Rex : Vick Starting a Possibility

Documentaries on the 2000 team, with player interviews. I can't remember the exact name but it was on NFL network last year and it talked about how cutting him left a big hole in the team despite them bringing in a supposedly better QB.

Anyways the point was that you don't have to be an all pro to be a locker room leader. Bart Scott was a locker room leader and wasn't the best on the field. The Jets have had plenty of locker room leaders over the years that weren't tearing up the stats.

 

Vick, having won the starting job last year, hurt himself (hamstring) while running the ball during an early October game against the Giants. He came back later in the month (against the Giants again IIRC) only to re-injure the same hamstring. After the second time he hurt himself, Foles came in and played phenomenally well enabling him to take over the starting job for good.

 

The only reason Vick should actually start is because Geno is hurt or really REALLY sucks. In the second situation I hope Boyd gets a shot later in the season, particularly if the season isn't going too well...

 

Not sure about that. There is a good case for starting Vick as a better QB to win now while letting Geno watch from sidelines and improve without pressure.

 

Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. As recently as last year, Vick claimed he could easily still run the 40 in the 4.4s which, while not as quick as the 4.25 - 4.33s he ran in his prime, is still smoking. I personally don't believe there is any starting QB in the NFL that can beat him in a foot race now with the possible exception of Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson or a healthy RGIII maybe, but I seriously doubt it. Geno, on the other hand, barely broke 4.6 (4.59) at the combine and lacks not only the straight line speed of Vick but also Vick's explosive burst to accelerate off his first and second steps, be it in a straight line but particularly laterally where few players at any position possess his remarkable agility and elusiveness.

Upon what do you base that assessment? Other than his hamstring injury (and re-injury) of last season he's had six months to heal with no contact and all that time to focus on maintaining/ improving his strength and conditioning. By all accounts (including his own, of course) Vick has reported to the Jets completely fresh and injury free. Will he hurt himself again this year? If history is an accurate indicator, then yes, most likely but not necessarily. In the meantime, Vick delivers a so much better long ball than Smith at this point who last year was often over-throwing or under-throwing his deep down field targets. Vick also does a superb job checking down to his running backs which I expect to payoff big results for both Powell and Johnson. BTW, did I say that Vick, even at his advanced age and miles on the odometer is still considerably faster than Smith?

In the interest of longevity and preserving line-up continuity, unless it is a critical/meaningful situation (with the game on the line for example) I am not an advocate of having my starting QB, be he young or old, diving head first for an extra yard. In the majority of scenarios, the potential risks greatly outweigh the potential benefits. Having said that, I have not seen any evidence of Vick being unwilling to sacrifice his body (as he has so often done in the past) if needed. Have you?

 

Without pressure?
He was the starting QB and now he would be a back up, you don't think that's pressure?

 

Well said. Furthermore, I think all of Ryan's proclamations that Geno is the starter and his other pro-Geno statements to the media appear to me as calculated to reduce any competitive stress Smith may be feeling since Vick was signed and are designed to help him face/meet the challenges expected of him in order to win the starting job on merit (which is what it will take for him to be declared the day one starter) as well as eliminate any excuses that may arise thereafter in the event that Smith loses the job to Vick and he tries t0 claim he "lost" the starting job due to a lack of support from the CS.

 

Being starting QB last year is irrelevant. He'd had a chance after tasting game's speed already to evaluate it from outside. He'll be pissed for sure, but there is no pressure to perform, Geno would be free to just watch and learn, from someone else's mistakes.

To be honest, I'm on the fence here. There are good arguments to be made either way. I just hope that the competition re QBs is not BS. If there are both good and bad side to starting either Vick or Geno (IMO), a jets should start the one who has better potential to win more game now. If it's Geno -- we got a real backup who can step up at any time and in the past pressure to perform brought up good in Smith. If it's Vick, Geno gets to observe the game and learn without immediate demands of winning.

 

No. At least not the way you are thinking about or defining "pressure". There is more pressure to perform and "produce positive results while playing in games than there is sitting on the bench watching, learning and fulfilling the duties assigned to back-up QBs.
He could be way more disappointed, stressed out, pissed off and/or unhappy riding the bench but why would you think he'd be under more pressure?

 

Idk, from last year it seemed Geno performs better under stress (unlike Sanchez who needed to be pampered and reassured all the time). I think Rex's "Geno is the starter" line are just the easiest way to prevent media from manufacturing 'Jets QB controversy' stories.

 

I hope there is a possibility of him starting. Is this really news?

It's a QB competition. What kind of competition would involve a guy who had no chance of winning the job? LOL

 

Geno will either start or finish the season as the starter.

 

Good point. You're probably right because that makes more sense than anything I've read, heard of or thought about thus far.

 

Could be! Or maybe Vick will start and finish the season as the starter while Smith ends up starting one or a bunch of games somewhere during the middle of the season while Vick's concussion and dislocated right shoulder heal up! I wish I knew exactly what the actual outcome(s) will be but unfortunately, neither you, I or anyone else have any idea exactly how things will turn out. We'll know soon but not soon enough.......

 

Okay, then those are just other reasons he should run less. Stay in the pocket, and dump it off rather than run it.

 

Regarding Ryan's statements...

It is hard to figure how much is truth, how much gamesmanship with the media, and how much psychology with his players. And you can add the perceptions some have of conspiracies, of internal rivalries in the organization, and who has the relative power in it.

But imo what will outweigh all of that is that Rex has no guarantee he will be back for 15, and is in win now mode. To the extent it is his decision, he will put the best Qb out there, the one who is most likely to help the team win, and for me I am virtually certain that is Vick.

But... is it really Rex's decision? In that connection, will Idzik pursue a different agenda? On that one, I am more inclined than last year to think Idzik doesn't really have a much greater time line than Rex, and while I doubt even a 6-10 record would seriously undermine his continuing into 15 and even beyond, he can't be unconcerned about somehting like that, either. Last off season there seemed to be a real divergence beween time lines for Rex and Idzik. I think there is more of a convergence now.

So, unless Smith shows up much improved, which I doubt, I expect Vick is the starter.

 

Just a reminder - Sanchez was going to be the starter, until he hurt his shoulder.

 

i am so burned out about the QB situation for this team from all the non-sense over the past number of years. at this point i could care less about who starts/finishes at QB - as long as we win games.

 

I wouldn't be surprised that once they're in pads and if Idzik and Rex think they have a contending team on the field, Vick gets the nod. If they still think they're a year or 2 off, then Geno keeps his job (or until Vick gets hurt )