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Chris Johnson: Jets would have been “totally different” with Michael Vick all season

New York Jets v Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 14: Quarterbacks Geno Smith #7 and Michael Vick #1 stand with running back Chris Johnson #21 before the NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 14, 2014 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Michael Vick isn’t the only one who thinks the Jets would have been in much better shape if he had started sooner.

Teammate Chris Johnson told Seth Walder of the New York Daily News that they’d be far better than 2-8 if Vick had replaced Geno Smith in the preseason.

“Yeah, I think so. I think if he was starting from day one it would be totally different,” Johnson said. “He came in and his role was to help Geno (Smith) develop and try to help him the best he can, but at the end of the day it turned out how it turned out and (we’ve) just got to live with it.”

Vick has been competent, but hardly outstanding, so it’s possible you could fill in the blank with any other name and the response would be the same from teammates. He’s posted quarterback ratings over 100.0 in his two starts, and led them to an unexpected win over the Steelers.

“He’s going out there, he’s still doing the same thing,” Johnson said. “Can still run the ball, can still make the throws.”

But Johnson admitted there was little use going back in time, and dwelling on the season wasted during a 1-7 start.

“You can’t go back in the past,” he said. “Just gotta push on and go with it.”

The fact they have quarterback capable of leading a good-enough offense now is only going to make it sting more if he can lead them to a successful last month and a half.