If you’re wondering who has the edge in the Jets’ quarterback competition between Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith, don’t ask the head coach.
Rex Ryan, who has taken over duties running the defense this season, apparently wasn’t too interested in watching his signal-callers perform during New York’s preseason-opening 26-17 loss to the Lions on Friday night. Sanchez started the game and threw a pick-six to Detroit rookie Ziggy Ansah on the Jets’ fourth offensive play of the game, but don’t ask Ryan for the details.
“I never saw it,” Ryan said after the game, according to ESPN. “I caught the tail end of it.”
Then, asked to assess Smith’s performance, Ryan answered with more uncertainty.
“I had my own issues on the other side, so I never really focused a whole lot while he was in there,” Ryan said. “We’ll see it on tape. You probably saw more plays than I did.”
If you’re still wondering, Sanchez went on to have a decent game. He finished 10-for-13 for 125 yards, one touchdown and the pick, while Smith went 6-for-7 for 47 yards before he left the game with some soreness in his ankle. Outside of Sanchez’s interception, neither quarterback really did much to hurt their chances of being the starter.
However, Ryan’s admission is stunning, if not predictable. In the future, it would probably be in his best interests to start paying attention to arguably the team’s biggest problem, or he may have some more of those “issues” he was talking about Friday.
