There seems to be a bit of disagreement on exactly who it was that decided to make Geno Smith the starting quarterback in New York again - which, usually, is a very clear indication that an organization is suffering some type of inner turmoil or dysfunction.
Conflicting reports have emerged in recent days over whose call it was to reinsert Smith in the starting lineup in replacement of veteran Mike Vick. Head coach Rex Ryan, a majority of players and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg all wanted Vick to remain in place as they considered him their best chance to win, according to a report from Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News.
General managed John Idzik, on the other hand, was the driving force and final decision maker in regards to the return to Smith, ostensibly with the plan to audition him for the remainder of the season and make a final determination as to whether or not he's the answer at quarterback.
But is that really the case? The question of whether or not Smith is the organization's future at quarterback has already been answered for the most part. He's a marginally talented quarterback with obvious mental flaws.
Smith has committed a turnover in 19 of 24 career starts. He is 1-7 as a starter this season and has a career quarterback rating of 66.8.
So what's the thinking behind giving the Smith the reins? Could it be aimed at, say, improving the Jets' draft position next year via the expectation of Smith's continued struggles and thus mounting losses for the team?
"The decision to return to Smith possibly arises from a desire to answer any lingering question about whether Smith has a future with the organization," writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. "Or maybe owner Woody Johnson has realized that there are legitimate ways to improve draft position by tanking games down the stretch. With the Jets eliminated from the playoffs, why not make it easier to climb higher in the pecking order to get the true franchise quarterback that the franchise hasn't had since... since... Joe Namath?"
An owner, head coach and general manager all need to work in tandem to make an NFL team truly successful. The New York Jets, not exactly a successful team at the moment - as their 2-9 record and last place standing in the AFC East can attest - seem like a front office divided.
Perhaps that is somewhat by design, as Ryan and Smith find themselves inching closer and closer to the door and Idzik and Johnson continue their search for an eventual franchise savior.
