Monday Morning Quarterback: New York Jets vs. Baltimore Ravens

Nov 24, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil (58) tackles New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith (7) in the first half.

Well, at least we have finally broken the alternating wins and losses streak. Granted, not the way we wanted to, but still. It’s something?

Yesterday the Jets fell again to the Baltimore Ravens. This is the third loss the Jets have posted against the Ravens during the Rex Ryan era, and the Jets never were really in this one. The final was 19-3, and it seemed like a bigger blowout than that. With the loss, the Jets’ dropped their record to 5-6, still in the race for a Wild Card position.

But it did not look good yesterday at all.

Geno Smith was absolutely brutal yesterday. For the game, he went 9-22 for 127 yards and two interceptions. The offense had no continuity at all. When they finally got a drive moving, they would turn the ball over. Geno Smith took a snap that HIT THE GUY GOING IN MOTION! That cannot happen ever. That was one play, but it was a microcosm of the fact that the offense was all over the place.

They couldn’t run the football, running it less than four yards per carry. His throws were inaccurate, though it wasn’t all his fault. The offensive line did not play well yesterday. Geno had the pass rush in his face all day long. There were times the quarterback couldn’t even set his feet before he had to run for his life. I get that. He also didn’t have a lot of help from his wide receivers, with a relapse of the drops. All true.

Marty Mornhinweg has to take some heat for the playcalling as well. They did not give Geno a chance to play. Yes, you want him to protect the football, but you have to let him play quarterback. They threw the ball seven times in the first half of the football game. Are you kidding me? Is that balanced? Heck no. If you are going to keep the quarterback in the game, you have to let him play.

That all being said, they should have pulled Geno Smith from this football game. Not because he can’t be the guy, I still think that he can be. But sometimes, you can learn more by watching. Geno is having problems out there right now, and he isn’t getting better. He needs to calm down, and get a better grasp as to what is going on. That will come back if he sits. Continuously running him out there is obviously not helping, especially since they don’t let him do anything.

Geno Smith would be far from the first quarterback to get benched, and still have success in this league. Rex needs to be able to make this move.

On defense, other than against the long ball, the Jets looked pretty good. Sheldon Richardson and Big Mo had big games once again. But the defense can only do so much. If the offense doesn’t come through eventually, the defense is going to get tired. It’s human nature, and that is what happened in Baltimore yesterday.

The Jets get back to work for an AFC East battle against the Dolphins next week.