The giggles and the smirks you hear are responses to Geno Smith's declaration that he has "shown flashes of being a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback," this season. A laugh out loud would be understandable as well.
For now we'll chalk that up to a bad choice of words considering the words "Pro Bowl" and "Geno Smith" shouldn't be used in the same sentence, based on how mightily the second-year quarterback has struggled this season. His 12 interceptions, two lost fumbles, recent benching and 68.0 quarterback rating has epitomized the Jets' 2-11 record heading into Sunday's game against the Titans in Nashville.
Smith has shown flashes of competency, which would be fine if he were a nose tackle or a tight end. But the Jets desperately need a franchise quarterback they can build a franchise around.
Smith really isn't delusional. He knows he hasn't done enough to be secure in his role as the Jets starter, which is why he has been harping on being more consistent.
"It's a process," he said Wednesday. "But I understand in this league you've got to be able to do it and do it right now."
Sunday's matchup against the 2-11 Titans, involves two teams in contention for the top pick in the upcoming draft by having the league's worst record. There is a groundswell of Jets fans hoping their team finishes poorly enough to have a chance at Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota or Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who will likely be the top two selections in the draft.
Smith said he takes "a little bit" of offense to those who think that way, adding, "I think the fans should want to see the team win." Yet, Smith knows he can't control public opinion. "I can't worry about it," he said. "I'm just going out there to do what I have to do to win the game. I can't make any decisions on anything other than that."
That's not necessarily true. Smith has a big say in whether the Jets have a shot at either Mariota or Winston. If Smith plays well enough to lead the Jets to one or two more wins over the final three games, it will drop the Jets in the draft and make it unlikely either quarterback will be available when it comes their turn to select.
Sure, there's nothing to preclude the Jets from moving up in the draft to claim one of the quarterbacks. The Jaguars and Raiders, both 2-11, appear to have their quarterbacks and might be looking to deal. But the Titans and Buccaneers, also 2-11, could be looking for a quarterback.
In a strange way, Smith does have a big say in his own future. If the Jets can beat the Titans and upset either the Patriots or Dolphins, it might force the Jets brass, whether John Idzik is still general manager or not, to get better value with their top pick at a position other than quarterback.
"The only way I can prove anything to anyone is to go out there and play well," said Smith, who threw a pick-six on his first pass at Minnesota last week, but otherwise played decently (18-of-29 for 254 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) in a 30-24 loss in overtime. "That's what I focus on. I can't make decisions for anyone other than the ones that are on the field. So I just go out there and do my job and let the chips fall where they may."
Smith saying he has shown flashes of being "a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback," is getting a similar response to when Eli Manning called himself an "elite" quarterback a few months before winning his second Super Bowl. It's uncertain if Smith will get the last laugh the way Manning did, but many in the Jets locker room still see a player with potential.
"It's hard to play quarterback in this league," Rex Ryan said, "and it's hard for a rookie or second-year player to come into this league and have all the answers."
The Jets problem is there are too many questions about their future.
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