Michael Vick Needs to Take over for Jets with Geno Smith Struggling

Let's be honest, neither quarterback for the New York Jets looked great on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. Geno Smith scuffled in the first half before being replaced by Michael Vick. The veteran signal-caller then led the team to zero scoring drives in a 31-0 loss.

While neither looked promising, Vick is the quarterback who should be taking the reins for the Jets. But even after another disappointing showing from Smith, head coach Rex Ryan noted the second-year quarterback will remain under center, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com:

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I'm going with Geno Smith. This wasn't on him. He wasn't the guy out there blocking or blowing assignments or doing whatever. It's not on one player. It's on one individual, and that's me. Geno will be our quarterback next week. That's just the way it is. ...

We do have a good player in Michael Vick, but it could've been Joe Namath and it wouldn't have made any difference.

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Smith might still be the future in New York, but the team is in desperate need of change. In order for Ryan to instill any confidence in the fans, switching to Vick is a crucial component.

The Jets are currently dealing with four straight losses—including the blowout loss to the Chargers—and a daunting upcoming schedule. In a span of five days, New York hosts the Denver Broncos then hits the road to take on the resurgent New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.

But who's to say Vick will produce better results for the Jets? Will Brinson of CBS Sports provides a look at the drive chart for the entire game on Sunday:

That type of performance isn't going to get it done against any NFL team, much less the offenses of the Broncos or Patriots. If there's one glimmer of hope, it's the 108 yards gained in the final two drives for Vick, albeit in garbage time.

For the Jets, the facts are simple: Smith simply hasn't gotten the job done, and something needs to be changed. It's more than just Smith, as Ryan notes, but the leader has to be depended upon, something New York can't do after four touchdowns and six interceptions.

Ron Antonelli/Getty Images

Along with his inconsistency during games, he's recently been under fire for transgressions off the field. He was fined $12,000 for cursing at a fan. On Saturday, Smith skipped a team meeting, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

Smith has also completed just 58.1 percent of his passes, with his only performance of over 61 percent coming against the Oakland Raiders (82.1). He was also peeved when asked about the potential of Vick taking over, per Mehta:

Not all of the blame should be placed on Ryan or Smith, especially with a woeful secondary and less-than-potent receiving corps. But in a year where nothing is guaranteed for Ryan, the time is now to put Vick under center.

Cimini has already brought up the topic of Ryan's job being in question again, going so far as to write "End of Rex." His faith in Smith is one thing, but having a veteran quarterback under center might help provide a sliver of job security.

Vick might not lead the team to a win against the Broncos or Patriots, but getting reps should make him a viable option against the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. Denver and New England are tough tests, but they present chances for Vick to gain footing in the offense before playing winnable games.

Putting it simply, this is more about what Smith can't do than what Vick still can. Equipped with a record of 60-51-1, Vick should be given the chance to help turn around the franchise in some capacity. He certainly won't be a savior, but he could offer some hope for the 2014 season.

Can Vick definitely get the job done? That's to be determined. But with it becoming clear that Smith simply can't yet, Vick should be handed the keys to the Jets' scuffling offense.

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