kelly Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 For the third straight year, the Around The NFL crew will document the players we believe will be "Making the Leap" in 2015. This could be a player emerging from no-name status to a quality starter. Or it could mean an excellent player jumping to superstar status. Geno Smith showed more last December than Derek Carr or Blake Bortles showed all season. He torched the Dolphins in a nearly flawless Week 17 game, but nobody noticed because the Jets' season was over in November. Nobody noticed because "Geno" is already a four-letter word in New York.There are different types of Making the Leap candidates. There are diamonds in the rough like Charles Johnson. There are guys like Le'Veon Bell last year, a great young player that we believed could develop into a true superstar. And there are guys like Geno, just trying to improve to "acceptable."Though he is only 24, it feels like the book has already been written on Smith because of his propensity for big mistakes under pressure. But after being viewed as a punchline for two seasons, Geno is now in a perfect position to develop into a midlevel starter who survives a full 16-game slate. After a brutal start to his career, that would be quite a leap. What changed in December Geno's lowest moment as a pro was the last memory most folks have of him. In an ugly Week 13 loss to Miami on Monday Night Football, Rex Ryan was so afraid of letting Smith actually play quarterback that the Jets only attempted 13 passes compared to 49 rushes. Rex told a national audience that he'd rather set offensive progress back 40 years than allow Smith to do his job.And then suddenly Geno started to do his job quite well. In the last four games, Smith completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,001 yards, six touchdowns, and two picks. He averaged 9.2 yards-per-attempt over that stretch, tied for best in the league. By the time the Jets played Miami again in Week 17, Geno was virtually flawless : I re-watched each Smith snap on the coaches film from Game Rewind to see how he pulled off this turnaround. Here are my biggest takeaways : 1. Geno excelled over the final month because of his decision-making. His biggest issue as a pro has been panicking when under duress and throwing passes up for grabs. He's prone to the brain freeze. In the final month, Smith calmly found the open receiver. When no one was open, he made plays with his legs or got rid of the ball. 2. One huge reason that Smith made good decisions: He had time. The Jets protected Smith very well over the final month, which allowed him to show off his strengths. Smith has a strong arm and methodically goes through his reads better than plenty of his young contemporaries. A big question: If protection isn't so ideal in 2015, can he still excel ? 3. Geno got me fired up enough to write this because he owns skills that are difficult to teach. He has excellent pocket movement, buying time to attempt passes. Some quarterbacks never get that sixth sense in the pocket; Geno has it. He is not afraid to make difficult throws, aggressively pushing the ball down the field. He looks off defenders. The play below is an example of him stepping up in the pocket and taking a hit before delivering : 4. The Jets didn't ask Smith to do too much. He ran the offense and didn't take too many chances. 5. In Weeks 14-16, Smith played solid midlevel starter football. He mostly stayed out of the way. But in the season finale, Smith put together one of the best games by any quarterback all season, throwing for 358 yards on only 25 attempts. He threw receivers open and even his incompletions were on point. The game showed off his big arm and his touch. The Gailey effect December was fun and all, but Smith wouldn't make our list if not for the arrival of Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. In previous stops, Gailey has turned Tyler Thigpen into a starting fantasy option, helped Ryan Fitzpatrick get a $60 million contract and coached a Jay Fiedler-led Dolphins team to finish eighth in points scored.Gailey accomplished all of the above by getting mediocre quarterbacks to play smart and get rid of the ball quickly. Smith has plenty of talent, and he certainly has the supporting cast. The Jets receiver posse -- Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley, second-round pick Devin Smith and tight end Jace Amaro -- form one of the deeper groups in the league.Gailey has cooked up numbers with far less talent. His best offenses are similar to the one that Smith excelled in at West Virginia. It's almost like the Jets had a plan here. Expectations We aren't making the case that Geno Smith will be a Pro Bowler. We do believe he has the skills to be a competent starting quarterback that holds off backup Ryan Fitzpatrick all season. He can be the type of guy that finishes in the top 20 of our year-end QB rankings. Those guys have plenty of market value. To put it another way : Geno, like Alex Smith in Kansas City, will no longer be the guy to hold the team back. The Genocoaster in 2015 should more closely resemble a Swiss train, staying efficiently on schedule. > http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000498380/article/making-the-leap-no-19-jets-qb-geno-smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augustiniak Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 i want what he's having. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetBlue Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Nice unbiased write up. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadetree Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Yeah, unmm, not gonna happen...Geno will continue to suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadetree Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The people backing Geno by using the Miami game is a joke...the season was long over for both teams and he lights it up against disinterested parties--big whoop!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slats Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The complaints about Geno -outside of Geno himself- have been all about coaching and weapons. The team definitely improved the weapons, and I certainly hope they improved the coaching. And Geno did come back from his benching looking a lot better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetfan13 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 19th??? WOO HOO, Super Bowl....NOT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Nice unbiased write up. Thanks for posting. you're welcome ! cheers ~ ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I will hope but doubt it will happen - maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bachelors3 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I think one of the reasons that Geno finished strong was that he the pressure was off. Similar to a hitter in baseball who hits home runs when his team is down 9-0. Let's see what he does in camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetBlue Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The people backing Geno by using the Miami game is a joke...the season was long over for both teams and he lights it up against disinterested parties--big whoop!!! So you also dismiss his premise about the last 4 games as well I suppose because "the season was over". At some point it is okay to give credit where credit is due. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New York Mick Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Yea sure and Kelly doesn't have a penis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchmemory Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Yea sure and Kelly doesn't have a penis. It's just an abnormally (some might say freakishly) large clitoris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadetree Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 So you also dismiss his premise about the last 4 games as well I suppose because "the season was over". At some point it is okay to give credit where credit is due. True..great job, Geno! I feel dirty just sayin it. I can't be objective anymore with Geno, I'll admit that. He'll need a miraculous turn-around to get back in my good graces. He makes my blood boil just looking at him...bringing in Vick might have been the worst thing this organization could have done for him. This article sucked cuz I will never ever believe a positive word spoken by or about Geno. It's all fluff. When the preseason gets real and bullets start flying and competition heats up, I fully expect Geno to fail miserably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet9 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 "3. Geno got me fired up enough to write this because he owns skills that are difficult to teach. He has excellent pocket movement, buying time to attempt passes. Some quarterbacks never get that sixth sense in the pocket; Geno has it. He is not afraid to make difficult throws, aggressively pushing the ball down the field. He looks off defenders. The play below is an example of him stepping up in the pocket and taking a hit before delivering " WTF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsFanatic Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Nice to read, thanks for posting. This is the year to fairly judge Geno as he has quality talent surrounding him, and it is his 3rd season in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIJetsFan Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 True..great job, Geno! I feel dirty just sayin it. I can't be objective anymore with Geno, I'll admit that. He'll need a miraculous turn-around to get back in my good graces. He makes my blood boil just looking at him...bringing in Vick might have been the worst thing this organization could have done for him. This article sucked cuz I will never ever believe a positive word spoken by or about Geno. It's all fluff. When the preseason gets real and bullets start flying and competition heats up, I fully expect Geno to fail miserably. Facts are facts, it's not all fluff. I guess he sorta wants us to take his word for his observations about Geno looking off defenders, and calmly going thru his progressions in those last four games. I don't recall much of that. None the less, the weapons/new OC argument is a valid one to make. So, I'm slightly hopeful but I still expect him to fail. Here's praying I'm wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIJetsFan Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 http://thejetsblog.com/nyjets/five-numbers-that-matter-june-23-2015/#more-96450 3.10 seconds — That’s the average time it took for Geno Smith to deliver the football from snap to release in 2014 according to Numberfire. No es bueno. As a comparison, it took Peyton Manning just 2.24 seconds on average to throw the football. For Geno to be a successful quarterback this season, he has to become vastly more efficient from pre-snap to the time the football is out of his hand, not to even mention the placement of where those footballs go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgb Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 http://thejetsblog.com/nyjets/five-numbers-that-matter-june-23-2015/#more-96450 3.10 seconds — That’s the average time it took for Geno Smith to deliver the football from snap to release in 2014 according to Numberfire. No es bueno. As a comparison, it took Peyton Manning just 2.24 seconds on average to throw the football. For Geno to be a successful quarterback this season, he has to become vastly more efficient from pre-snap to the time the football is out of his hand, not to even mention the placement of where those footballs go. Goes against the "not enough protection" theory. However, we will still hear about how the receivers couldn't get open, so it's not Geno's fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleDown Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Geno is just an extremely frustrating player to watch. When he's on, he looks like one of the best players on the field and in total control. When he's off, he's WAY off and looks like he doesn't belong in the league. I'm hoping the fans get to see more good than bad from Geno. Maybe the light finally went on for him? I'm not going to believe it until I see it. And he has to show it consistently in real, live games when the red jersey is off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetBlue Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 True..great job, Geno! I feel dirty just sayin it. I can't be objective anymore with Geno, I'll admit that. He'll need a miraculous turn-around to get back in my good graces. He makes my blood boil just looking at him...bringing in Vick might have been the worst thing this organization could have done for him. This article sucked cuz I will never ever believe a positive word spoken by or about Geno. It's all fluff. When the preseason gets real and bullets start flying and competition heats up, I fully expect Geno to fail miserably. Lol, just take a shower. You will feel better. Btw I agree about Vick; he really did little to push Geno and was content to just collect a paycheck. Another reason Rex and Idzik had to go. I understand how you feel about Geno but I see it a little differently because I look at his performance the last two years in the context of the team and coaching staff around him. I also take into consideration how he never should have started his rookie year and had no real competition his second. I am willing to see what he can do with two years under his belt, better weapons, better coaching and overall different philosophy. Time will tell; you could 100% correct in your view. We shall see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugg Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 http://thejetsblog.com/nyjets/five-numbers-that-matter-june-23-2015/#more-96450 3.10 seconds — That’s the average time it took for Geno Smith to deliver the football from snap to release in 2014 according to Numberfire. No es bueno. As a comparison, it took Peyton Manning just 2.24 seconds on average to throw the football. For Geno to be a successful quarterback this season, he has to become vastly more efficient from pre-snap to the time the football is out of his hand, not to even mention the placement of where those footballs go. Smith also still does the Madden thing of backing up in the face of the rush. Hard to tell in those situations if he's going through reads or simply panicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The people backing Geno by using the Miami game is a joke...the season was long over for both teams and he lights it up against disinterested parties--big whoop!!! I know it doesn't fit the argument but he didn't use just the Miami game here. He used more than that game. Compared to the league. He numbers are great, would love to see those kinds of numbers regularly. Don't know why anyone wouldn't and argues against them. It's a s if the game shouldn't count. Funny, if Geno threw 6 picks, 100 yards, no TDs in a losing effort, that game wouldnt be insignificant. Those who hate him would have no problem reciting numbers from the Miami game. Love the idea that no one was playing that game because the playoffs were out of reach for the fins. A new theory that only comes up when you want to discredit someone who played well in that game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Geno is just an extremely frustrating player to watch. When he's on, he looks like one of the best players on the field and in total control. When he's off, he's WAY off and looks like he doesn't belong in the league. I'm hoping the fans get to see more good than bad from Geno. Maybe the light finally went on for him? I'm not going to believe it until I see it. And he has to show it consistently in real, live games when the red jersey is off. Yeah, pretty much looks like what you should expect out of an inexperienced 2nd year player learning a completely different offensive scheme and techniques. Problem is fans want Rodgers from day 1, not normal developmental times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgb Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I know it doesn't fit the argument but he didn't use the Miami game here. He used more than that game. Compared to the league. He numbers are great, would love to see those kinds of numbers regularly. Don't know why anyone wouldn't and argues against them. It's a s if the game shouldn't count. Funny, if Geno threw 6 picks, 100 yards, no TDs in a losing effort, that game wouldnt be insignificant. Those who hate him would have no problem reciting numbers from the Miami game. Love the idea that no one was playing that game because the playoffs were out of reach for the fins. A new theory that only comes up when you want to discredit someone who played well in that game. It's not that it doesn't count. It is that we are skeptical. If one game is enough for people to think he could be good, those same people should be sniffing Fitz's jock since he threw 6 TD's in a game last year. I don't hear people saying Geno doesn't have the talent or the ability. What I hear is that he is not consistent--probably attributable to the game moving too fast for him. I'd rather average and consistent, over the "Genocoaster" (the media's term, not mine) with some really great games but then also strings of total stinkers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 It's not that it doesn't count. It is that we are skeptical. If one game is enough for people to think he could be good, those same people should be sniffing Fitz's jock since he threw 6 TD's in a game last year. I don't hear people saying Geno doesn't have the talent or the ability. What I hear is that he is not consistent--probably attributable to the game moving too fast for him. I'd rather average and consistent, over the "Genocoaster" (the media's term, not mine) with some really great games but then also strings of total stinkers. The game in Miami, his rookie year knocked the fins out of the playoffs. I was at the Miami game this year, Miami played. Geno blew them out, it counts. He played well against the Pats too this year. They were fighting for home field. There is a big difference between Fitz and Geno. One is a finished product who is what he is regardless of how he does or doesn't do in a game. Geno is hopefully an incomplete player developmental wise who is getting better. People screamed that Geno needed to be benched, to sit and take a breath, learn from the sidelines. They sat him and he was a completely different player, wasn't the turnover machine we wanted benched and then we complain that the games were meaningless. I don't get the logic here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgb Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The game in Miami, his rookie year knocked the fins out of the playoffs. I was at the Miami game this year, Miami played. Geno blew them out, it counts. He played well against the Pats too this year. They were fighting for home field. There is a big difference between Fitz and Geno. One is a finished product who is what he is regardless of how he does or doesn't do in a game. Geno is hopefully an incomplete player developmental wise who is getting better. People screamed that Geno needed to be benched, to sit and take a breath, learn from the sidelines. They sat him and he was a completely different player, wasn't the turnover machine we wanted benched and then we complain hat the games were meaningless. I don't get the logic here You and I both have the same hope, believe me. Best case scenario for all of us is if the light goes on over Geno. That being said I get the logic; it's the same logic that drove Mac to get Fitz. Yes, we know what Fitz is, and if Geno performs significantly below that known quantity in the first 4 weeks, I'd expect Fitz to take over. I think that's what's going to happen, but I hope I'm wrong and Geno puts it together in year 3 and those brief flashes become more common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 You and I both have the same hope, believe me. Best case scenario for all of us is if the light goes on over Geno. That being said I get the logic; it's the same logic that drove Mac to get Fitz. Yes, we know what Fitz is, and if Geno performs significantly below that known quantity in the first 4 weeks, I'd expect Fitz to take over. I think that's what's going to happen, but I hope I'm wrong and Geno puts it together in year 3 and those brief flashes become more common. I agree, we share the same hope for Geno. If he can play like he did after his benching, if it benefited him, we are in good shape because this team is pretty loaded outside of the QB questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgb Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 I agree, we share the same hope for Geno. If he can play like he did after his benching, if it benefited him, we are in good shape because this team is pretty loaded outside of the QB questions. We can also probably agree that it sucks to be a Jet fan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM31 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The complaints about Geno -outside of Geno himself- have been all about coaching and weapons. The team definitely improved the weapons, and I certainly hope they improved the coaching. And Geno did come back from his benching looking a lot better. If it was the first time we were hearing the story about how he finished up the season on a significant upswing then I would be right there with you. Oh wait... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loluchka80 Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 i want to see what Geno can do this year with a much better WR corp and new OC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Jets fan Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 and yet some how the writer does not bring up the Buffalo game... strange every single Jets fan with a brain would trade geno for Carr right now so defend that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetCane Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 We can also probably agree that it sucks to be a Jet fan! Embrace the Suck :/) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgb Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 Embrace the Suck :/) Been a Jets fan for 30 years. I've seen enough suck for 7 lifetimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slats Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 and yet some how the writer does not bring up the Buffalo game... strange every single Jets fan with a brain would trade geno for Carr right now so defend that. Meh. I'd love to upgrade from Geno, but I'm not convinced that Carr is that upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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