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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Its Geno Smiths turn to try to prove he should be the New York Jets quarterback this season. In a move that was expected for several days, Rex Ryan announced Thursday that the second-round draft pick will start over Mark Sanchez in the Jets preseason game against the Giants on Saturday night. "Well see how far we take him into this game this week," Ryan said. "Mark will play also. I think (Smith) has looked good and seems like the ankle is obviously a lot better than it was this past week. "Im excited to see him play." The rookie has worked with the first-team offence all week during practice. Smith, in a tightly contested competition with Sanchez, did not play in the Jets last preseason game last Saturday night against Jacksonville because of a sprained ankle. Most NFL teams normally play their starters into the third quarter of the third preseason game, but the Jets wanted to see how Smiths ankle responded this week before deciding on a starter against the Giants. Because Sanchez played three quarters against the Jaguars, the Jets want a better look at Smith in game action. "We want to see him play," offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. "Hopefully, hell get the chance to turn it loose and let his natural abilities show up, and his natural style. I think, and I almost know, that hes worked so hard that hes there mentally." Smith has played just two quarters in the preseason after getting hurt while rolling out on a play in the third quarter at Detroit nearly two weeks ago. He was cleared for practice early last week, but struggled on the sore ankle -- capped by what Ryan called a "brutal" performance last Wednesday in which Smith was intercepted four times. He bounced back this week with an outstanding week of practice as his ankle also healed. "Im proud of Geno last week pushing through it," Mornhinweg said. "This week, it was still biting him just a little bit, but he was significantly better." Quarterbacks coach David Lee has seen vast improvement in Smiths footwork along with his command in the huddle since training camp began. "His leadership is starting to show," Lee said. "Its hard when a guy doesnt know everything to be a great leader. But once he knows it, we should see more and more leadership from him." Ryan said the team is still not prepared to select a starter for the regular-season opener against Tampa Bay. While Jacksonville and Philadelphia made decisions on their starting quarterbacks earlier this week, Ryan refuses to put a deadline on the Jets selecting one. "We did say all along that it was going to be an equal competition," Ryan said. "And, I think, obviously, the fact that Geno wasnt able to play last week, you never really saw him when there were live bullets, so to speak. So, it wouldnt be an equal competition had we not played it out this way." Lee added that a strong performance by Smith perhaps still might not be enough for the Jets to select a starter for the season. That means the quarterback competition could potentially go into the final preseason game against Philadelphia next Thursday. "Its been too close to call," Lee said. "I want it clear. I want it cleaner before we make that decision." Lee also acknowledged that he has often gone back and forth on who he thinks the starter should ultimately be. "They come off the field and youre frowning at one and (saying), Atta boy to the other," Lee said. "Im being honest, its kind of been an emotional up-and-down deal: Whos the best one today? Maybe thats our guy. We can do this with him and the other one, we can do this with him. We can do more with this guy in the passing game. "So thats an honest answer." Mornhinweg insisted he hadnt put as much thought into the daily fluctuations of the quarterbacks, preferring to let everything play out. "Mark has had a terrific camp," Mornhinweg said. "Hes had a bunch of ups, and hes had some dips there. Genos had an outstanding camp for a rookie and hes just had a little bit more than a couple of plays in a preseason game. So, well see what happens in this next ballgame. Well see what the outcome is." Ryan also refused to put any parameters on what Smith might need to show against the Giants to be convinced that hes the guy who should start the season under centre. "I think obviously its an evaluation process still that were going through," he said. "I dont want to say, Look, hes got to look like Phil Simms in the Super Bowl." That performance by Simms, of course, was one for the record books when he completed 22 of 25 passes to help the Giants beat the Denver Broncos in 1987. Mornhinweg said the decision will be made when one of the quarterbacks elevates himself above the other, and if that doesnt happen, the team would then go on instincts. "I think I know exactly where Marks at," Mornhinweg said. "Theres no question that I think we can do some very good things with Mark. I dont quite know where Genos at yet, even though we might think we know. But those preseason games are such a good evaluation period for a young man." ---- NOTES: Lee revealed that Sanchez recently had minor surgery to repair an infected toe nail on his right foot. "He doesnt blink, he doesnt tell me, I just happened to hear from somebody else," Lee said. "Hes out there, practices." ... 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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Montreal Canadiens were the last team in the NHL to lose a game in regulation this season -- and they did it in historic fashion Friday night.And the Columbus Blue Jackets made a little history of their own.Cam Atkinson, Nick Foligno, Scott Hartnell and Josh Anderson each scored two goals as Columbus swamped Montreal 10-0, matching the biggest loss in the Canadiens storied history and breaking the Blue Jackets franchise record.Montreal lost by 10 goals for the fifth time and the first since an 11-1 loss to Detroit in February 1995. The Canadiens dropped to 9-1-1.I dont think youre going forget one like that, Montreal wing Brendan Gallagher said. We got taught a lesson here tonight. We had it coming. Last game we were sloppy, we got away with it. Tonight we didnt.Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves, and Seth Jones and David Savard added goals to help the Blue Jackets improve to 5-3-1. Columbus eclipsed its previous record offensive output of eight goals in a game.After surrendering 13 goals in 10 games before Friday, Montreal gave up eight to Columbus in the first two periods, half of them on power plays. Sixteen Columbus players picked up at least one point.Theres nothing positive about tonight -- nothing, Montreal coach Michel Therrien said.The Blue Jackets banged away at Al Montoya, Montreals backup goalie who started in place in a Cary Price in the first game of a back-to-back set. On a power play with 9:04 left in the first, Foligno tapped it out from behind the net to Atkinson, who picked up his third goal of the season and later would get his fourth.Seth Jones found the net just 58 seconds later from the left circle on a pass out from behind the goal line from Anderson to make it 2-0.Savard scored for Columbus again with 5:54 left in the first -- with a bit of luck. Savard was shooting inside to Matt Calvert, but the puck hit the skate of Montreals Jeff Petry and trickled through the legs of Montoya. The goal was Savards first of the season and Markus Nutivaara got an assist,, his first NHL point.ddddddddddddAtkinson scored his second goal of the night 4:01 into the second period on a put-back after Gagners shot bounced off Montoyas pads.Foligno netted Columbus fifth off a pass from Zach Werenski 10:12 into the period, and Hartnell tapped in a loose puck from in front of the net a minute and 41 seconds later for the sixth score. Foligno scored the seventh in traffic 1:46 seconds after that.Anderson scored the eighth from the slot just before the end of the second period. Hartnell and Anderson added the last two in the third period.Youve been on the other side where everything is not going right, Foligno said. It just seemed to be the case tonight where we were just getting every bounce. But we were earning it too. Im not going to take away from our game, either. We did a lot of good things. But Ive never been up by 10 in my entire career.Montoya had 30 saves for Montreal.The record output was no big deal to Columbus coach John Tortorella.All it is one tick in the win column and one tick in the loss column, he said.Game notes Columbus Andrew Wennberg appeared to score off his skate in the second period but the goal was disallowed because officials ruled he deliberately kicked it. ... The Blue Jackets killed a Montreal power play near the end of the period after Bobrovsky was called for tripping Montreals Andrew Shaw. Bobrovsky stayed in the net as Gagner served the two minutes in the box. ... Columbus recalled Sonny Milano from Cleveland of the AHL for the second time season, but he was a healthy scratch. Dalton Prout and Scott Harrington also were healthy scratches for the Blue Jackets. ... Joel Hanley and David Carr were brought up from St. Johns of the AHL but were healthy scratches for Montreal.UP NEXTMontreal: At Philadelphia on Saturday night.Columbus: At St. Louis on Saturday night.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy ' ' '