex has a shot.  It will not be just about wins.  If Idzik has his  heart set on some guy, Rex is out of luck.

[JoeKlecko]

Woody fired Tannenbaum, kept Rex, and had Rex sit in on interviews to hire the new GM. It was widely reported that Rex staying on was a condition of employment for the new GM, and there were no reports contrary to that - to the best of my knowledge.

I think it's pretty clear but, then again, I also think we landed on the moon.

 

I agree.  I also think that one or two of the "top" candidates withdrew their names from consideration.  That was probably due to having to keep Rex around.

[kelticwizard]

 

• NFL: Ryan stays as Jets coach; GM Tannenbaum fired

 

• By Dennis Waszak Jr.
  Updated Dec. 31, 2012 @ 5:12 am
  
  FLORHAM PARK, N.J.  —
  

   Johnson started shaking things up early by parting ways with Tannenbaum, who had been with the organization since 1997.
  The Jets fired Tannenbaum after a dismal 6-10 season, but owner Woody Johnson announced that Rex Ryan will be back for a fifth season as the team’s coach.“It was really heartfelt,” defensive end Mike DeVito said Monday. “I know Mike, and he’ll bounce back.”It was a farewell address to the group of men he signed, traded for or drafted over the last seven years as the team’s general manager. And he choked back tears as he read it.

  Mike Tannenbaum pulled out a letter as he stood in front of the New York Jets players for one last time.

• Meanwhile, Sanchez was having a poor season, the Jets kept losing and Tebow never got a chance to be the No. 1 quarterback.
  
  
  Tebow was brought in as a backup for Mark Sanchez and expected to play a key role in certain offensive schemes. He played sparingly, and spent several weeks out of the lineup with injured ribs.
  The Jets were a team in turmoil from the moment they acquired quarterback Tim Tebow in a trade with Denver last March. The move was made by Tannenbaum and highly criticized by fans and media — and failed in just about every way.
  “My goal every year as owner is to build a team that wins consistently,” Johnson said. “This year, we failed to achieve that goal. Like all Jets fans, I am disappointed with this year’s results. However, I am confident that this change will best position our team for greater success going forward.”
  Johnson said he has consulted with several “football executives” and also hired a search firm to help aid in finding a new GM.
  Ryan’s scheduled news conference with the media Monday afternoon was postponed amid speculation that there could be several changes on the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Tony Sparano is expected to be fired after one season, while defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s status is uncertain after he turned down a contract extension earlier in the year. Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff retired after Sunday’s game.
  The futures of both Tannenbaum and Ryan were unclear after a 28-9 loss to Buffalo on Sunday, a miserable finish to the team’s first losing season in Ryan’s four seasons as coach.
  While it appeared Tannenbaum was a likely gone, it was believed Ryan might also be on shaky ground.“I believe that he has the passion, the talent, and the drive to successfully lead our team,” Johnson said of Ryan in a statement.

   “I underachieved and didn’t play the way I’m capable of playing,” Sanchez said. “I want another crack at this thing.”

With a knack for navigating the NFL’s salary cap, Tannenbaum was never afraid to make splashy signings or trades — Tebow, Brett Favre, LaDainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress, to name a few. He also made his mark on draft day, bringing in some of the team’s best players such as Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and David Harris. But Tannenbaum had more misses than hits in recent drafts, with Vernon Gholston, Vladimir Ducasse and even Sanchez high-round picks that didn’t perform as expected.

Tannenbaum was hired as the team’s director of player contract negotiations in 1997, and served in various other roles before becoming general manager and replacing Terry Bradway in 2006.

Tannenbaum’s tenure as the Jets’ GM included two trips to the AFC championship game. He had two years left on his contract, but Johnson made the change after the Jets failed to make the playoffs for a second year in a row.

Tebow’s time with the Jets began with a splashy news conference, but his one and likely only season ended with the popular backup going out quietly as he wasn’t available to the media as the players cleared out their lockers.

The next general manager will face an unstable salary cap situation, along with a dozen players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, including starters Dustin Keller, LaRon Landry, Yeremiah Bell, Shonn Greene and Brandon Moore.

Many fans and media argued that rather than trade for Tebow, Tannenbaum could have addressed some of the Jets’ more-pressing needs, such as the offensive line, wide receiver and depth on defense.

Tebow hardly saw the field, and when he did, he wasn’t very effective. His lack of use was a season-long story line that provided an unnecessary distraction to a team in need of locker room stability after in-fighting derailed its 2011 season.

The trade for Tebow was perhaps the biggest mistake. By acquiring Tebow last March, the Jets brought in a player with immense popularity to provide a spark to the offense — just a matter of days after giving Sanchez a contract extension that included $8.25 million in guarantees for next season.

http://www.littlefallstimes.com/x1665856040/NFL-Ryan-stays-as-Jets-coach-GM-Tannenbaum-fired

 

[kelticwizard]

Previously I posted another article-can't find it now-that Ryan staying for at least one year was a condition of the GM job, and that Ryan was part of the interview process.

 

The thing is, with Idzik publicly proclaiming that the starter selection is a group process, not the head coach's as is normally the case,  will Woody see through any maneuvering Idzik might pull to simply clear Rex out of there and move in his own choice as GM?

 

If I were an owner and told a new GM that he had to work with the coach for at least a year, and the GM goes all Machiavellian and starts undermining the coach publicly, I'm not so sure I would go along with that and grant the GM the right to select his own coach.  In fact, I might not keep the GM around.

[JoeKlecko]

Previously I posted another article-can't find it now-that Ryan staying for at least one year was a condition of the GM job, and that Ryan was part of the interview process.

 

The thing is, with Idzik publicly proclaiming that the starter selection is a group process, not the head coach's as is normally the case,  will Woody see through any maneuvering Idzik might pull to simply clear Rex out of there and move in his own choice as GM?

 

If I were an owner and told a new GM that he had to work with the coach for at least a year, and the GM goes all Machiavellian and starts undermining the coach publicly, I'm not so sure I would go along with that and grant the GM the right to select his own coach.  In fact, I might not keep the GM around.

 

Idzik has not undermined Rex.  That's absurd.

[Bugg]

Everything will finish Rex because he is already finished. 

Which is why I don't understand why he is not rolling the dice with Simms. Look, he's almost certainly out in January unless something dramatic happens. Simms could be that. Yes, he may fail, but Sanchez utterly sucks and Smith doesn't appear close to ready. He has nothing to lose really playing Simms.And it has the most upside. The failure to thle this chance speaks yet again how conventional Ryan is.

[jack48]

Idzik is the boss.  He is the one who gets undermined, if there is undermining.  Rex is his minion.

[Larz]

Previously I posted another article-can't find it now-that Ryan staying for at least one year was a condition of the GM job, and that Ryan was part of the interview process.

 

The thing is, with Idzik publicly proclaiming that the starter selection is a group process, not the head coach's as is normally the case,  will Woody see through any maneuvering Idzik might pull to simply clear Rex out of there and move in his own choice as GM?

 

If I were an owner and told a new GM that he had to work with the coach for at least a year, and the GM goes all Machiavellian and starts undermining the coach publicly, I'm not so sure I would go along with that and grant the GM the right to select his own coach.  In fact, I might not keep the GM around.

 

 

the first topic seems like speculation, I bet you won't find any on the record quotes on that

 

only "god" coaches like parcells and shanahan have the say on roster moves.  do you really think no GM in the NFL gets a say in QB roster decisions ?

 

the ravens passed on rex because he gets too close to his players. he has proved them right.  he is loyal to a fault.  idzik is the buffer, the bad cop

 

its not a big deal, and not unusual

[Pac]

I think Rex's leash is longer than many think.  Barring a complete meltdown I'm not sure how keen Idzik would be on giving his 2nd year QB a new OC and system to learn -- especially if he's showing progress.  Why feed into the stigma that the Jets do a terrible job of grooming QB's?

 

I don't really see a scenario where they promote MM and fire Rex.

[GenoandtheJets]

Good that this might be rex ryans last season the comedy routine has to end sometime. I do think Geno will play well he puts a zip on the ball when he throws it & will make rookie mistakes which is normal. Go Jets! 

[Larz]

there is a video of mayock speaking about geno, at nfl.com I think

 

he said he likes geno, his is big athletic and strong, but raw and needs reps

 

I think that's fair.  with david lee and morningwood, I can see him improving enough this year to win games after the bye when the schedule gets weaker

[T0mShane]

I think Rex's leash is longer than many think.

SHOCKED FACE EMOJI

[SenorGato]

Which is why I don't understand why he is not rolling the dice with Simms. Look, he's almost certainly out in January unless something dramatic happens. Simms could be that. Yes, he may fail, but Sanchez utterly sucks and Smith doesn't appear close to ready. He has nothing to lose really playing Simms.And it has the most upside. The failure to thle this chance speaks yet again how conventional Ryan is.

 

He has plenty to lose by playing Simms. The guy is probably the third best NFL QB on the Jets! The Jets!