Jets reportedly benching Ryan Fitzpatrick in favor of Geno Smith
Apparently the New York Jets have seen enough from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, according to reports from ESPN's Adam Schefter and others, meaning it's game back on for Geno Smith.
Fitzpatrick is coming off another shaky performance in a 28-3 loss on Monday Night Football to the Arizona Cardinals in which head coach Todd Bowles lifted the 33-year-old QB for Smith in the fourth quarter.
The Jets have stumbled to a 1-5 record owing in large part to Fitzpatrick's poor play and his tendency to find the other team on his passes. Through six games, Fitzpatrick, coming off a career statistical year in 2015, has thrown five touchdowns against 11 interceptions, six of them coming in one stinker at Kansas City.
The 26-year-old Smith was the Jets starter entering the 2015 season before getting his jaw broken by former teammate IK Enemkpali in a locker room dispute on August 11, 2015.
The Jets have two more QBs on the roster in addition to Smith: 2016 second-round draft pick Christian Hackenberg out of Penn State and their fourth rounder from 2015, Bryce Petty, who is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during the preseason.
The Jets will host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Meanwhile, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, one of Fitzpatrick's biggest supporters, is channeling Michael Jackson.
Update: It's official:
Jets plan to name Geno Smith their new starting QB today, per league sources. https://t.co/rPGMofeLOn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 19, 2016
"We've got to focus on the man in the mirror." -- @BMarshall
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 19, 2016
Sound bites → https://t.co/ukHTeT64su pic.twitter.com/dg7qIKh0qt