New York Jets: Geno Smith Appreciation Post
· Yahoo Sports
As someone who prides himself on objective analysis, it’s equally important for me to acknowledge the highs, no matter how rare they are, in addition to the many lows that come with being a New York Jets fan. I’ll be the first to admit I was very underwhelmed with the Geno Smith acquisition – I understood the huge financial benefit of having a starting-caliber QB under contract for $3.3 million but had no belief in Geno in 2026.
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I didn’t even believe in him from 2013-2016. His Seattle Seahawks days were cool, but even his last year there started to look ugly until he went to Vegas and the wheels completely fell off. No QB in the NFL threw more interceptions from 2024-2025 than Eugene Cyril Smith. 15 in 2024 (2nd in the NFL), 17 in 2025 (1st in the NFL), I thought we were in for another brutal showing at quarterback this year. Boy, was I wrong.
Only three quarterbacks this season have started every game this season and thrown zero interceptions: Jared Goff, CJ Stroud, and Geno Smith. After being the most prolific thrower of interceptions for two years, Geno has done a masterful job of avoiding throwing into harm’s way. In fact, he’s become the second passer this century to lead the league in interceptions and then have zero interceptions in his first five games the next year.
I dug deep into ESPN.com to discover that fact – only Vinny Testaverde was able to do this, in 2001, after throwing 25(!) picks in 2000. Still, he got his first interception in Week 6 and ended the 2001 season with 14. Geno has six touchdowns and zero picks after five weeks just like Vinny did, but I’m not sure if this middle-of-the-pack New England defense has what it takes to pick him off. I’m thinking Geno might’ve actually turned over a new leaf.
This isn’t to say he’s been perfect: he’s fumbled in four of the five games so far, and only four players in the league have lost more fumbles than Geno this season. He looks more “gun-shy” than normal this year, which has led him to hold on to the ball longer behind an offensive line that hasn’t lived up to expectations so far.
But I promise this is an appreciationpost, so that’s where my criticism ends! Geno’s avoided interceptions, and he’s put Garrett Wilson on pace for the best season of his career by a large margin. Garrett’s current pace is set for 105 catches, 1,271 yards, and 10 touchdowns this year – all of these numbers would break his previous career bests of 101 catches, 1,104 yards, and 7 touchdowns, which all came in 2024 with Aaron Rodgers slinging the ball.
Smith’s numbers aren’t quite on pace to beat Rodgers, but you could argue his conditions have been less than ideal. We’ve only seen one drive of the Jets offense at full strength with the original trio of Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and Omar Cooper Jr. on the field at the same time. We’re still unsure of when that will happen, as Mitchell works his way back from a somewhat mysterious finger injury that required surgery.
Geno has also played 40% of his games in the rain, which is a less-than-ideal condition for pass-happy offenses. The Jets defense gets all the credit for holding opposing pass offenses under 200 yards during these games, but the Jets pass offense has also suffered from the precipitation. What would this offense look like with sunny skies, all the wide receivers healthy, Breece Hall healthy, and the confident Kenyon Sadiq who broke out against the Lions?
It may be a few weeks until we find out, but Geno has done a superb job steadying the ship in the meantime. For me to enter this season as one of his biggest detractors, I cannot stress enough how impressed I am with this start and how hopeful I am for the rest of the season with him at the helm. Now the idea of having him start in 2027 with a young first-round pick QB learning behind him is starting to sound more like a dream than a nightmare. Let’s go, Geno!