Bills RB Jackson would rather face Geno Smith than Ryan Fitzpatrick

The New York Jets are expected to be without Geno Smith for the first four games of the season, leaving Ryan Fitzpatrick to lead the team in his absence. 

Most see the loss of Smith as brutal for the Jets' chances of making the playoffs, but others see Fitzpatrick as an upgrade. One former teammate of Fitzpatrick's in particular would undoubtedly rather face Smith than the man they call "Fitzmagic."

Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson defended his former quarterback on CBS Sports Radio’s "Tiki and Tierney" show.

"Without a doubt," Jackson said, via ESPN. "Fitz was one of my favorite quarterbacks to play with. I would much rather have faced Geno than face Fitz. I’m a little biased on that just because he’s a great friend of mine, but I know what he brings to the table."

One of Fitzpatrick's greatest attributes is his knowledge of the game, given the fact that he came into the NFL out of Harvard.

"He’s probably the smartest, if not one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league," Jackson said. "It will be a lot of fun to compete against them, but I know we have to bring our A-game when we do."

Jackson made it seem as if the Bills will definitely face Fitzpatrick this season. That's hardly the case. The Jets and Bills aren't slated to meet until Week 10, which is well beyond Smith's expected return date.

If Fitzpatrick plays well in Smith's absence, however, it could be his team for the remainder of the season. 

(h/t ESPN)