Steve Smith rips Gardner Minshew after poor game

Analyst Steve Smith was critical of Gardner Minshew after the Jacksonville Jaguars lost 31-13 to the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.

Minshew had a dud of a game, going 30/42 for 275 yards with an interception and lost fumble in the defeat. Smith ripped Minshew during NFL Network’s postgame show, putting the quarterback on his “struggle bus.”

“He is the franchise quarterback … for the struggle bus. In the second half, he didn’t have a completion over 10 yards until the end of the fourth quarter. He didn’t look very comfortable back there,” said Smith.

Smith then singled out Minshew’s struggles against the zone defense.

“I think we got him figured out a little bit. He couldn’t read zone coverage if zone coverage popped him upside his moustache and went in his nose. He still wouldn’t get it. He struggled, because he couldn’t get past himself,” Smith said.

Smith has long been known for talking big, so it’s no surprise to hear him bring this kind of criticism. Minshew will probably accept the criticism and acknowledge he needs to play better.

The 24-year-old threw for six touchdowns and two interceptions in Jacksonville’s first two games and was nowhere near his best on Thursday.