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The Jets have announced that Mark Sanchez will start at quarterback against the Jaguars.
QB decision made for this weekend: Mark Sanchez will start vs. Jacksonville.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 15, 2013
One would assume this is an indication Geno Smith will not play. Smith has been attempting to give it a go on a bad ankle this week in practice. Results have been mixed. It is one thing to send a guy out there in practice where the team can control the situation and prevent the quarterback from getting hit and injured further. There are no such guarantees in a preseason game so it is probably pragmatic to shut him down if there is any kind of risk.
Hopefully Smith not playing will extend the competition. Normally teams like to have a starter named by the third preseason game. The first team works together into the third quarter and then sits out the finale to stay fresh. Making the right choice is more important than sticking with a conventional schedule. Geno should have a fair chance to win this job.