Jets Will Stick with Struggling Geno

Rex Ryan won't back off his tough talk that Geno Smith is his new "guy."

The now embattled head coach said that Smith would start the Jets next game on Sunday, saying the now universal language of Rex Ryan and his struggling QB's, "He gives us the best chance to win."

Somewhere Mark Sanchez must be jealous.

It is getting harder and harder for Ryan to continue to defend Smith just like it was getting harder for Ryan to defend Sanchez through his mediocre tenure as Jets' quarterback. And time will only tell if Ryan's defense of Smith will cost him his job.

Smith has been woeful. In the month of November, Smith has completed only 39 percent of his passes with zero touchdowns and five interceptions. His 21 turnovers are one of the highest in the league, and he has had the leagues worst passer rating three times this year.

The situation Ryan finds himself in is the same situation he was in the last two years with an underachieving quarterback. Last season Ryan was pushed to make a decision between Sanchez, Tim Tebow and Greg McElory, but he was steadfast in his support of Sanchez until he couldn't take it anymore against the Cardinals and inserted McElory.

Now Ryan's got a new mess. He has an untested rookie in Matt Simms right behind Smith, and oft-injured David Garrard on reserve -- the former Jaguars quarterback who hasn't taken a snap since 2010.  So it's not like Ryan is full of options to choose from at quarterback.

However at this point in the season, the Jets are the least likely of the six 5-6 wild card contenders to make the playoffs, since they already have six conference losses and lost tie-breakers to Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Cincinnati. The Jets play Miami this week, and a loss to the fish will almost certainly finish the Jets off.

So why not just go with Simms and see what he has. The Jets have nothing to lose, and Ryan certainly has nothing to lose at all -- since his job is the one that is on the line. Who knows Simms may light a charge into the Jets?

Perhaps part of the reason Ryan is sticking with Smith has something to do with GM Jon Idzik, who drafted Smith, and wanted Smith to start over Sanchez -- starting a quarterback competition. Perhaps Ryan feels he needs to start Smith in order to keep Idzik happy, and, in return keep his job.

If that's true (again, reading between the lines here) then one has to question Idzik's football smarts here too. Of his three first picks in last year's draft, only Sheldon Richardson has turned into a player his rookie year. Smtih along with cornerback Dee Milliner have been busts.

So it is fair to say while Ryan has failed once again to get this team ready, the failure of Geno Smith -- if he is indeed a lost cause, is Idzik's failure as well.

Both are accountable, but Ryan is the one putting his face on this mess.