Maybe it’s this particular week on the calendar. Maybe it’s the opponent.
Whatever it is, the annual week of the Jets’ preseason game against the Giants seems to bring out a full moon for Jets coach Rex Ryan, because his behavior with regard to his quarterbacks turns peculiarly curious.
A year ago, Ryan famously inserted Mark Sanchez into the fourth quarter of the Giants game behind a third-string offensive line and wrecked his season when Sanchez had his right shoulder smashed on a hit.
So here we are again, a year later. When the Jets play the Giants on Friday night at MetLife Stadium, with Sanchez now in Philadelphia, Geno Smith, who was battling Sanchez for the job last season, is unquestionably the Jets’ starting quarterback now.
Or is he?
Smith, after starting all 16 games in his rookie year in 2013, has taken more than three-quarters of the snaps in mini-camp and training camp practices, has started the first two preseason games, and is slated to start Friday against the Giants and play with the starters into the second half.
So he is the starting quarterback Week 1 against the Raiders, right?
“When we think it’s the right time, we’ll tell you,’’ Ryan said Tuesday.
And so began what has become a rather comical, if unnecessary, back-and-forth between Ryan and reporters — reporters who know damn well Smith is the starter and Michael Vick is the backup, even though Ryan refuses to announce it.
This has become a whimsical imaginary board game Ryan is playing, hiding the pieces from everyone else so only he can play.
Maybe Ryan always fantasized about being one of those three-card Monte scammers bilking clueless tourists in Times Square and now he is living it out.
If Ryan’s reticence to name his starting quarterback is a directive from general manager John Idzik in an effort to pander to Idzik’s “competition at all positions’’ mantra, it is a ridiculous one.
Because if you were to ask Ryan or Idzik who the team’s starting center and left tackle are expected to be on Sept. 7 against the Raiders, don’t you think they both would tell you it will be Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson, respectively?
If Ryan thinks he is building some kind of competitive advantage by keeping opposing teams breathlessly in the dark, that’s even more preposterous, because every team in the NFL knows who the Jets’ starting quarterback is.
The Jets players know who the starting quarterback is.
“We see Geno in the locker room, we see him in the meeting room, we see him when they call for first-team offense,’’ receiver David Nelson said Tuesday. “You know the writing on the wall. We know what’s happening. Coach [Ryan] doesn’t need to stand up here and say, ‘OK, the starting quarterback is … ’ ’’
Ryan’s refusal to give in and name Smith as his starter on Tuesday further heated up the banter between him and reporters.
Asked what could “transpire’’ between now and the start of the regular season that would “factor’’ into his “decision,’’ Ryan stammered.
“Well, we know that there … I don’t even like to think of the negative things or whatever, so let’s just let it play out,” he said. “I’d rather not answer that question. There’s an obvious scenario that I don’t want to think about.’’
Asked if, aside from injury, there is anything else he is concerned about, Ryan said, “I haven’t thought about any other reason, but … that’s a pretty glaring one.’’
When it was pointed out to Ryan that the third preseason game against the Giants always has been a “dress rehearsal’’ with the projected opening-day starters playing into the third quarter, Ryan said, “I guess it’s worked out that way for the last five years … but I’m not naming a starter for Week 1.’’
Asked if it’s an “organizational thing coming from above,’’ Ryan said, “Guys, it’s just … I mean, we never did it last year [and] we’re not doing it this year, and that’s just the way it is.’’
When it was pointed out that last year the practice reps were being split evenly between Smith and Sanchez, Ryan seemed to become slightly flustered.
“You know what? I just think … again, I’m not going to name it right now,” Ryan said. “No matter how many times you ask it or whatever. I’ve given in to you guys before. I’m not giving in on this one.’’
OK, Rex. Have it your (or Idzik’s) way. If you don’t know who your starting quarterback is right now, then you don’t know.
“Well, I never said I never knew who the starter was,’’ Ryan said. “I’m just not ready to announce it yet.’’
Well all right then.