Another bad break likely signals end of Geno Smith era on Jets

Despite showing some flashes of being great with the New York Jets, quarterback Geno Smith tore his ACL and could have been the last game he ever plays with Gang Green.

In the Week 7 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, quarterback Geno Smith got his first opportunity to start an NFL game in nearly two years. Unfortunately, he suffered an ACL tear in the first half, likely signaling the end of Smith’s time with the New York Jets.

Before the game was played on Sunday, it seemed as if Week 7 could be the start of a very promising time for Smith. Following a terrible start from previous starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, Smith was going to be given a golden opportunity to show the Jets why he could be their quarterback of the future.

When it came time for the Jets’ afternoon matchup against the Ravens, Smith was ready. He got off to a solid start as he kept the Jets in the game with some help from wide receiver Quincy Enunwa. If it weren’t for a few dropped passes, Smith would have been off to a very hot start.

Things seemed to be getting gradually better for the Jets, but in the middle of the second quarter, things took a bad turn. Smith’s knee bent very awkwardly on a play where he was sacked. Many didn’t notice that Smith was injured as he subtly went to the locker room to have his knee evaluated.

Fitzpatrick, who came into the game as Smith’s backup, entered the game in place of Smith and it was history from there. Fitzpatrick and the Jets earned a win as Smith got tests on his knee done, which turned out to be the doctors’ worst fear, a torn ACL.

Not only is Smith’s season over, but it appears as if his tenure with the Jets will likely be coming to an end as well. Smith is in a contract year with New York and there is no reason why Smith would be brought back to the green and white.

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The main reason for this is that the Bowles-Maccagnan regime has had a disdain for Smith from the start. It all started with Smith’s locker room altercation with former Jets’ linebacker IK Enemkpali.

That situation and the way in which Smith handled things caused Jets brass to lose a ton of respect for Smith as a person and teammate. It opened up the door for Fitzpatrick to take the reigns and make the Jets his team.

As the door opened up for Fitzpatrick, the door was completely slammed shut for Smith. The Jets’ coaching staff never saw anything special in his play, and it became almost certain that Smith would be looking for a new home once his contract runs out.

It came as a bit of a surprise once Smith got his final shot under the Maccagnan-Bowles regime, but it seemed as if it would give Geno the chance to prove his worth to the Jets. Unfortunately for Smith, the injury he suffered completely nullified this chance and has kept the Jets regime from changing their minds.

Must Read: Geno Smith out indefinitely with torn ACL

In hindsight, it’s clear to see that it just wasn’t meant to be for Smith in New York. The media ate him alive as poor decisions from the past have haunted him for years. The injury is a fitting ending to what has been a disastrous tenure for Smith with the Jets.

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