NFL What-Ifs: Chan Gailey Does His Thing With Geno Smith

May 27, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) hands the ball to New York Jets running back Bilal Powell (29) during organized team activities at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Geno Smith is entering that critical third season when experts believe is the time when an NFL player should truly be judged on whether or not he was worth his draft billing. The coaches and front office who made him a pro are gone, but his opportunity to save his job as a starter remains intact.

Better still he has an offensive coordinator with him in Chan Gailey with a long history of being able to elevate quarterbacks who seem to flounder with others. He proved that with Kordell Stewart many years ago in Pittsburgh. Then again in Buffalo with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Smith may prove his greatest challenge yet. So what can be expected if he succeeds, even in a marginal capacity?

Answer: New York Jets win the AFC East

What new GM Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles have done in their first off-season together with the New York Jets can’t be understated. It got started with a risk-reward trade for Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall and continued with the aggressive free agent signings of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie to improve the secondary on defense.

To top it off they caught a big break when Leonard Williams, widely proclaimed the best overall prospect in the NFL draft, fell to them at #6 overall. By all signs the defense will be ready to go this 2015 season, but that hasn’t changed the status quo.

Under Rex Ryan the Jets have always had great defense. It was the offense that often failed to pull its weight. With the arrivals of Marshall, speedy 2nd round pick Devin Smith, and the presence of Eric Decker and promising tight end Jace Amaro this could be the best receiving corps the Jets have had in half a decade or longer. Yet all the focus remains on Smith.

Through two seasons he has shown little improvement on the stat sheet. Even though he threw fewer interceptions and completed more passes than his rookie season he still finished with fewer passing yards and the same number of touchdown passes (13). The excuses are gone as far as not having enough weapons. If he can’t make even a modest improvement in his production there is no doubt that Ryan Fitzpatrick or rookie Bryce Petty will replace him.

On the other hand, if he leans on a strong cast of running backs, makes smart throws to good receivers and doesn’t turn the ball over this team is good enough to not only make the playoffs but finally pry the AFC East await from the hated New England Patriots who won’t have Tom Brady for the first month of the season.

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