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          New York Jets

          Michael Vick isn't Jets' savior, but switch had to be made

          • Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterOct 27, 2014, 09:03 PM
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              Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
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          FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A few thoughts on the New York Jets' decision to bench Geno Smith in favor of Michael Vick:

          1. A no-brainer: It had to be done. Smith was utterly hopeless Sunday, throwing three interceptions in rapid-fire succession. His support in the locker room has waned to the point where coach Rex Ryan would have had a credibility issue if he had decided to stick with the struggling Smith. Vick won't save the season -- too late -- but he can help them save some face.

          2. Who made the call? General manager John Idzik is a Smith guy, we all know that, so this leads you to believe that Ryan prevailed over his boss. This isn't to suggest that Ryan has given up on Smith, but in the world of the head coach, it's a win-now mentality. Ryan probably can't win enough to save his job, but he can at least salvage some pride over the second half of the season. Another thought: Maybe Idzik, recognizing the obvious, has lost faith in Smith.

          3. Geno's future: You can never say a player is done with a team, because strange things happen in the NFL, but Smith's long-term prospects in New York are bleak. The Jets can't commit to him as their long-term quarterback; he simply hasn't shown enough, not even close. Chances are, there will be a new head coach, and he will want to start fresh with his own quarterback.

          4. Another quarterback bust: Add Smith to the long list of the Jets' quarterback failures. They have been trying for nearly a half-century to find the next Joe Namath, and they have recorded more strikeouts than Dave Kingman. Smith contributed to his own demise by unraveling in recent weeks, cursing a fan and missing a team meeting. He could write a book: How Not to Survive in New York as a Starting Quarterback.

          5. What took so long? The Jets should have made the change three weeks ago, letting Vick start against the Denver Broncos -- when the season still could be salvaged. At that point, the Jets were 1-4. Because of sheer stubbornness, not to mention their inability to correctly evaluate talent, the Jets stuck with Smith past his expiration point. It underscored the belief that Idzik's priority was developing Smith, not winning in 2014. It doesn't say much for Idzik's football acumen or his vision for the franchise.