I was impressed with Simm's arm, and his ability to make positive decisions. Not sure that he will be a starter, but worth keeping, and monitoring.
So then Rex needs to put on his big boy pants and make a big boy decision. Start Simms week 1 if he's been so impressive.
This I disagree with. I will agree with this, once Simms flusters with legitimate NFL defense breathing down his neck. Until proven otherwise, I will have to disagree on this. This, I disagree as well. footworks, sight adjustments and dropback mechanics are important fundamental skills, but they shouldn't be used against assessing the prospect unless that flaw is so glaring that you just cannot ignore it. [a la Tebow] As it stands, Geno's fundamental mechanics are bordering this area, and I think that clouds the assessment on him considerably. Fair assessment of the kid can come once he has his mechanics down, and is comfortable scanning the field while dropping back. I just don't think you can learn that on the fly and adjust. Especially if the kid gets shellshocked once or twice while adjusting, he will start hearing footsteps - you don't want to expose any kid to that stage. And if Geno cannot adapt, you know he was destined to be a bust either way without having to get the kid murdered in the pitch. It's not about being ready. His mechanics WILL cost offensive production dearly. And he will get hurt in the process. All that in the name of learning process? I don't buy that. There are times when banging your head against the wall is the only way to go about it, but I don't think that is the case at hand. Well. Admit it. When Sanchez went down with the injury, we were fucked in the early part of the schedule no matter what. While Simms starting might as well spell the cellar of the division, starting Geno in starter's role doesn't fare better at all either. All I am saying is, if Jets are fucked either way, at least they should protect their future asset and let the kid learn the fundamentals while others take the beating in his stead. Right. Brady never had a prayer in this league until Bledsoe, by some cosmic luck, went down hard. While they are rare, they give you sufficient justification to not dismiss these kids [since they are not deemed good enough for NFL in YOUR standards.] All I am saying is, same as what I was saying about Sanchez; before dismissing the kid as roadkill, LET'S MAKE SURE HE IS ONE. You never know in this league.
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/26148/rex-comes-apart-at-the-simms A gun simulation? These refs suck. We've become a nation of overly-sensitive pansies.... Unless Matt did a Gun-Point toward an opposing player, I think the penalty/fine was uncalled for.
Don't even try to put Tom Brady and Matt Simms in the same tier. Brady started two seasons at Michigan, which was ranked 12th and 5th in the nation the two years he started. He led the Big Ten in passer efficiency rating and completion percentage in 1999. He was ranked from 2 to 5 in the other passing stats in both years. Yes, he wasn't everything Michigan thought he would be when they recruited him but he was still a pretty good QB which is why he started his Junior and Senior years. My point with all this stuff is that the odds are outstanding that Matt Simms is a mirage based on one pre-season playing against backups and worse. The Jets don't need to take a look at him against the #1's at this point. If they do take a good look at him there and he fails they will deserve the circus tag. Anybody can be a clown.
The closer comparison for Matt Simms to a recent patriots Quarterback is probably Matt Cassel. I don't think that one really fits either though.
Cassel is a lot closer. No starts since high school because he was always the second guy at USC. Belichik drafted him to cheat and then had to use him when Brady went down.
People always bring up the offensive coordinator and sometimes QB coach when talking about Sanchez but I don't think I've read about anyone pointing at that change with Simms. Here's a kid with all the physical talent in the world and some thoroughbred bloodlines who maybe just never had the right teachers? I'm not saying that IS the case but maybe it is? If he's really made the massive improvements that Rex is saying he has maybe it's because he finally found some teachers that knew how to get the most out of his NFL ready toolset? I fully recognize that Rex is quite often completely full of shit but the kid sure has looked a lot better.
Simms will not be allowed to complicate the Qb situation further. Unless Smith really fcks up or gets racked up, He's the man until Headband gets back. The politics of this are ugly. Simms is caught in the intrigue between Smith (Idzik) and Sanchez (Ryan). What this FO/CS really doesn't want to see is Smith getting racked up again opening up a Wally Pipp scenario. They were totally caught off guard by Simms' performance. I'm sure MM noticed and even Rex said the kid has taken a quantum leap in his game. What if at some point Simms lights it up with the 1's, then what? Will Politics trump talent?
I think Ryan is non-commital on the starter because they are likely rotating Simms into 1st team reps to see how he handles it. If Simms can cut it in practice this week, I think it would be the smart move by Ryan to start him, as your not throwing your rookie QB into the fire before he is ready, and you are putting teeth behind the best player/competition mantra. It would certainly light a fire. Unless of course MM and Lee think Simms is the talent worth grooming and Smith is the guy to burn. That would be interesting...
If you ever seen Rat Race you'll get this comment. Rex Ryan to the media (pointing over their shoulders at Matt Simms): "Oh look! A drifter!"
It wasn't a comparison based on their skillsets, it was more based on their experience prior to the NFL.
I trust MM will make the selection and recommendation to Rex based on who gives us the best chance to manage the game and win. Where it goes from there is speculation and of course the Idzick selection committee could overrule him.
Charley Casserly on NFL Channel: "All they talk about is competition... Matt Simms won the competition" also "Smith is not ready to play"
The system involved getting the opposing teams signals down based on taping their coaches signals on the sidelines and then adding that to the tendencies they displayed from different formations and with different personnel. The taping the Patriots were doing was not of action on the field it was of the action on the opposing sidelines during games and occasionally practices if they managed to get somebody with a camera within range of those. What the system required to function right was somebody who could pick up the signals and relay them in a non-obvious way to the Patriots defense on the field. The relay guy was usually a backup QB, who nobody watches closely during the game. If you look at photos of the Pats sideline during the early 2000's you see the backup QB's walking around a lot and taking their caps on and off during play. You will occasionally see a backup QB with his cap on backwards or even sideways. You'll see them holding the clipboard at different angles and in one hand or the other. The signalling system was very complex and they needed guys who were smart and focused and could concentrate on the job without giving the gig up. Tom Brady had the job in 2000. Matt Cassell was drafted in 2005 for the job. It's not completely clear who did the work from 2001 to 2004 but there was definitely somebody relaying signals.
Honestly Simms has no shot at starting the opener so it's time to focus on getting Geno as prepared as possible for Week 1.
