Jets Loss Revives A Frustrating Geno Smith Debate

Despite a disappointing loss to the Dolphins, Geno Smith's solid performance offers a glimmer of hope for the Jets' struggling offense.

The Jets left Sunday with another loss, but Geno Smith still came away looking like one of the few bright spots in the matchup with Miami.

New York dropped its home game to the Dolphins, and the defeat pushed the Jets to 2-5 on the season. Even so, this hasn’t been a team getting blown off the field every week. The issue has been execution in the big moments, with New York repeatedly finding itself in position to win before things slip away.

Smith did his part against Miami. He threw for 287 yards, added three touchdowns and was picked off once, a line that earned him a “B-” quarterback grade from NFL analyst Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report. The interception wasn’t ideal, and Smith now has two picks on the season, with both coming over the last two weeks, but the overall body of work has been better than many expected.

Through the year, Smith has piled up 1,623 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and only those two interceptions. The problem for the Jets is that those numbers haven’t turned into wins, and that’s the only currency that really matters here.

The passing game also came with some tension, especially around Garrett Wilson. The star receiver was held to two catches for 26 yards and clearly wasn’t pleased. Miami did a solid job of taking him away, which forced Smith to spread the ball around elsewhere.

That said, Smith still has to find a way to get Wilson more involved without forcing throws that can turn into easy turnovers for the defense.

The Jets get another shot to straighten things out next week at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. After a rough start to the season, New York needs to stop the slide before the whole thing starts to unravel.

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