Again, its not remotely the same as Stroud because Stroud fell off in multiple categories or was in the bottom 3rd of the league in stats that go beyond tds and ints to indicate how well a qb is playing.
Geno has not fallen off statistically in any of those categories EXCEPT explosive plays, deep balls and TDs. If you want to make the argument that opposing defenses have figured him out, why is he MORE accurate now than in 2022? He posted career bests in completion percentage, yards, accuracy and is still near the best throwers in completing difficult passes. Those stats would DECREASE if he was 'figured out' as Stroud to a degree has struggled through being this year.
So then you look at the OC who was just fired and compare just his scheme vs Waldrons. Grubb lived off of explosve plays. Its known. Its everything his offense was about. Defenses quite simply took that option away from him and forced him to work an aspect of his offense that he hadn't developed, let alone refined to deal with the realities of the NFL. And as a result, wr became a team who trailed the league in explosive plays when prior to, Geno Smith was top 5 and top 10 in deep ball passing. Did Geno get solved or was the offense deficient?
Same with taking care of the ball in the redzone. Prior to Grubb, Geno went 33TD and 2 INts in the redzone. With Grubb, 13Tds and 4 Ints. What about Genos prior outstanding TD ratio in the RZ, his accuracy, quick release of the ball and ability to complete difficult throws (all outstanding traits still in 2024) leads you to believe its Geno who is the issue with us not being able to score when we are inside the 20?
And as to his age, like i said before, he has thrown about the same number of career passes as Joe Burrow. His arm doesnt have the age of a typical 35 YO qb, so why would i apply typical logic and assume that a qb at his age is bound to start dropping off physically when his arm hasnt seen anywhere near the wear that a 13 year vet should. Nor has he taken the hits that a 13 year vet normally would. Geno, as vet qbs go, is an outlier. But instead of looking at him and saying - 'wow, the dude has shown he can be lead league leading in multiple categories when he has just an ok coordinator and ok running attack (2022) and that he is in an almost unattainable sweet spot where he his experience is peaking the way you'd assume a 13 year vet would, but his body is several seasons younger... lets see what he can do if we actually get him help...' , all their is from the 'other side' are chants of him being a bridge and no more. And to that, I agree to a degree because he is a 13 year vet and at some point wear and tear catch-up to you. But his shelf life is NOT that of a typical qb, so thinking he can play solid ball 3 years isnt at all crazy. This situation is just different.
You still never explain why you think he will be worse when he has NEVER had good protection. He has NEVER had a good coordinator. He has NEVER had a formidable running game to lean on. If he is STILL deadly accurate and can be league leading in completing passes, completing them under pressure, be one of the better players in least turnover worthy plays rate. Yes. One of the better players. Granted, this graphic is from around week 10, but Geno got better, not worse.
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Why would he get worse or no better if all of those other areas improved? Especially since he WAS already better BEFORE the last coordinator, who was unceremoniously canned for sucking at his job.
Even Mac has come out and said one of the key traits he wants from the next OC is a guy who can help the QB play fast and smart. If you asked me after a breakup (i left her because it wasnt working) what i wanted in my next GF and i said 'someone who is in great shape and is worldly' if i had gone to great lengths to NOT talk badly about my ex, its pretty easy to read between the lines and infer that what i want now is not what i had before, and that i see that more clearly now. But thats not just seeing what you want to see with respect to Macs comments about Grubb. It is LITERALLY the area in which Grubb was most deficient in 2024 - understanding NFL defenses and adapting a gameplan that helped the qb play the game quickly, because he had options at his disposal to attack or overcome a defense. Geno had few tools - no running game, no deception in scheme, no designed achematic advantage, no reliable blocking. Thats ALL Grubb. Its not Geno.
Geno wasnt perfect. Geno made mistakes . Geno threw interceptions and took sacks. But it is beyond obvious that the offense wasnt going anywhere this year and that Grubb was one and done for how backwards the scheme was.
Fix the coordinator. Get a running game. Get better blocking. Geno will be better, not worse. He was already top 10ish with Waldron and Waldron cant even coordinate an offense.