Phil would be so pissed if he knew what was going on in this thread. Just ask Desmond Howard who dared say Matt was one of the 3 worst QBs in the SEC.
Look Matt Cassell was a backup in college and he's had an ok career in the NFL and been a starter. Simms did start for the Vols in 2010.
If you watched the pre-season games that year, Simms clearly beat out Sanchez and Geno before Sanchez was lost to injury.
yeah, thats the grass is greener on the other side argument that makes backups into heroes. "what did we have to lose" isn't an endorsement, that he never saw the light of day as a starter in lieu of mediocre starters is indicative enough of his skill level. he had a good arm and not much else, he's actually pretty lucky to have made it this far. but then you wanted Tebow to get a start too… seriously, its no injustice that we didn't start them simply because we hadn't seen them start. there are other ways to judge wether or not something is worth trying, after all coaches see these guys a lot more than we do.
he had a good game in the 4th preseason game against other backups, so did Ryan Spadola, those efforts didn't warrant much more than a loose roster spot for being best of a middling litter.
So knowing what you know now you'd still start Mark Sanchez. Yeah, you and Rex Ryan. Whether it be Simms, Tebow, etc we needed a change at Qb. I'd have given either of those guys a shot over Geno and Mark.
Mark was outplayed by other Qbs in training camp not just Simms. Even another Vols Qb, Erik Ainge outplayed him.
in 2012? Greg McElroy got a chance after an average showing, Tebow didn't because he evidently never showed a reason to. hell Simms got a chance after Smith got benched in 2013, still didn't impress enough to earn a stint at starter. you act like we never changed starters, we just never gave a QB we never saw a point in starting the job. because they weren't good enough or didn't earn it over even our struggling starters.
No changes with Mark Sanchez until the bitter end in 2012. Not in 2011 when he blew it the 2nd half of the season. No competition ever in training camp. If Simms is so bad why was he on the team. If the starter is bad or gets injured you replace him. McElroy played well when he relieved Mark in that one game but his start was terrible. He got sacked 7 times. I would have started Tebow.
There hasn't been this much stir about a garbage quarterback since Bollywood rocked the organization and city himself.
So why wasn't Eli Manning benched for the unknown after his first couple horrendous years. Jared Lorenzen for all we know could have been a star, but he didn't get a chance to start. Why not take the unknown over what was known at that time to be shit?
I used Eli because he came to mind first. What about Alex Smith? Troy Aikman? Both were abysmal in their first couple years. Worse than Geno.
As were the other 200 or so offensive coaches (throw in another hundred or so scouts) in the NFL who had your golden egg sitting on a plate, their's for the taking?
We have to be the only fan base in the history of the NFL who is actually having a debate this stupid. No one gives a damn about Matt Simms or any other UDFA career practice squad player. Does anyone remember Chris Pizzoti the UDFA QB from Harvard that we signed in 09 I believe? No because no one gives a damn. If a UDFA is good enough to stand out they will. He's been cut 10 times and has not once been claimed or signed. He wasn't good in college and probably wouldn't have even got a shot if not for his last name. I'll give him props for working hard and sticking around as long as he did but he was a waste of a roster spot and wasn't going to make the team this year anyway. It's pathetic we're even debating the 5th string QB right now. And yes I list him as 5 because of the obvious top 3 and Heaps likely PS bound.
Jets just kissed their last ticket to the big dance good bye with the release of Matt Simms. Jets are DOOMED!!