Jets' QB Controversy Has Far-Reaching Long-Term Ramifications

Just eight games into the 2014 season, the New York Jets' tombstone is already being fashioned. Who lies underneath has yet to be determined.

While the quarterback position is far from the only one to blame, the brunt of the onus will certainly fall on Geno Smith.

At this point, it no longer matters why Smith has been one of the league's worst QBs this season. The abysmal play of the signal-caller, and the quarterback controversy that has resulted, could be a bitter end of an era in New York.

Not just the Smith era, either. There could be enough collateral damage to make even Arnold Schwarzenegger jealous. Head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik could be in the crosshairs of the potential backlash. 

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Before the Jets can worry about the offseason fallout, they must first worry about finding their path for the remainder of the regular season. There may be no "right answer" between Smith and backup quarterback Michael Vick, but the Jets have a few things to consider regarding the position for the remainder of the year.

First, they must consider their long-term future at the game's most important position—regardless of the fact that Vick will start against the Kansas City Chiefs.

It's pretty clear, at this stage, that neither Smith nor Vick is the quarterback of the future.

At 34 years old, though, how much does Vick have left in the tank? Would they even consider keeping him beyond the 2014 season? At least Smith could be evaluated for the remainder of the year as the potential backup to whoever is the Jets' next starting quarterback.

Second, the Jets must take into account the feeling in the locker room—a feeling that Smith is not the man for the job, and the potential that the players could revolt or morale could be affected by the team failing to hold Smith accountable for making mistakes week after week.

"We're not a bad football team," Jets wide receiver Eric Decker said, via Darryl Slater of NJ.com. "We just do stupid stuff. It's something that, at this point, it's frustrating. ... When you turn the ball over so much, when you have penalties, when you just do stupid stuff, you're never going to win a football game."

Decker wasn't talking specifically about Smith and/or Vick, but his words certainly apply to both of them.

The Jets may be forced to make a change, if only to prevent the team from entering complete turmoil. Even if switching to Vick would be a lateral move rather than a step forward, the Jets can't willfully blind themselves to the ineptitude of their current signal-caller. Any other player might find himself on the bench for making half as many mistakes as Geno has made this season.

Player	Games	Comp %	YPA	TD	INT	Rate	Fum	Total TO
Geno Smith	24	55.9	6.5	19	31	66.2	14	37
Michael Vick	13	52.3	7.2	5	4	75.6	8	8

A 1-7 record is nearly insurmountable, at this point, but the players and coaches still need to show their worth over the remainder of the year. That can't happen with quarterback play that continues below sea level.

There's no evidence to suggest that Vick would turn the season around, but Smith's benching appears imminent, so the question must be asked: What would the future hold for Smith if he were sent to the bench?

Smith is a former second-round pick, once billed as the best quarterback of the 2013 draft class—a class that wasn't exactly loaded at the position, mind you. His NFL future may not be over, but his future with the Jets may very well be carved in cement—his butt cheeks may be cemented to the bench the moment he sits on the cold metal and cedes his role as the starter. 

No matter what happens with Smith or Vick, their head coach will most certainly be one of those buried six feet under this offseason. Ryan deserves an Academy Award for his comments on Smith after the quarterback had multiple turnovers for the 12th time in his 24-game career Sunday against the Bills, a 43-23 loss.

"I believe he has the ability," Ryan said. "He has some mental toughness. It's just a matter of time."

A matter of time before what? Before Ryan has to watch as his team's season goes down the tubes thanks to poor play at the quarterback position for the fourth straight year?

The Jets are 15-25 since their three-game tailspin that resulted in them missing the playoffs in 2011 for the first time under Ryan. That's one of the six worst records in football in that span. The five teams with worse records have all fired their head coaches recently. If accountability will apply to the quarterback position, it should also apply to the head coach.

Will it also apply to Idzik? The general manager took over an aging, depth-depleted roster in 2013, and he's had 20 months to clean it up. His drafts have bottomed out, but he has had to fend for himself in finding depth with youth following a regime that built a top-heavy, veteran-loaded roster.

The blame for Idzik is misplaced. He whiffed on the quarterback, the most important position on the roster, but he's only had one real crack at it so far. The Jets will probably be in the market for a new signal-caller this offseason, so he would essentially get a mulligan there.

It may also be easier to evaluate the quarterback if the offensive line play weren't so dreadful. Smith has been pressured on 42.6 percent of his dropbacks, third-most in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Their running game averages 4.7 yards per carry, thanks in large part to the bulldozing ability of running back Chris Ivory, who averages 2.92 yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus.

Idzik's inaction at cornerback is curious, however, as the Jets had plenty of opportunities—and plenty of cash—to add talent in free agency, yet failed to do so. 

Idzik has been criticized for his lack of spending this year, but thanks to his frugal decision-making, the Jets have more than $14 million in cap space that they can roll over into next year, according to sports contracts website Spotrac. If Idzik again fails to spend to the cap, guess what? They can roll over the remaining space into the following year.

That's plenty of time and cash to make changes. With the roster Idzik was handed, he should get at least one more chance to improve the roster. Two years simply is not long enough to say he is or isn't the man for the job. 

For Smith, however, that may be all the Jets need to see before they turn the page. For Ryan, the sample size is much larger. 

Regardless of what happens for the rest of this season, heads will likely roll when it is over. Soon enough, we'll know to whom those heads belong.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release.