Geno Smith’s second act with the New York Jets has been nothing short of historic.
“As far as I can tell, Geno Smith is the first Jets QB to EVER open the first three games of a season with 700+ passing yards 4+ TDs 0 interceptions 70% completions Still true if you drop the passing yard total down to 500 and completion percentage to 65. Removing INTs from the equation, only QBs to hit the 700/4/70 marks in their first three games: Ken O’Brien (1987), Boomer Esiason (1993) and Chad Pennington (2006). In terms of EPA per dropback, Smith has the best three-game start to a season (0.17) since Chad Pennington in 2007 (0.32),” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic posted.
Smith hasn’t received much national recognition for his efforts because of the Jets’ 1-2 record through the first three weeks of the season. However, he deserves more flowers for the level of quarterback play he has delivered.
More Impressive Smith Stats
According to Pro Football Focus, Smith leads the league in completion percentage (75.5%) through the first three weeks of the 2026 season.
Drew Brees set the NFL single-season completion percentage record (74.4%) at the age of 39 for the New Orleans Saints during the 2018 season.
During Smith’s first act of his NFL career, he struggled mightily with accuracy. However, when he reemerged as a full-time starter in 2022, Smith was a new man.
Since 2022, Smith has started 67 NFL games. During that most recent stretch, he has had an average completion percentage of 69.5% in those games.
Bluntly, the Jets have never witnessed this level of quarterback play.
Smith also has the fourth-highest passer rating of any QB through the first three games of the season (per PFF):
- Brock Purdy (133.1)
- Jared Goff (116.1)
- Lamar Jackson (113.1)
- Geno Smith (110.0)
- Patrick Mahomes (108.9)
The Offense Can Clearly Take Another Massive Jump
Gang Green has put up some solid offensive numbers (per ESPN):
- 329 total offensive yards per game (13th in the NFL)
- 236.7 passing yards per game (11th in the NFL)
- 21.3 points per game (17th in the NFL)
In a general sense, they’re an average offense through the first three weeks of the season. To most people, that would be unimpressive, but to Jets fans it reveals massive improvement.
For context, in those same three categories, the Jets were a bottom-of-the-barrel offense in 2025 (per ESPN):
- 263.6 total offensive yards per game (29th in the NFL)
- 140.3 passing yards per game (32nd in the NFL)
- 17.6 points per game (29th in the NFL)
There is a night and day difference. The good news is there is still plenty more meat left on the bone for the Jets.
The team is missing pass catchers Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr, and Mason Taylor. Kenyon Sadiq had his coming-out party in Week 3, but he is only scratching the surface of his potential. Frank Reich is establishing his identity and will only get more comfortable as we get deeper into the season.
In other words, this Jets offense is only going to get better from here. A scary thought for the rest of the league.
QB Geno Smith Is off to a Historic Start for Jets