However, as each summer day passes, and training camp also continues to grind away, it seems more and more like it's going to be another wasted year with this loser as "our guy". A guy who doesn't show up to a meeting the night before a game, a guy who flips off his own fans in his home stadium after he plays horrible and they boo him (how dare they), a guy with 30 starts under his belt as well as a losing record and a terrible TD to INT ratio and a career completion percentage in he mid 50's.
I can't figure out why the new regime would stick with a guy who would cost us very little to cut. Maybe they just couldn't make a move to improve this position. Maybe they did fight for Foles, maybe they did try to pry Rivers away from northern CA, maybe they did try to trade up for Winston. Or maybe not. Either way, Fitz looks like he's washed up so far in camp, and Petty is nowhere near ready to be a starter.
So since #7 is the best of what's around, why not focus on the few positives he brings to the table.
First and foremost he has a delusional view of himself. That's actually a pro when talking about a QB. Any guy who's going to step behind the center in this league and attempt to lead his team to victory has to believe he is the best player on the field. Even if Manning or Brady is on the other sideline that week, he has to see himself as the man. Geno has this.
He has made some boneheaded PR mistakes in his first couple of years, but when he speaks to the press after games he sounds like a relatively smart professional athlete. He says all the right things in those hard to navigate post game pressers. If you think that's so easy look at guys like RG III who cant get their foot out of their mouth.
He has a strong arm. Not top 5 in the league, but pretty damn strong. His accuracy and consistency is putrid, but he can toss the ball when he needs to.
His teammates seem to like him. Haven't heard a bad word that I can remember where anyone threw him under the bus. I would assume he's a decent locker room guy, and I doubt he struggles commanding the huddle.
He's durable. Couple of minor bumps and bruises, but nothing major. And I have seen him take some HUGE hits. He is built solid.
There's very little about his on the field game I can compliment, however there is one thing he does very well, and has done very well since his first start. He really knows when to tuck the ball and run and when to stand in the pocket and throw. I very rarely have seen him elect to become a runner on a play and not have it yield at least 5 or 6 yards. Most times its a first down. He also knows when the journey is over and gets out of bounds or slides most times. He's won us a few games because of this. It's very instinctive with him and should be developed (especially in the red zone). He's sneaky mobile, but he obvious sees himself as a passer first. That's perfect in the NFL.
Finally, his passer rating, completion percentage and TD to INT ratio all improved in year 2. Not much, but nonetheless they got better. A glimmer of hope? Not for this grizzly old Jets fan, but maybe you youngsters aren't totally jaded and can still dream.
Geno has an outstanding Offensive Coordinator, a Head Coach who will not make excuses for him or tolerate a lackadaisical approach, a GM who surrounded him with all the talent he could ask for, including the benefit of what will be a pretty formidable defense. A dominate D can help rescue a turnover prone QB from the abyss from time to time.
You are in a perfect situation Geno. The bright lights of the NFL's biggest media market are on you. Will you step up? Suck as much air as possible into those gigantic gaping nostrils and feed your brain with oxygen... Maybe then the light bulb will go off and you will not let the opportunity of a lifetime slip away.
No comments:
Post a Comment