Smith stepped up with pressure on to deliver.
The New York Jets stunned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a last gasp field goal to secure an 18-17 win at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
With the clock running down at the end of the fourth quarter, the rookie quarterback took off down the sideline and ran out of bounds, only for Lavonte David to commit a personal foul after shoving him while out of bounds.
That handed Nick Folk the chance to win the game with a 48-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining, and he didn’t disappoint as the Jets sealed a memorable 18-17 win to get their season off to a winning start.
“I just went out there and told those guys it’s never over,” Smith said after the game as quoted by ESPN.
“I love playing with a team like this because you don’t have to go out there and try to be Superman. You just go out there and just play football, execute and be smart with the ball,” he added.
With Mark Sanchez out with a shoulder injury, the 22-year-old grabbed the opportunity to start with both hands as he looks to establish himself as the number one quarterback at the franchise this season.
Aside from a fumble which led to a score and an interception almost immediately after, Smith was mostly solid as he went 24 of 38 for 256 yards, with a touchdown pass to Kellen Winslow proceeding his late heroics.
However, while the late drama certainly added entertainment value to the game itself, Jets coach Rex Ryan was delighted with the resilience his team showed.
Click here for highlights from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs the New York Jets.
COMMENTS