Pat’s Geno Smith red-zone argument in his November 12, 2026 video starts with a distinction: keeping the veteran quarterback could help the Jets evaluate their young offensive players, while fixing the play calling remained a separate job. He supported keeping Smith and directed his frustration at Frank Reich’s handling of scoring opportunities.
Why Pat wanted Geno as the bridge
Pat’s case centered on what the Jets could learn about the players around Smith. In his view, a veteran who understood the offense and could deliver the ball on time gave the line, receivers and running game a more useful evaluation environment. He wanted to see those players operate without the quarterback position obscuring every other question.
That led to his preference for Smith as a bridge to a future rookie. Pat wanted a young quarterback to have time to watch the preparation, meetings and daily work before taking over. His proposed succession was a preference for how the Jets should develop the position.
The Jets’ November 12 account of Smith’s routine offered a concrete example of that daily influence: Cade Klubnik had embraced and emulated his weight-room routine.
For the earlier outlook, revisit our preseason expectations for Smith. The broader roster-building case belongs in our separate post-deadline analysis of keeping the core.
Where the red-zone criticism lands
Pat’s complaint about Reich was specific: he believed the offense’s play calling became less effective as the field compressed near the goal line. He wanted better answers for tighter throwing windows and more effective adjustments when defenses countered the initial plan.
In that discussion, moving the ball did not satisfy him if the possession ended without a touchdown. His argument placed the responsibility for creating better scoring opportunities on Reich rather than treating a quarterback change as the solution. Our separate Jets vs. Bills preview applies the finishing-drives question to that matchup.
Watch the November 12 discussion
Watch Pat’s full November 12 video for his case for the veteran bridge and his red-zone critique. The question he leaves viewers with is whether they would want Smith starting ahead of a future rookie, giving that quarterback time to learn before taking the job.