The Dolphins had the number 4 best pass defense in the league and they were trying to win to at least end the year on a good note and go 9-7. They didn't Mail it in they just got their asses kicked.
The offensive line was atrocious. It's the main reason I think the Jets would have been stupid to take Mariota or Winston had they been in position. It seemed like every other play Geno was running for his life before he had time to breathe. The first pick needs to be Amari Cooper, Kevin White, or the best available offensive lineman. But somewhere in the first three picks and free agency, the Jets have to address the offensive line.
Maybe I was somewhat too hard on Geno, but I stand by my main point, which is that he was still playing with poor fundamentals (i.e. footwork and ball security.) He also, inarguably, still showed his tendency to take avoidable sacks, including in situations where it makes things too difficult for Nick Folk. He was accurate, for sure. Overall, you can't possibly complain about the results he got. I'll give him that. But I've seen him throw into double coverage without setting his feet before, and usually those balls get intercepted. I don't know what was different about this game, but I feel like he was just relying on his athleticism alone and perhaps the coaches told him not to worry too much about footwork and going through all the reads. He was decisive - because I think he didn't worry about making multiple reads. Decker was playing at a ridiculous level, and he has to get some of the credit for Geno's great results. I've also seen those shovel passes get picked off or nearly get picked off. When the play breaks down, Geno tries to make magic happen and often the results are disastrous. I don't have the confidence in those situations that I'd have with Ben Roethlisberger or Aaron Rodgers. It's disappointing to see that 2 years in, he still doesn't tuck the ball in when he scrambles on many non-designed runs. I think the Dolphins were not really playing with much of a sense of urgency. Of course they were trying to win, but I don't think they were hardcore in their preparation. Of course every player wants to boost their stats to make more money, and guys want to keep their jobs, etc. So, "mailing it in", that's hyperbole. What I mean is, they were not playing with passion, they were not giving 100%. If a normal season game is 80%, they were playing at about 70%. And the Jets were playing at about 95%. That effort differential was more decisive than the talent differential, that was my main point. The 2014 Dolphins were significantly better than the 2014 Jets. Rex made some gutsy play calling, especially with the fake punt. Post-Westy, Rex was very conservative on special teams. It made me wonder, what if he'd been gutsier like that throughout the season? Maybe the Jets would have won another game or two. In general, our Special Teams coaching has been horrible since Westy retired. I would say that Eric Decker is the Jets' best offensive weapon, along with Chris Ivory. Percy Harvin is a key component of the offense though, the "deep threat" and I definitely agree that missing him is pretty significant. Mike Wallace is better though. I think Wallace was a horrible match for Miami because Tannehill does not have a Joe Flacco arm. He needs tough possession receivers, not speedy downfield threats - because he doesn't seem to have the arm strength / accuracy at long ranges to use Wallace effectively. Wallace got paid a boatload of money to come to Miami, so he had to do it, but I think he's been frustrated that the Dolphins are not really tailoring their game plans around his strength, so he's probably angry that he isn't being used well and his prime is being squandered. But they just don't have a QB who can use him to his full ability (which is why it was a bad idea to bring him to Miami in the first place.) Nick Mangold was a huge loss for the Jets (thankfully he will be totally fine for next season and just has a sprained ankle of some kind.) And so was Richardson. For sure the Jets weren't anywhere near full strength either, but Miami's o-line seems pretty terrible and the Jets have lots of D-line depth. They sacked and hit Tannehill constantly. A big effect of not having Mangold was that the run blocking was generally pretty bad. The only way for the Jets to win was going to be through the air, and Geno did come through. He obviously has to get credit for that. My overriding point about Geno is that he's still a bit of a reckless gunslinger; and this one fantastic performance does not outweigh all the games where he looked completely hopeless. Part of my frustration is just- man, I wish Geno had had results like this more often. Because it didn't seem like he fixed his fundamentals at all, yet he had great success.
There's no denying Geno has the skills to be a very good QB, it's his decision making that needs improvement. Being a QB that succeeds in this league is more about brains then skill set.
REally? A second-year pro is not as trusted as 10-year pros? Go figure. Newsflash: ALL QBs get intercepted. And many of them when under duress make mechanically bad plays, especially Ben Roethlisberger. That said, Geno's maturity wasn't stellar throughout the season. He DOES rely on his athleticism too much and he DOES make dumb plays. But he has all the athleticism that the highly touted prospects have. and we was playing behind one of the worst pass-blocking OLs in the game. So, that's where I temper my criticism. That he didn't really have confidence in his OL, that they didn't protect him adequately, and his receiver corps for much of the year didn't have its full complement. All excuses, but all valid IMO.
Newsflash: Not all QBs generate 18 - 25 turnovers per season. This Just In: Some QBs have crossed the elusive 13 passing TD barrier. I was just pointing to a QB who is known as a "sandlot" "backyard football" kind of QB, one who it's working out for. He has had a couple of rough years, but almost always throws more TDs than INTs, and even did so in his first two years. The athleticism factor is great, and so is arm strength, but there are plenty of athletic QBs who don't work out. What matters the most is making the right decisions quickly, being able to quickly progress through your reads without telegraphing what you're going to do, limiting bad plays. Otherwise, any muscle maniac could be a good QB. I don't think people have really criticized his athleticism, it's his decision-making and the lack of progress in some of the fundamental areas like footwork, and knowing when to throw the ball away vs when to try to make a low percent chance play. He's had bad pass protection for most of the year and injured WRs for much of the year, but it's the lack of progress in his fundamentals and "intangibles" (i.e. decision making) that make me consider this game a red herring. I'm glad it happened but I'm not convinced that he's turned a corner.
Nor should you feel this is his corner-turning game. Hell, he had a costly turnover in it, that screamed "oh Geno!!" Some players NEVER get it. But the players you mentioned have at least a couple things in common: stability in the system and quality surrounding cast. And they aren't rookies or even close to being in their second year. Basically, the Jets outfitted Smith with a broken down Volkswagen Beetle and the fans expected the offense to run like a BMW M5. Geno may never be a great QB unless he cuts down on the mental mistakes, but two years with the crap they surrounded him with did him no favors.
I wouldn't mind having Geno as our back up. The problem with our offense almost more than the QB is CONSISTENT pass protection. We get it some plays, and other plays it's non-existent. If we can bring in Iupati to replace Colon which could should and would be the best thing that could happen for our offense this off-season we will be able to play at a way higher level. Aboushi SHOULD continue developing into a solid G, i'll give Gio one more year before i say i can't stand him at RT. I didn't like his play this season.
Congrats, Jets fans. When I think of Geno Smith getting a perfect rating against us I just want to kill myself. Can't believe Philbin still has a job and Ryan doesn't.
I'm so sick of people saying it was a meaningless game. Teams don't tank in the NFL, they try every week. It's why the bucs almost beat the saints, which would of cost them a franchise QB I dont understand why this fan base can't be happy once. Sure this won't happy again, but it's still a good sign
I think he can be a quality QB at this level. He needs coaching and experience. The first one has to be a head coach who understands the position and the second one takes time. Rex didn't have any knowledge of the position to pass on. And we fans and the media in this town want instant success and are reluctant to chill while he gets it.
