Great long read:
"Smith, never before around a quarterback with Eli’s resume, can’t wait to play the role.
“I was in there as a rookie [with the Jets] and there was really no one there to mentor us and a lot of things we learned on the fly,” he said. “But just being in the room with Eli for a couple of months you see that there are things within the game that you can kind of manipulate if you know what the defense is doing, certain checks, always knowing the protections and what you need to be on top of. Being prepared for anything.”
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the fact that Smith is "now" seeing that you need to make pre snap reads is mind boggling.
His stories speak more volumes to what you'd expect from a Rex Ryan team. Rex, like his father, didn't give a shit about his offense, he only cared about defense. Which is fine as a DC, not so much as head coach. Buddy Ryan basically tried to win in Philly with Cunningham taking advantage of his athleticism and let the defense get turn overs and score. That crap doesn't win in the playoffs and it's why Buddy never won with the Eagles. Geno wasn't nearly the athlete like Randall, but Rex left him alone all the same. No shock, the Giants co-tenants are an organizational joke.
Now he's with a stable, strong organization, an offense-minded coach and a QB ahead of him who's been groomed for the role since childhood.
Geno should be better just for learning the analytical side of the game from Eli, and MUCH better in a year or two if he sticks around the Giants that long. Could he be good enough to beat out Davis Webb as Eli's eventual successor? It'd be a shock, but it's not impossible.