It’s starting to feel as if the Geno Smith era is in the process of mirroring the Mark Sanchez era — minus the two AFC Championship game appearances.
Both were drafted to be franchise quarterbacks.
Sanchez got four years before the Jets finally pulled the rip cord, tired of the barrage of turnovers and the repeated “I’ve got to be more careful with the ball’’ promises.
The Jets cannot afford to wait four years to find out who Smith really is — franchise quarterback or just another guy.
And it looks as if that’s really the most important thing left of this 1-4 season that appears to be spiraling on them: Figuring out whether Smith is the long-term answer or if they need to move on — again.
Smith, in his second year, has the look of a guy who’s on a similar path to Sanchez — a player with just enough talent to tease you into thinking you have something special … until the same mistakes rinse and repeat and the laundry never gets clean.
Like Sanchez was (for the most part), Smith has been admirable in his stand-up approach to owning his mistakes — Saturday’s missed team meeting being a case in point.
Smith on Monday called his last two weeks, which have included cursing out a heckling fan at MetLife Stadium after the loss to the Lions, followed by a $12,000 NFL fine and now the missed meeting, “uncharacteristic’’ of his behavior.
“I’m not a guy that’s always in the tabloids,’’ Smith said. “I like to stay low-key, but I’ve made some mistakes the past two weeks. I’m aware of it and I’ve caused a distraction to my teammates in doing so. Leadership is huge, and I’ve got to be there.’’
How long, though, will he “be there?’’
Smith is coming off Sunday’s second-half benching against the Chargers in a game in which he looked as if he regressed. That has to shake the organization’s confidence about the player they’re counting on most to lead.
Smith’s missed meeting, according to Rex Ryan, was not a matter of insubordination. But when you’re in the middle of a three-game losing streak facing a game with your season on the line, it does raise questions about Smith’s focus.
“He understands as the quarterback and the leader those things are unacceptable, and going into the future I don’t expect that to come up again,’’ center Nick Mangold said. “Listen, he’s a second-year guy who’s still learning and finding his way in this league. If he keeps making the same mistakes that’s going to be an issue.’’
Listen, he’s a second-year guy who’s still learning and finding his way in this league. If he keeps making the same mistakes that’s going to be an issue.
- Nick Mangold
What is going to be an issue is if Smith does not get better on the field.
One year after turning the ball over 25 times in his rookie season, Smith has eight turnovers through five games this season. He’s thrown 27 interceptions in 21 NFL starts and has thrown at least one pick in 17 of his 21 starts.
Ryan has to be sick of this after watching Sanchez throw 69 interceptions in 62 regular-season starts.
Dating to Sanchez’s rookie year in 2009, in the 83 regular-season games Sanchez and Smith have started, they’ve combined for 96 interceptions and 26 lost fumbles. Even if you have the best defense in the league, it’s almost impossible to win games when you turn the ball over 122 times in 83 games.
This has been a broken record for the Jets and their fans, and the culprits have been the two supposed franchise quarterbacks.
Sanchez had ample opportunity to assert himself as the “Sanchise’’ he was supposed to be. Smith is only in his second season, but the Jets cannot afford to wait beyond this year to find out for sure about him.
Ryan fell on his sword Sunday, calling the blowout loss to the Chargers “on me.’’
How long before general manager John Idzik gives him the ax if this Jets season spirals from 1-4 to 1-6 to 5-11 or 4-12?
And what to do about Smith?
Answering that question is what the Jets’ season has come down to. The answer will go a long way toward determining Ryan’s fate.