flgreen Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 As Jets' Geno Smith prepares to start, right guard Willie Colon says he is 'made for the spotlight' Darryl Slater/The Star-Ledger By Darryl Slater/The Star-Ledger on September 02, 2013 at 6:17 PM, updated September 02, 2013 at 6:21 PM The ripple effects of what probably will happen Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium could carry to the far edges of this season. The Jets on Monday moved one step closer to starting rookie quarterback Geno Smith against Tampa Bay, as Mark Sanchez again missed practice with an injured right shoulder, sustained Aug. 24 when coach Rex Ryan decided to play him in the fourth quarter against the Giants, behind a backup offensive line. If Smith starts Sunday’s regular season opener, it could signal the end of Sanchez’s five-year run with the Jets, provided the team decides to stick with Smith, who floundered during the preseason. So Sunday could easily portend a long season of growing pains that leads to Ryan’s ouster, as new general manager John Idzik puts his stamp on the team. Though just one game, the opener could also embolden Smith, who does not currently seem prepared to start in the NFL. It could mark a promising beginning to Idzik’s regime, which is trying to rebuild an organization that went 8-8 and 6-10 the past two seasons, following back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances. But on Monday, Smith’s offensive linemen did not concern themselves with Sunday’s potential implications. Instead, they focused only on what they know will happen if Smith starts, and what the rookie has showed them so far. “You understand when a defensive unit sees a rookie quarterback in there, you know they want to bring the pain,” said right tackle Austin Howard. “They want to bring the extra man on the blitz to rattle his head a little bit. We are on extra alert, because we understand that with a rookie in there, as a defense, they’re licking their chops.” Not that Howard will overhaul his approach if Smith starts, a designation not yet official, because Ryan again said next to nothing Monday about his quarterback zoo, except to mention Sanchez still has yet to practice since getting hurt. Earlier in the day, the Jets signed a healthy, experienced backup quarterback, Brady Quinn, so they are obviously preparing for the possibility that Sanchez won’t be available Sunday. Sanchez also shed little light on his condition, except that his shoulder is “feeling better every day” and he continues to rehabilitate it. While he declined to say if he had attempted to throw yet, a small plastic bag containing seven pills rested on his stool. These are low days for Sanchez, whose start job is perhaps slipping away as he watches from the sideline, for reasons outside his control – surely, a frustrating situation for him. “Well, I mean, there’s nothing I can do about it,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep rehabbing and try and come back as soon as possible.” Smith is as optimistic as Sanchez is guarded. Smith sounds nothing like a man who, against the Giants, threw three interceptions and stepped out of the end zone for a safety. His only NFL experience other than that is 14 snaps in the preseason opener at Detroit. But he said he feels mentally comfortable in the Jets’ new West Coast offense, and can check into and out of plays and protections better than he did when he joined the team. His recent recovery from a sprained ankle, suffered Aug. 9 in Detroit, has him throwing the ball with his usual zip and spin again. “This is only the beginning,” he said. “I’ve got a lot to learn. Physically, I think I’ve always been ready. But I think mentally, I’ve grown a lot. My grasp of the offense is to a point where I think … where I know that I can get out there and execute. I’m a naturally aggressive player. That’s one of the reasons why they like me here. As long as I continue to be aggressive while minimizing mistakes, we’ll be fine.” Tampa Bay’s newest cornerback, Darrelle Revis, will exploit most rookie quarterbacking errors. The Jets are well aware, because they traded him to the Buccaneers in the offseason. Smith has analyzed Revis by talking to teammates and Jets personnel staff members, but hasn’t watched any of Revis’ Jets film yet. “I don’t think it’s necessary,” Smith said. “Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t. You pretty much get the idea of what kind of player he is based on his reputation.” Smith’s right guard, Willie Colon, cannot predict how the rookie might fare Sunday against Revis, or where the rippling will lead from there. But Colon believes the conviction shown in Smith’s statements and actions is, if nothing else, an auspicious start. “That’s what you want to see,” Colon said. “You don’t want to see a guy too over-anxious, maybe too shy. I think he’s made for the spotlight. I think he’s embracing that. That’s the biggest thing. You come to this team, with all the circus, with all the history, with all the media, you want to embrace it. You want to take it head on. The last thing you want to do is just run or show weakness, as far as your character or mental ability.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 ok, so colon is the beat writers go to guy for quotes I'm getting kind of sick of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 ok, so colon is the beat writers go to guy for quotes I'm getting kind of sick of it Me to What's this guy been here for 3 months? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kleckineau Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 He needs to STFU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T0mShane Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 CAPTAIN COLON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenseed4 Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Smith is such a cocky douche he's going to try to test Revis, to build a reputation of his own. "I haven't watched any of his film" It's about time he starts. He'll get a nice and loud wake up call if he doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 CAPTAIN COLON Wouldn't that be fitting considering his name and all. Hell, Rex could make Tone co-captain, and we'd have two Captain Colon's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbatesman Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Do quarterbacks generally watch iso tape of opposing DBs? Non-DIVA quarterbacks, I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt39 Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Smith is such a cocky douche he's going to try to test Revis, to build a reputation of his own. "I haven't watched any of his film" It's about time he starts. He'll get a nice and loud wake up call if he doesn't. mind games they are setting him up for a double move Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenseed4 Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 mind games they are setting him up for a double move Now that he's gone I'll say it; Revis can't cover the slant. That's all we run, really. The occasional streak, sure, but not to his side. I trust MM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeKlecko Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 He needs to STFU Why? What's he done wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetNation Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 The soap opera may continue for the New York Jets but the regular season is less than a week away. Head coach Rex Ryan indicated that the team will provide injury updates on Wednesday. Along with that should come the name of the starting QB against Tampa Bay. Mark Sanchez didn’t practice on Monday. As the Jets implement the game plan for the opener against the Bucs, they will need the starting QB to be on the field. So it is expected that Geno Smith will get the starting nod. Geno told the media that he is ready to start. I’ve been preparing extremely hard and I think I’ve gotten a lot better. Like I said, this is only the beginning. I’ve got a lot to learn and I’m preparing for everything that comes my way. If my chance is Sunday, I’m going to go out there with the intent to lead my team to victory and that’s just the way it is. I’m always going to play like that, be aggressive. I’m never going to hesitate, never going to shy away from anything and just go out there and play ball. He also said that his ankle is close to 100%. “It’s getting better. (I’ve) been treating it daily. Every single day it’s felt better. I’m able to do a lot more now than I was able to do then.” Geno indicated that he hasn’t been told he will be the starter but he is preparing as if he will start. Well, with Mark’s status I’m not 100 percent sure on, but I’ll always prepare as a starter and that’s kind of the way I’m going to go about things here. We’ll find out in a couple days. I think Mark’s status is very uncertain right now but we’ll see. The season is about to start and Geno Smith says, “At this point I’m ready for it.” Ready or not week one is here. Follow Me: View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patriot Killa Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Why? What's he done wrong? I agree.. he was asked questions and he answered. Not like he flipped out our playbook and started singing hymns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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