Like several other teams, the Jets haven’t named a starting quarterback for Week One. Unlike other teams without a starting quarterback, the Jets have a large and aggressive local media constantly covering the issue.
On Monday, the two contenders had yet another chance to answer questions about a competition that, in the opinion of the incumbent, may not last much longer.
“I think we’re coming down the stretch here, so I’m sure a decision will be made here soon,” Mark Sanchez said, via quotes distributed by the team. “Other than that, I don’t know.”
Sanchez does know that, in his opinion, he’s “definitely” had the best training camp of his career. But he says he’s not bothered by his uncertain status.
“I don’t care,” Sanchez said. “I really don’t. I’ve competed my whole life and I’m ready to play.”
The other contender, Geno Smith, remains optimistic that he can win the job despite missing the second preseason game due to a sprained ankle.
“I just have to go out there and execute,” Smith said, “do what I’m told, do what I’m coached to do, go out there [and] run the plays to the best of my ability, make sound reads, be good with my footwork [and] just prove to the coaches and teammates that, hey, I belong here.”
Smith, who said his ankle is feeling much better, said he doesn’t believe that the decision rides on the outcome of the third preseason game.
“No, I don’t think so,” Smith said. “Not one game. They’ve been evaluating me since I’ve been here and I don’t think one or two games will be able to tell you exactly where I am because it’s still early in my career. It’s about learning and I have a lot of learning to do, so every single rep that I get is going to be vital for my success in the future. [Marty Mornhinweg is] going to evaluate me and he has been doing so already every single day in practice and it’s only going to get better for me because I get to become more comfortable and just get more snaps in the game in live action and that helps out a lot.”
It’s looking like Smith will indeed get a chance to prove in the third preseason game that he should start the regular-season opener. While he declined to apply a percentage to his health, he said he could play if the game were tomorrow.
Soon enough, we’ll find out if the team’s presumed quarterback of tomorrow ends up being the starter of today.