You know what they say when you have two starting quarterbacks- you actually have none. This doesn’t apply in all cases, there’s certainly exceptions.
The New York Jets are not such a case. Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith? Or none of the above? Having issues at the most important position in football means perhaps the New York Jets are destined to have a very long 2013 season. To help us sort out the New York Jets QB situation, I’ve enlisted the help of Phil Simms, who currently works with Jim Nantz on the CBS’s lead broadcast team for the NFL.
His old team, the New York Giants, “lost” to the rival New York Jets 24-21 tonight. And his son, Matt Simms might actually be the best QB on the roster after all.
Phil Simms had some good repartee with one of his old reporter friends at NFL on CBS Media Day this week.
“It’s going to sort itself out. We can get a little bit more information first, we don’t have to know now,” Phil Simms said.
He was asked if Geno Smith looks good against the ones Saturday night against the Giants, should Smith start?
“I would think if he plays really well, it’s possible, but I expect the competition to continue,” Simms said.
Well, Smith didn’t look good. Or play well. Geno Smith’s first career start is over: 12 drives. 16 for 30, 199 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, safety, 45.7 QB rating. he had 6 during his entire senior season at West Virginia. And that safety was of the Dan Orlovsky style self-imposed variety. It came from simply rolling out too far and just being plain ignorant enough to go out of bounds on his own. Blooper reel stuff.
Sanchez was no better, fumbling a snap. Yes, reminiscent of his infamous butt fumble. He left the game with a shoulder injury, the severity of which is not known yet.
“I think it’s possible they can go into the fourth preseason game and still let it play. Let the competition continue,” Simms said.
“This universal rule that you have to do it after week three and week four you don’t play anybody, you don’t have that. You can still play your starters in week four, it’s just what I think,” Simms said.
Phil Simms’ son Matt looked good in mop-up action. He was 6 of 10 for 120 yards, hooking up with Ryan Spadola on a 70-yard pass play to set up the winning field goal. Granted, it is preseason. So take that with a grain of salt.
New York Jets coach Rex Ryan on naming a starting QB – “Whenever we think the appropriate time is, we’ll make that call”
Phil Simms and Jim Nantz will call Denver at the Giants in week two. Indianapolis Colts at San Francisco 49ers in week three. They’ll have the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Minnesota Vikings in week four. Phil Simms has been with CBS since 1998. Phil Simms currently hosts Inside the NFL on Showtime (another CBS holding) with Warren Sapp and Cris Collinsworth.
As for the New York Jets, maybe they’ll be in the market to draft a QB really high in the 2014 draft.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An analyst for 95.7 The Fan, he also writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)