Geno Smith outplaying Mark Sanchez

[Hammock Parties]

Suck it, haters. Suck the choco-penii of destiny, feel it's power. It could have been ours.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/stor...-training-camp

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Rookie Geno Smith has outplayed Mark Sanchez through the first week of training camp, pulling even or perhaps ahead in the New York Jets' quarterback competition.

"He can do more" than Sanchez, one veteran said Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

It was Sanchez's turn to lead the starting unit and he struggled, throwing an interception for the second straight practice. Smith has yet to throw an interception in team drills over the first five practices.

It's premature to anoint a starter -- after all, they haven't begun live tackling -- but the early development is noteworthy because people close to the team expected Sanchez, based on his experience, to look sharper than Smith at the outset. That hasn't been the case.

"Everybody gets enamored with the guy who throws a 96 mph fastball," coach Rex Ryan said of Smith. To be politically correct, Ryan quickly added, "But Mark certainly has a good enough arm to play in this league."

It didn't sound like a ringing endorsement. Sanchez declined to say whether he believes he's leading the competition.

"I don't know, ask the coaches," he said. "I feel good, though. I feel confident. I feel like I'm playing really well."

Smith has sparkled with his accuracy, but he tends to hold the ball too long when facing pressure, according to Ryan. That, he said, "concerns me a little bit." The organization knows what it has in Sanchez, who was benched late last season.

Privately, the hope is that Smith can master the offense and seize the starting job. Even if he doesn't win it, Smith will be involved in the offense. Even though Tim Tebow is gone, Ryan said he remains committed to running the ball from the quarterback position.

He's intrigued by Smith's running ability, which would give the Jets a run-pass option at the quarterback position. Ryan acknowledged the plan, admitting last year's strategy under former coordinator Tony Sparano was ill-conceived. They never trusted Tebow to throw the ball. Whenever they used him, it usually was a read-option running play between the tackles.

"I think if that's the only thing you do with that position, why don't you just leave a running back in, a guy that's trained to do it?" Ryan said, second-guessing last season's approach. "If you're going to have a quarterback do it, like a (Colin) Kaepernick or somebody like that, it becomes more of a weapon because you know it's not just Tebow coming and he's going to run the ball. That's kind of where we were last year."

Ryan laughed when asked if he plans to use the Wildcat (or read-option) more than last year. Tebow finished with 32 rushes, averaging only 3.2 yards per carry.

"We probably will because, you guys say it, we never used it," he said. "So I would say, yeah, I think that will be part of what we do."

In the Wildcat, the ball is snapped to a nonquarterback. In those situations, the Jets can utilize wide receiver Jeremy Kerley or a running back, probably Bilal Powell. When Smith is on the field, either as the starter or a change-of-pace quarterback, they can employ the read-option.

The presence of new quarterbacks coach David Lee, one of the Wildcat innovators, is another reason the team is planning to use it. Sanchez said he could run the read-option, but there's little chance of that happening. His running ability will forever be linked to the "Butt Fumble," when he ran into a lineman's rear end last season.

Smith's athleticism could be a factor in the quarterback decision. Sanchez acknowledged that Smith is "very talented when it comes to that stuff. But I can't worry about it." Sanchez joked about the quarterback competition, mentioning that he sees more front-office types on the field for practice, scribbling notes during routine drills.

He said it reminds him of his rookie year in 2009, when he won the job against Kellen Clemens.

"For you (reporters), it's your job, but it's funny to see everybody else charting stuff," he said. "Everything is under scrutiny. There's a ton of pressure. That's the way you like it; that's the way you play this position."

[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by Brando

Bridgewater

Bahahahahahahaha! You didn't even know he existed until this year. GTFO if that's all you got.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by sedated

None of those were an option. Throw out the name of the sure-fire stud in this draft. There wasnt one, so stop making up options that dont exist just so you can bitch and moan.

How about you learn how to ****ing read? That's my entire point, dipshit. The fact that there wasn't one of those studs in this draft makes it even MORE advantageous to just burn that draft pick on Alex Smith and keep the two 2nd rounders.

[Brando]

Originally Posted by Clayton Bibsby

Bahahahahahahaha! You didn't even know he existed until this year. GTFO if that's all you got.

Aaron Murray and Taj Boyd

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by SNR

Andy Reid is part of a vicious cycle. I'm very disappointed he can't see history repeating itself over and over and over again. And I don't care what kind of QB expert he is. [/B]

Andy Reid has nothing to do with the vicious cycle the Chiefs have been in for the last couple of decades. He wasn't here.

You choose to assume that Andy Reid is a dumbass who only wants to be mediocre, and you are putting YOUR QB expertise ahead of HIS.

I'm starting to think you'd rather be proven right than see the Chiefs win with Alex Smith. That is pathetic.

[Brando]

Originally Posted by Clayton Bibsby

Bahahahahahahaha! You didn't even know he existed until this year. GTFO if that's all you got.

I'm trying to figure out how that affects his prospect status.

I certainly won't be asking a simpleton that doesn't comprehend how basic cell phone contracts work to explain it to me.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by O.city

But if the didnt think any of those guys will/where/are franchise qbs or will become franchise qbs, there is no reason to draft one of them.

At this point I'm more worried about them sticking with smith too long than not drafting any of the qbs from this years class.

If they didnt view them as worth drafting, fine. I don't think it's their philosophy (like it was Carl's, and he made that known) to not take a qb early. They just didnt like what they saw and made a play to win now.

I don't have a problem with that, but it damn well better work because if you come in an make those moves and they don't work, there won't be a whole lotta time to fix mistakes

The mistake that I believe people are making is that they assume the Chiefs actually decided these QBs weren't drafting. Whereas what I think is that they made the decision on Alex Smith in January, the first time Reid met Hunt, long before Reid would have done any sort of study on the rookies (remember he was coaching the Eagles, so there's no way he would've been up to date on NCAA players at that point....).

Alex Smith was his choice literally from day 1. They just had to wait until they could do the deal. And I think that, after that, odds are they never even looked at anyone else. Because there was no need in their eyes. So I don't think the Chiefs not drafting anyone is actually a reflection on those players at all. It's a reflection of a head coach obsessed with a veteran.

(Basically, as many of us pointed out back in March, when Smith and Daniel were both added to the roster - QBs in the draft were completely off the board at that point).

We're (meaning the fans) lucky that Bray fell and they were able to get somebody without spending anything but cash. That's the only way it was possibly going to happen.

[DeezNutz]

Given our complete lack of depth at WR, Austin wouldn't have been the dumbest selection in the world. Very similar to '09 in that Percy Harvin would have been the right pick at #3, and I know he's hurt.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Brainiac

Andy Reid has nothing to do with the vicious cycle the Chiefs have been in for the last couple of decades. He wasn't here.

You choose to assume that Andy Reid is a dumbass who only wants to be mediocre, and you are putting YOUR QB expertise ahead of HIS.

I'm starting to think you'd rather be proven right than see the Chiefs win with Alex Smith. That is pathetic.

This.

So glad i dont give a tinkers damn about geno, working myself into a frenzied froth over some guy who isnt here and hasnt done jack.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Given our complete lack of depth at WR, Austin wouldn't have been the dumbest selection in the world. Very similar to '09 in that Percy Harvin would have been the right pick at #3, and I know he's hurt.

I would've loved that pick (Austin) with a draft class like the one we had.

[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by Brando

Aaron Murray andthey nh'tTaj Boyd

Both are on the short side and again they aren't better. You're just naming QBs at this point.

[Setsuna]

Originally Posted by scott free

This.

So glad i dont give a tinkers damn about geno, working myself into a frenzied froth over some guy who isnt here and hasnt done jack.

No one is in a frenzy you dolt. Have some perspective.

[Messier]

Originally Posted by Brainiac

Andy Reid has nothing to do with the vicious cycle the Chiefs have been in for the last couple of decades. He wasn't here.

You choose to assume that Andy Reid is a dumbass who only wants to be mediocre, and you are putting YOUR QB expertise ahead of HIS.

I'm starting to think you'd rather be proven right than see the Chiefs win with Alex Smith. That is pathetic.

You're talking to people that must believe there is a mandate handed down from Clark Hunt not to draft QBs in the first round, and force mediocre vets on the coaches. Its the only way saying the Chiefs keep doing this,or that makes sense.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Messier

You're talking to people that must believe there is a mandate handed down from Clark Hunt not to draft QBs in the first round, and force mediocre vets on the coaches. Its the only way saying the Chiefs keep doing this,or that makes sense.

I don't know about a mandate, but I think one of the points Reid and Hunt agreed on in their initial meeting was a veteran quarterback, specifically Alex Smith. I think Reid's in love with the guy, and I think Hunt philosophically wants a vet starter. They both got what they wanted.

[Brando]

Originally Posted by Clayton Bibsby

Both are on the short side and again they aren't better. You're just naming QBs at this point.

Do you even watch college football?

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Clayton Bibsby

No one is in a frenzy you dolt. Have some perspective.

Bibs... never go full Setsuna