Geno Smith Off to a Hot Start; HC Ben Johnson Keeping Starter Close to the Vest
Oct 02, 2026 at 02:30 PM
Eric Allen
Senior Reporter
Heading into their interconference matchup Sunday afternoon in Chicago, both the Jets (1-2) and the Bears (2-1) have good reason to feel confident in their quarterback situations but for far different reasons.
By any measure,
Geno Smith is off to a historically strong start for the Jets and he'll look to remain hot in the Windy City. But nobody outside the Bears' locker room knows who is in line to start for Chicago. Caleb Williams, the Bears QB1, is dealing with a hamstring ailment putting his status is in doubt for Sunday. Backup Tyler Bagent, who cleared concussion protocol late last week, is a talented player who has been a full participant at practice. And Case Keenum, who started an NFL game for the first time in 1,009 days Monday night, was masterful against the Eagles in a 27-7 home rout.
Focused on the Bears
Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich has lauded Smith for his laser-like focus and the Jets' veteran passer, who leads the NFL with a 75.5% completion percentage, quickly turned the page after a 31-24 loss to the Lions in Detroit. In that contest which featured a Smith-led 14-point rally, he became the fourth QB since 2023 with 300-plus passing yards (321), 3+ passing TDs (3), an 80.0% completion percentage (83.8%) and 0 INTS (min. 30 att.)
"I'm focused on the Bears," Smith said. "I'm not really focused on that last game."
While he has not publicly discussed his QB intentions, Bears HC Ben Johnson said "the direction's already been made." The Bears lead the NFL in rushing (184.3 yds/g) and rush yards per play (5.27). Johnson, who was the Lions OC from 2021-24 when Glenn served as Dan Cambpell's DC in Detroit, is confident in all three of his QB options although the decision was likely made between Keenum and Bagent.
"I know all three of them can win ballgames for us," Johnson said.
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Maturation and Command
Smith, whose 110 passer rating this season is highest by a Jets QB through Week 3 in franchise history, is averaging 261 pass yards per game and has 4 TDs and 0 INTs. Last week,
Garrett Wilson (10-107-1TD and rookie
Kenyon Sadiq(7-105-1TD) became just the third WR-TE in franchise history to record 100-plus receiving yards and 1-plus TD in the same game. Smith continues to operate without rookie WR
Omar Cooper Jr. while WR
Adonai Mitchell (finger) and TE
Mason Taylor (thumb) are week-to-week.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said of Smith: "I've talked about this several times on just the maturation that you've seen of him from the time I first got a chance to be with him here and to where he is now, just full understanding of the offense to his full understanding of how defenses are trying to attack us. Him getting us in the right plays at the right time, him setting the protection at the right time, and just really seeing how he's grown as a quarterback in this league has been outstanding. And the leadership qualities that he has and the way he commands the huddle, so being able to work with him in that aspect has been good. Being able to see him work with Frank (Reich) and trying to make sure that we create this offense that we want has been good, and then just overall as a leader of this team has been good."
Not only has Smith been accurate and decisive, but he's also been cold-blooded in the pocket. Against single-high coverage, Smith has registered the second-most yards per attempt (10.3), highest completion percentage (88.9%), and seventh-highest explosive pass rate (20.4%) according to Next Gen Stats. Under DC Dennis Allen, the Bears' defense has lined up in single-high coverages on 60.2% of opposing dropbacks, the eighth-highest rate in the NFL and are allowing a 20.3% explosive pass rate (11th-highest).
highest).
"He's like a statue back in the pocket," said RG
Joe Tippmann of Smith. "It's something people take for granted. The way he's able to move around the pocket and work the pocket. He doesn't bail out of there very often, and as an offensive lineman that's something that we take pride in. To back him up, we have to be able to keep those sacks off and keep the bodies off him, give him the time that he needs to get the ball out."
Smith will take aim at a Chicago which ranks 28th in yards per play (6.08) allowed overall. But in their Monday night win over the Eagles, the Bears held the Philadelphia offense to 248 yards and 22.2% on third down (2-of-9) while collecting three takeaways.
"I think they have some proven guys up front," Smith said. "Starts with Grady Jarrett, Montez Sweat - really good guys up front. Playmaking linebackers, T.J. Edwards and Devin Bush, guys who fly around and make plays around the ball, and then some proven guys on the backend, as well. You've got a young rookie (CB Malik Muhammad out there who's been playing well, so we've got to prepare and get ready for this opponent, and look forward to it, and just get ready day-by-day, and focus in and lock in and go out there and put on a show."
