Sheldon on Geno hanging on to the ball

[AFJF]

No, this is not Sheldon piling on.  He was asked before he knew about Geno being done for the season.

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/10/sheldon_richardson_geno_smith_doesnt_listen_injury.html

FLORHAM PARK — Sheldon Richardson hasn't played quarterback since he saw a few reps there in high school, but that hasn't stopped him from giving advice to the Jets' signal callers when he can. 

A word or two here, a technique or two there. As a player who makes a living sacking quarterbacks, Richardson has no problem telling his how to stay upright. 

The issue? Newly-mintedJets starter Geno Smith hasn't taken said advice. Now, he's awaiting MRI results to find out if he'll play again this year. 

"I keep telling him to get rid of the football, but he won't listen to me," Richardson said after the Jets' 24-16 victory over the Ravens. "Told him I sack a lot of quarterbacks. You'd think he'd listen to me."

 

Midway through the second quarter, Smith and the Jets offense setup facing a third down near midfield. Smith took the snap, had a second or two to throw, then felt pressure and scrambled out of the pocket. Ravens defensive end Matthew Judon eventually caught up, and brought Smith to the ground. 

On the takedown, Smith's leg bent awkwardly, and he limped off the field. He was eventually taken back to the locker room and didn't return to the game with a knee injury. 

Richardson's criticism of Smith is that the play was avoidable. It wasn't as if the Ravens got pressure right off the snap. Smith held the ball a bit too long, then continued to hold the ball and run out of the pocket once he did feel the rush. 

Instead of throwing the ball away and living to fight another down, Smith took the sack near the sideline, and suffered the injury. Holding the ball too long has been a regular criticism of Smith throughout his four-year career. 

"He was looking good," Richardson said. "Tough break." 

Sunday's win was the first start for Smith since Week 17 of the 2014 season. After six weeks of mostly anemic offensive play, the Jets pulled the plug on starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, and inserted Smith. The hope was he'd provide a spark for the sinking Jets.

And for a quarter and a half, Smith did. He completed 4 of 8 passes for 98 yards, highlighted by a 69-yard score to Quincy Enunwa, before his injury. 

While Smith himself expressed optimism after the game, saying he didn't believe his injury was serious, the actual extent won't be known until he gets an MRI. 

QB report card

There's a chance it's nothing more than a sprain, sidelining Smith a week or two, if that. It could also be much more serious, and require season-ending surgery. 

"I don't feel like it hurts a ton," Smith said. "I was begging to get back out there. We'll see how it goes tomorrow and move on." 

In relief of Smith, Fitzpatrick completed 9 of 14 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Fitzpatrick didn't play poorly, but also didn't make much of a difference. 

The Jets punted four times, kicked a field goal, scored a touchdown, fumbled, and had a field goal blocked in the second half.