FanPost

Ryan Fitzpatrick is not who you think he is.

Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Even though as time goes on it's obvious that Ryan Fitzpatrick was not signed by the New York Jets to compete for a starting job a segment of the fan base has been calling for Fitzpatrick to compete with Geno Smith for the starting job at quarter back. Geno Smith will go into the 2015 season as the starting quarterback, and unless he is injured or is a complete failure during the season, Ryan Fitzpatrick will not see the field besides in "mop up" duty. Let me set the fan base straight, Ryan Fitzpatrick is not the short term or long term answer at quarter back.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has the season of his life last year before his season was shortened by a broken leg mid December of 2014. Up until that point, he completed 63.1 percent of his passes, and tossed 17 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. If you compare that to the rest of 9 year career, you will see that this year is unlike any year he has ever had, having a QB rating 12 points higher then his next highest season. His stats were also skewed by his six touchdown performance over the titans.

Geno Smith, on the other hand, has developed statically at a rate that is much greater then Ryan Fitzpatrick ever has. Geno Smith's 77.5 QB rating from 2014 is just two points behind Fitzpatrick's career QB rating. Ryan did not cross Geno's mark from 2014 until his 4th season with significant playing time (5th year in the league). The statistics say that they are more alike then people think, and Geno has a greater potential to continue to improve. When Geno was drafted, the Jets believed it would take him a year or two before he was even ready to quarter back a team, and was thrown to the wolves because of an injury to starter Mark Sanchez.

Fitzpatrick also regressed in the middle of his career. After he signed a big contract with Buffalo and his stock appeared up, he threw 23 interceptions in 2011, constantly forcing the ball into traffic. Ryan also turned the ball over via fumble 5 times that season. The Bills were 6-10 that seasons, starting off 5-2 before Fitzpatrick became unhinged , and they finished 1-8 in their last nine games, very similar to Geno Smith's start last year. The difference is, again, this was Fitzpatrick's 5th season with significant playing time, not his second.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has in no way proved to be a high caliber NFL starting quarter back by having one terrific season so late in his career. He has had his chances, and has shown over the long haul, he is an average quarter back at best, who's career QB rating is only two points ahead of what people call Geno's disastrous last season. I'm afraid that for all the Jets fans calling for Fitzpatrick to start, the season will already be over if you get your wish.

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