New York Jets: What About Matt Simms?

Aug. 18, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Matt Simms (5) calls out a play against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Jets win 37-13. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday night was an interesting night, wasn’t it? Geno Smith showed the world that he is not ready to lead an NFL team. Mark Sanchez was thrown into the game in the fourth quarter and was injured. The Jets won the game, and who came in to throw the go-ahead score, and set up the game-winning field goal? Matt Simms, that’s who.

Simms appears to have, and media members have stated that he has, the strongest arm of any one of the quarterbacks in training camp. He has played well this preseason in limited reps. If this season is going to be as long as some think it’s going to be, here is a question: Why not start Matt Simms?

First of all, in a West Coast offense that is predicated on completion percentage, Simms has been the leader so far. He is throwing for a 73.3% completion percentage, while nobody else has completed 67%. Simms has been the best, and it hasn’t been even close.

Matt Simms has also gotten the ball down the field better than any of the Jets’ passers during this preseason, averaging 12.9 yards per pass, while nobody else is averaging over 9 yards per pass. Take that efficiency we mentioned earlier, and combine that with his ability to get the ball down the field, and you MIGHT have an excellent West Coast offense quarterback.

I know, I know, Matt has played against the bottom of the barrel guys, the third stringers. I understand that, and I understand starting an NFL regular season game is completely different. I am not so naïve that I would think otherwise. But, you know what? Somebody has to play against the third string. Russell Wilson wasn’t the starter going into training camp either. Playing against the 3s in camp, doesn’t mean you can’t play against the ones.

It just means that you haven’t yet.

Guys like Matt Simms get this label of a “career backup”. What does that mean exactly? The guy entered the league in 2012. We have to write the guy off immediately as a backup, and nothing better? Says who? A scout? Would this be the first time that a diamond in the rough has been found? I think not. Brady was a sixth round draft pick. Think about it.

If this is such a “rebuilding” year, why not go with Matt Simms? If you want to base it on what we have seen in training camp, his game has been the best. Why can’t he do a good job? I don’t get it.

Is it really impossible that the son of this guy has some talent?

Think about it.