Projecting the New York Jets' September Schedule

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When the offseason started, the Jets came out of the gates hot. They brought in numerous free agents to bolster their defense, mainly their secondary, and made smart, balanced draft picks that were lauded by fans and analysts alike.

When training camp started, the positivity continued. Geno Smith was taking care of the football and everything else was falling into place, as it does when your projected starting quarterback takes a step – or three – forward.

It was too good to be true.

A week removed from Smith being punched in the face by former Jet and current Buffalo Bill IK Enemkpali, the drama of yesteryear is still pervasive at MetLife Stadium. Drama that was supposed to leave with Rex Ryan and John Idzik. Players are still talking about it, and Smith is throwing shirtless in his driveway. Good times.

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Brandon Marshall's play highlights Jets' Green and White practice

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The big news for some coming out of the Jets’ Green and White practice Saturday were the boos showered on Geno Smith early in the 11-on-11 scrimmage. While there’s no reason to dissect the reason for the booing – Smith was a bit shaky on the first team’s initial two possessions, but nothing worthy of that reaction – there was plenty to break down otherwise. Just understand that without the players going full contact, it was tough to judge the offensive line and the defensive front seven.

Offense

The big takeaway on the offensive side of the ball was the impact Brandon Marshall is set to have on this Jets’ offense. Living with Smith to build chemistry has paid early dividends for the pair, as Smith already trusts Marshall to be where he should on the field and recognizes Marshall’s ability to use his 6-4, 230-pound frame to box out defenders and get open without creating separation.

Marshall’s first TD catch was a thing of beauty from 35 yards out, as the receiver ran a fly down the left sideline against tight coverage from Antonio Cromartie. Smith, showing excellent trust in Marshall, lofted a back-shoulder ball to the goal line, and Marshall stopped his route to pluck the pass from the air, leaving Cromartie defenseless to keep points off the board.

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Geno Smith's Hot Start to Camp a Welcome Development

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In the 28 months since Geno Smith was drafted by the Jets, there hasn’t been much positive spin attached to his name when it’s been in the news. Smith’s consistent struggles, whether in training camp, practice or under the bright lights of the regular season, lead most non-Jets fans - and many actual Jets fans – to believe the third-year signal caller is just playing out the string as a starter before being replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick.

This makes Monday’s news that Smith has yet to throw an interception through four days of training camp, well, newsworthy. It’s not often that early-camp stories about a quarterback’s success in 7-on-7 drills deserve attention, but Smith has usually found himself on the other side of the ledger in the first week of training camp, struggling to diagnose blitz packages and turning the ball over in situations built to avoid giveaways.

Many of Smith’s critics refuse to look at any positives when it comes to the embattled quarterback, instead sticking to the mainstream narrative that he’s overmatched as an NFL starter and will soon be relegated to backup duties. Contrary to popular belief, however, Smith has a chance to excel this season and getting off to a good start in training camp is just one of a few reasons why.

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