Geno Smith: "I'm Not Mark"

[flgreen]

‘I’m Not Mark’: Geno Smith Tired Of Being Compared To Sanchez It's '2 Different Guys, 2 Different Players, 2 Different Styles' November 21, 2013 9:41 AM

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Geno Smith (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

 

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) —The comparison is inevitable, and Geno Smith doesn’t like it one bit.

 

Can you blame him?

 

Sure, Smith’s overall statistics — eight touchdowns and 16 interceptions — are eerily similar to Mark Sanchez’s numbers (10 TDs, 16 INTs) through his first 10 games with the New York Jets. That team started 4-6 in 2009, onegame worse than this year’s squad, and made a stunning run to the AFC title game.

 

None of that, insisted the rookie quarterback, means anything.

 

“No, I’m not Mark,” Smith said Wednesday. “I don’t think it’s fair to compare his season to mine. It’s two different seasons, two different guys, two different players, two different styles, two different systems.

 

“I know you guys want to compare every single thing, but it doesn’t make a difference.”

 

Truth is, Smith is struggling so much that some think it might be time for him to sit for a start in favor of inexperienced backup Matt Simms.

 

It won’t happen this week, though. Rex Ryan said Smith will remain the starting quarterback — for at least the game at Baltimore.

 

“The young man’s resilient,” Ryan said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt.”

 

Smith needs a big bounceback game or he could perhaps see the bench, as he did at the end of last Sunday’s 37-14 loss at Buffalo.

 

“I think the more you think about it, the worse you’ll do,” Smith said of trying not to press. “The best thing for me to do is just wipe it out of my mind, just play with a clean slate. I pretty much do that every week.”

 

 

Smith has been lauded by his coaches and teammates throughout the season for remaining even-keeled in the face of success or adversity. He is well aware, though, that he is costing the Jets lately. Smith has one touchdown and eight interceptions in his past five games, and his 20 turnovers lead the NFL.

 

“I’m not out there thinking about what happened three or four weeks ago when I’m playing,” he said. “But when you make mistakes over and over that can accumulate and we can start talking about where you were headed Week 3 and how you’re doing, you want to see progress. So in that area, I just have to continue to work at it.

 

“I know it’s going to get better.”

 

Smith’s comments can almost give fans a case of deja vu. They heard similar things from Sanchez in 2009, when he finished with 12 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. There are, however, several differences in the two quarterbacks’ situations as rookies:

 

—Sanchez was considered a franchise quarterback from Day 1, when the Jets traded up to grab him at No. 5 overall in the draft. Smith was a second-round pick, and the third player New York drafted. He’s never been deemed the team’s future at the position.

 

— Sanchez was surrounded by playmakers as a rookie with Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, Dustin Keller and Shonn Greene all in the offense. Smith’s receivers have been banged-up all season and he has been under lots of pressure behind an inconsistent line.

 

— Sanchez was often considered just a piece of the overall puzzle as a rookie, something the Jets have said of Smith, too. But Smith has found himself trying to make plays to make up for some deficiencies. He has already led four fourth-quarter or overtime winning drives. Smith also has 31 throws of 20 or more yards; Sanchez had 34 during his entire first NFL regular season.

 

“Definitely a playmaker,” Ravens linebacker Daryl Smith said. “He has the ability to run around and make plays with his legs, and he can definitely make some good throws, too. So, if you’ve got a guy like that, we’ve got to definitely keep him in the pocket, try to stop the run and try to make them one dimensional. Just try to put it all on him to beat us.”

 

Ryan entertained the idea Monday of possibly giving Simms a few first-team snaps, but didn’t want to discuss reps on Wednesday.

 

“I certainly let him know that we have to protect the football better,” Ryan said of Smith. “If the guy’s there, get him the ball. If he’s not, we’ve got to find (somebody else). We can’t force the issue.”

 

Smith knows that, and being able to rebound Sunday could make all the difference at Baltimore.

 

“You can’t be a sitting duck in the pocket,” Smith said. “Usually I’m good with that, but I think the last game I did a terrible job of moving. I didn’t help my offensive line out much. Basically, I’ve just got to get back to playing the game freely, but at the same time, taking care of the ball.”

[LIJetsFan]

Bla blah blah, put up or shut up Geno

[MexiRoll6]

Bla blah blah, put up or shut up Geno

I hope the kid begins to show SOMETHING, ANYTHING that gives me hope for next year and beyond. I think he has more tools than Sanchez who was way too laid back about his progress and only time will tell if he 'gets it' pretty soon. I think Smith has a better arm, more accuracy and maybe tougher mentally than Tissue Mark.

[flgreen]

I hope the kid begins to show SOMETHING, ANYTHING that gives me hope for next year and beyond. I think he has more tools than Sanchez who was way too laid back about his progress and only time will tell if he 'gets it' pretty soon. I think Smith has a better arm, more accuracy and maybe tougher mentally than Tissue Mark.

 

Sanchez was very emotional, and not a very good QB, but one thing about him he was pretty tough on the field.  IMO that is one of the reasons a lot of the players were very loyal to him.

 

We'll see how that goes with Smith.  he didn't react very well to the big hit in the Bills game.  We'll see with time how he reacts to that

[Freemanm]

Geno is not Mark - at times he can throw accurately downfield, scramble and throw the ball away when he should. However, despite the fact that he has done fairly well with fewer weapons and a worse O line that Sanchez had, Smith still has to stop throwing those really ugly INTs - that's the real issue. Maybe it will get better as he gains more experience, and maybe it won't. It didn't get better under Mark Sanchez, it only got worse. I sincerely hope it gets better under Geno, as I want to see him succeed.

 

That said, the Jets front office also has to be looking to next year to see what they can do to add talent to the offense. I would say another solid tackle and/or guard and at least one play-making wide receiver and the Jets will be okay.

 

Also, you can't put everything on Geno. The Bengals scored 49 points on us, and the Bill scored 38. Geno wasn't the one covering the WRs in either of those games - that was the result of Wilkerson, Richardson, Coples, et al not getting to Andy Dalton AT ALL during the game. Once other teams take away what the Jets do best - which is rush the passer - then beating the Jets became pretty easy.

 

The same thing goes with the Bills. I'm not saying the Jets have to get Revis back, but they do need at least one solid CB (as far as I'm concerned, they don't have any right now), and perhaps a playmaking running back.

[jetsjetsjetss]

calvin pace just said geno=mark lol

[stoicsentry]

 

 

We'll see how that goes with Smith.  he didn't react very well to the big hit in the Bills game. 

 

What do you mean? He got slammed pretty hard on that play, left the game for just one snap and then came right back in.

[faba]

Not he isn't but he has to stop the turnovers to give us a shot at winning. 

[artemusclyde]

Second coming of Sanchez smh. Can we draft a good qb for once?

[flgreen]

I agree with Smith on this.  Using Sanchez as a bench mark for Smith's progress is stupid.  Sanchez is a failed QB.   It makes no sense comparing Smith to him.   Stats just don't tell the whole story.

 

That's the QB coach's job.  It's about how well Smith is taking direction from Lee.  Is he doing what he's instructed to do?  Is he executing the game plan? 

 

In all honesty it doesn't matter what we think.  It's what Lee, and Marty think.  One thing that Smith has going for him, he has much better coaching on offense then Sanchez ever had

[flgreen]

What do you mean? He got slammed pretty hard on that play, left the game for just one snap and then came right back in.

 

He played very badly after the hit.  Is it related?  I don't know, but the coaches probably do.  As I said, We'll see over time

[Joe Jets fan]

I agree with Smith on this.  Using Sanchez as a bench mark for Smith's progress is stupid.  Sanchez is a failed QB.   It makes no sense comparing Smith to him.   Stats just don't tell the whole story.

 

That's the QB coach's job.  It's about how well Smith is taking direction from Lee.  Is he doing what he's instructed to do?  Is he executing the game plan? 

 

In all honesty it doesn't matter what we think.  It's what Lee, and Marty think.  One thing that Smith has going for him, he has much better coaching on offense then Sanchez ever had

 

He has much better coaching, and he still sucks. 

 

Like most of the old timers, I am just so sick of not having a QB that can win games.

[JerryK]

If we had 9+ wins, I think he'd be fine with comparisons.

[Bleedin Green]

He played very badly after the hit.  Is it related?  I don't know, but the coaches probably do.  As I said, We'll see over time

 

If that's the measure for toughness, it's worth noting that Sanchez played very badly after every hit of his career.

 

Before every hit too.

[ECURB]

I'm guessing some players are getting frustrated wondering if they should have drafted a skill player instead of geno and kept sanchez.

[joewillie78]

Then stop doing just about everything that the USC bum did. Its that simple. make smart decisions, protect the ball etc. and for gods sake, whatever you do, never do the following:

1. Eat a hot dog on the sidelines

2. Wear some bizarre headband, my 13 year old sister used to wear

3. Allow the coach to get a tattoo of you

4. Flinch like a wussey when lined up at WR, and the D-back acts like he's coming

5. Run into the largest BUTT on the O-line and crumble like a fish out of water

[Mo Lew]

Its a silly comparison because he's a rookie.  Everyone was on board with Sanchez as a rookie, the problem was that his numbers were considerably worse as a 3rd year vet.

 

You gotta give him time, patience is a virtue.

[kay_gee]

You gotta give him time, patience is a virtue.

Not in JetNation where guys were done with him after Week 02

[joewillie78]

 

Not in JetNation where guys were done with him after Week 02

 Week 2?, many (including myself), never wanted the Jets to draft him, for fear of him being just good enough to NOT have us draft a QB in the monster 2014 class. If the JETS pass in the 2014 draft on a QB, and we repeat the mistake we just made with the USC bum, then we may have to wait another 30 years (remember the 1983 draft), for a class like this.

[kay_gee]

Week 2?, many (including myself), never wanted the Jets to draft him, for fear of him being just good enough to NOT have us draft a QB in the monster 2014 class. If the JETS pass in the 2014 draft on a QB, and we repeat the mistake we just made with the USC bum, then we may have to wait another 30 years (remember the 1983 draft), for a class like this.

and who would be playing now? Simms? Sanchez? you're probably in the exact same position.

[joewillie78]

 

and who would be playing now? Simms? Sanchez? you're probably in the exact same position.

 I would assume that if we hadnt drafted Smith, that REX would have never made that incredible mistake of playing Sanchez behind a practice squad O-line in pre-season, and he would be our QB, and we would be salivating over which QB we are going to take out of this monster class coming up.

[kay_gee]

I would assume that if we hadnt drafted Smith, that REX would have never made that incredible mistake of playing Sanchez behind a practice squad O-line in pre-season, and he would be our QB, and we would be salivating over which QB we are going to take out of this monster class coming up.

Sanchez playing this year gives us a similar record. Sanchez is terrible but he is at least as good as Geno in Geno's last 5 games. you're in the same draft position.

[bitonti]

talk is cheap. show us you aren't Mark.

[SenorGato]

I still have the faith, Geno! 

[New York Mick]

Then stop playing like him

[faba]

And I am not Warren Buffet but I wish I was.

[FloridaJetsFan]

Then stop playing like him

 

+1000

[Integrity28]

Uh oh, the media found a chink in his armor... let the feeding frenzy begin!!!

[Thor99]

Uh oh, the media found a chink in his armor... let the feeding frenzy begin!!!

 

 

Racist.

[JoeWillie]

No Geno, you're worse.

[Il Mostro]

Uh oh, the media found a chink in his armor... let the feeding frenzy begin!!!

 

Actually, the one thing Geno does pretty well is handle himself with the press.  Too bad that doesn't win games.

[Jetsfan80]

talk is cheap. show us you aren't Mark.

 

Meh, Geno's PR guys are smart.  Not being Mark Sanchez is the best thing he has going for him at the moment.  Until he lights it up @ Baltimore, that is!!!

[Integrity28]

Actually, the one thing Geno does pretty well is handle himself with the press. Too bad that doesn't win games.

That's my point, comparing him to Mark seems to get the reaction the media wants though

[joewillie78]

 

That's my point, comparing him to Mark seems to get the reaction the media wants though

 In fairness to GENO, their is a taboo list of QB's over the years that you dont ever want to be compared to. If you are compared to any of these, you might want to start thinking of another vocation:

Ryan Leaf

Andre Ware

Todd Marinovich

Rick Mirer

David Klingler

Akili Smith

Matt Leinert

Mark Sanchez

Tim Couch

Rex Grossman

[Integrity28]

 

 In fairness to GENO, their is a taboo list of QB's over the years that you dont ever want to be compared to. If you are compared to any of these, you might want to start thinking of another vocation:

Ryan Leaf

Andre Ware

Todd Marinovich

Rick Mirer

David Klingler

Akili Smith

Matt Leinert

Mark Sanchez

Tim Couch

Rex Grossman

 

Oh, that's the least eh?

 

Sanchez a 4 year starter is the equivalent of Ryan Leaf now?

 

Don't answer, my IQ can't take another kill shot tonight.