Having played just five games in his career, QB Geno Smith can already check quite a few things off of his NFL bucket list. Win on the road? Check. Win a primetime game? Check. Go 60 minutes without a turnover? Check. Lead a come-from-behind game-winning drive? Check.
This Friday, the second-round rookie has a chance to check off a couple more boxes.
Smith has been nominated for two NFL individual awards: thePepsi Next NFL Rookie of the Week and the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week, following the Jets' 30-28 Monday night triumph in Atlanta.
Down, 28-27, with 1:54 remaining, the rookie looked more like a seasoned veteran as he executed the two-minute drill to perfection, completing all four of his pass attempts on the drive and setting up a 43-yard Nick Folk game-winning field goal to stun the Falcons.
"As soon as our offense got the ball," head coach Rex Ryan said, "there wasn't one guy on that sideline who didn't think we were going to win the game."
Smith became the first rookie in the Super Bowl era to complete 80 percent of his passes (16-for-20) en route to three touchdown passes and no interceptions. He compiled 199 yards through the air and added 21 more yards on the ground.
It's his second Pepsi Next NFL Rookie of the Week nomination in three weeks, after he also received a nomination following his 331-yard passing performance in the Jets' 27-20 Week 3 win over Buffalo. This week's nominees include Green Bay's Eddie Lacy, Arizona's Tyrann Mathieu, St. Louis' Zac Stacy and Dallas' Terrance Williams.
As for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week, Geno Smith's in some pretty good company going up against quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. The award recognizes perseverance and determination, something that Smith and the Jets showed plenty of in rallying from behind to pull out the primetime road win. Fans have until 3 p.m. Friday to vote here for Pepsi Next NFL Rookie of the Week award and here for the GMC Never Say Never award.
