Geno Smith Sees Backup Role As Opportunity to Grow

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith told The New York Post on Nov. 11 that his demotion to the backup role is an opportunity to grow and learn.

Geno Smith is taking his demotion to backup quarterback in stride. 

Smith told The New York Post’s Mark Cannizzaro on Nov. 11 that his current situation is an opportunity for him to grow and learn as a player:

“When the Jets return from their bye week and play the Bills on Nov. 23, Geno Smith will be three games into his banishment to the sidelines in favor of veteran Michael Vick.

“Will Smith get another chance this season to prove he is the franchise quarterback the Jets hoped he would be?

“‘I’m 24 years old…that’s yet to be seen,’ Smith said Tuesday. ‘As for my position right now [on the bench], I’m still growing and learning so I’m trying to use this to my advantage. It’s the situation I’m in and I’ve just got to deal with it.’

“Asked if watching from the sidelines is helping him, he said, ‘It’s got to help me. I’ve got to use it to my advantage and that’s what I’m trying to do right now. I’m taking mental reps and seeking how [I] would do things [I] had been in there physically.’

“Asked if he thinks he will get another chance to play this season, Smith said, ‘I take it week by week. That’s up to the coaches. Right now, I’m just handling this the best way I can. I don’t want to look too far down the line. That’s how I stay focused that way.’

“Jets quarterbacks coach David Lee said Smith has ‘dealt with’ the benching ‘really well.’

“‘I saw a real serious guy that was ready to go last week,’ Lee said. ‘I asked him, ‘Hey, you’re one play away from this whole thing landing in your lap again. Are you ready?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I’m ready coach, put me in, I’m ready.”

“Asked if he thinks Smith can still be a franchise quarterback, Lee said, ‘Yeah, he is still in the hunt. He still has good skills. He has a really good throwing motion. He has a good release. He can run, he can move [and] he is athletic. He has a great future.’

“As to whether the future will include playing for the Jets again this season, Lee said, ‘Geno’s a play away from playing the second play of the game at Buffalo.'”

George R. R. Martin is NOT a Geno Smith fan! Tweet us other athletes who should be banished to the wall #SINow pic.twitter.com/erUWIVZOE4— SI Now (@SInowLIVE) November 12, 2014

For his part, “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin wrote a blog in the aftermath of the Jets’ 20-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 9. He felt the Jets would have done better this season had they started Michael Vick from Day One. Martin also expressed his dis/4/over how the New York Giants‘ season has gone:

“I can bemoan that later, however. For the moment, I will enjoy the win, and wonder what might have happened if Rex had only benched Geno Smith earlier (I was distressed to see Geno back as second string, and Matt Simms inactive. Simms showed more in his brief appearance last week than Geno has all season). Some good play there by Percy Harvin, (Eric) Decker, and Chris Ivory. And the D line. Gang Green DOES have some good players, if only they could get a quarterback.

“The (New York) Giants game started off promisingly as well. Big Blue gave the world champs all they could handle in the first half, and even the lead at certain points…but they couldn’t stop the Seattle (Seahawks) running game. Marshawn Lynch is a beast, the kind of RB I love and wish we had, and Seattle’s elusive QB Russell Wilson fooling the Giants’ D with fake handoffs and scampering around end for ten or twenty yards before any of the Giants even realized he still had the ball. ‘Get him,’ I kept shouting, ‘he’s right there, get him, get him, get him.’ But they didn’t.  

“Still, the Giants held in there for three quarters, and were about to take the lead again when a long bomb from Eli caromed off Odell Beckham’s hands to a Seahawk DB for a freak interception. After that things fell apart quickly. The last ten minutes of the game were ugly. 

“The season is over for the Giants as well, alas. Their record is slightly better than the Jets’, but not enough to make a difference.

“Sigh. 

“(And yes, for those who will ask, I will continue to watch, week after bloody week. A true fan remains a fan in defeat as well as victory)”

Smith has thrown for 4,416 yards, 19 touchdowns and 31 interceptions on a 66.2 passer rating in 24 career regular-season games for the New York Jets, per ESPN stats.

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