It hasn't been an easy season for Geno Smith.
On a team bereft of offensive weapons, the New York Jets rookie quarterback has regressed statistically down the stretch. Still, Sunday's 37-27 win over the Oakland Raiders was encouraging.
Smith threw his first touchdown pass since Week 7 and completed more than 60 percent of his passes for the first time since late October. Asked this week about his improved play, Smith told reporters he's playing looser.
"I think I'd kind of gotten to this zone where I just tried to be way too perfect," Smith said, via the New York Daily News. " ... You're not a robot out there, and at times I was playing like a robot. I was dropping back, five-(step) hitch and throwing it. I know that's the way it's drawn up in the game plan and the way it's supposed to be run, but everything isn't ideal on the field. Sometimes you have to improvise."
Smith has a league-leading 20 interceptions and 24 giveaways on the season, and we affectionately tabbed him the Turnover Droid on a recent podcast. He's on pace for 30 giveaways, which would tie the mark for the fifth-most in a season since 1991.
It wouldn't stun us if New York started over (again) at the position, but Smith deserves another full offseason to develop before the Jets move on. It also would make sense for Gang Green to surround their young passer with some weapons. Rookies and veteran signal-callers alike would struggle with this no-name cast of offensive starters.
We preview "Thursday Night Football" and play another round of "Win Wess' Toaster" on the latest "Around The League Podcast." Listen in, won't you?
