After making an excellent start to the 2015 NFL season, the New York Jets have slipped back into the pack after two straight losses against the Patriots and Raiders, respectively.
The Jets will look to buck that trend against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, but could have to do it with Geno Smith at starting quarterback after Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a torn ligament in his thumb.
As you can imagine, a lot of Jets fans will be worried about Smith starting - even ahead of rookie Bryce Petty - but Brandon Marshall has rushed to the defense of the quarterback.
SIGN UP NOW
Want to become a GMS writer? Sign up now and submit a 250-word test article: https://gms.to/haveyoursay4
Defending Geno
Marshall appeared on Tuesday night's edition of Inside the NFL and he argued with Boomer Esiason who tried to argue that Smith has already shown everyone that he isn't good enough to be a starter in the NFL.
“Now I’m not just going to take this stance because I’m his teammate,” Marshall said, according to NJ.com. “But you take a kid who hasn’t played all year and you throw him in that game, and look what he did."
A Second Chance
Marshall does have a point. After coming in for Fitzpatrick against Oakland, Smith completed 27 of 42 passes for 265 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The wideout would go on to add one thing, just give Geno another chance to show what he can do.
"Can we give a kid, a young kid, a second chance?” he added.
The Jets offense this year is significantly better than the one Smith played in for the past two seasons.
With Chris Ivory looking like a top running back in the NFL, and Marshall and Eric Decker healthy and catching passes all over the field, the Jets look much more dangerous and Geno could finally show what that he has got what it takes.