Rex Ryan Talks About Changing the Pace with Michael Vick

Aug 7, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback

(1) leaves the field after the fourth quarter of a game against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. The Jets defeated the Colts 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

As I reported from Cortland over the weekend, the Jets spent a great deal of time on “Wildcat” plays during their session on August 9th. Yes, that was part of the script, and yes, Michael Vick is not that “other” quarterback that changed the pace in the past. But, it still brought back some bad memories of seasons gone by.

No matter who the backup quarterback is, bringing him to run the “Wildcat” does expose the player to injuries. Rex talked about whether or not he is concerned about that issue:

No, that’s the thing, you really don’t look at going into those types of things that if you ever think a player is at risk, you don’t do it. It’s as simple as that, you really don’t. But to play, I recognize the fact that you don’t know what play it’s going to be, but you know if you’re really putting a guy at risk that maybe you shouldn’t do it. But it’s a physical game and there’s only one way to get better and that’s (to) actually get out there and do things. So it’s kind of a fine line with what you do. (I) recognize the guy’s got special talent. There’s no question about it. But am I aware of, ‘Hey, could he be more vulnerable?’ For instance, we only ran a couple of zone-read runs the entire game. During the season we ran more than that, so we ran some Wildcat, we ran zone reads, all that type of stuff, but in the preseason we only ran two of them in the entire game.

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The question was changed, asking Rex if he would fear losing Vick as a backup quarterback by bringing him in:

Right, but then what’s the alternative? You don’t get him any reps at all and now when you go in a game the guy’s not sharp. That’s why we play these games. These aren’t just meaningless games. I think the preseason is to get you where you’re playing at (your) very best. When you come out opening day, you want to be humming at your very best and the only way to do that is to play. And that’s why you’ll play them a quarter that first game (or) into the second quarter with the ones, you play a full half the second and third games and then your backup players. You’ve got to play them. That’s the only way they’re going to get better.

To me, these comments can be viewed two ways. For one, is Rex admitting what we already know, and stating that Geno is the starter? Rex didn’t say that “Well, don’t forget that Vick might still be the starter.” Don’t those comments, if you read them again, sort of confirm that Michael Vick is the backup?

However, they also say that the two quarterback system may rear its ugly head again. I hate it, and you all know I hate it. It doesn’t work, no matter who the quarterbacks are.

We shall see what the future holds.