Link: Football Outsiders Goes Cover Three on Mark Sanchez
Doug Farrar of Football Outsiders writes a very detailed analysis of Mark Sanchez’s first three games with the Jets looks closely at some of the plays that have stood out in that time. With an assist from NFL Films Greg Cosell, they break down the footage and in the end of the article, make some comparisons to other young quarterbacks in the league.
So, he’s a great young quarterback in an ideal situation — great running game, great defense, smart coaching staff. How does he compare to Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, last year’s prodigies? “If you isolate skill-set, I think Flacco has the best skill-set of the three as far as an NFL starting quarterback,” Cosell told me. “He gives you the most in dimensions because of his arm-strength and the kinds of throws he can make. Of the three, I would put Sanchez at number 3. But again, you’re dealing with two guys in Sanchez and Ryan who are very good, potentially great NFL quarterbacks. Ultimately, I like Flacco more than I like Ryan, and I love Ryan, but I think Flacco just has a skill-set in terms of throwing a football that not many guys have.”
“[Sanchez is] in a great situation. And again, this is not a negative. He’s on a team that has a defense that can dictate and dominate. He’s on a team that is clearly driven by the run game. It’s not that they’re looking to hide the kid — you can’t hide your quarterback in the NFL. He still has to make the throws — but they can dictate what they do more so than other teams because of the rest of the team. So they can put him in positions with personnel and formations, spreading and getting different things where they can dictate how they want to play. They’re not at the mercy of the other team’s defense.”
If you only read one link today from this website, this is the one to read. Read it in the bathroom, on the subway home, driving 65 miles an hour on the Garden State Parkway, whatever, we don’t care, just read it.
Having Cosell say that isn’t a knock to Sanchez, even being in the same class as Flacco and Ryan is an honor. If we’ve learned anything from watching Chad Pennington play with the Jets, it’s that mental skills aren’t the only important part of a NFL quarterback’s game … and if we’ve learned anything from Brett Favre’s time with the Jets, it’s that physical skills aren’t the only important thing either.
With a team of other talented players around him, Sanchez might have the right combination of physical, mental and leadership skills for this team … it’s going to be fun to watch this develop.
Hat tip to Pete Sec 332 for the heads up on the article.
23 Responses to Link: Football Outsiders Goes Cover Three on Mark Sanchez
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Bent says: Of course Sanchez is in a great situation. He’s on a team that has Mark Sanchez as it’s starting QB!
In all seriousness though, I have been impressed with Sanchez so far, he’s not been asked to do too much, managed to limit, get away with or overcome any mistakes and doesn’t seem to make the same mistakes again and again. Statistically, he is off to a better start than Ryan or Flacco, neither of whom opened 3-0.
Let’s not annoint him yet though. He hasn’t faced true adversity and has probably had it easier than both those other guys because the Jets running game has so far been stifled by having a bunch of guys in the box. That wasn’t particularly the case for Atlanta or Baltimore, who each had early and continued success running the ball last year.
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oscarfactor says:
But what should concern us is the condition of our O-line. Three of the five starters are old and getting older and I think I am not alone in seeing some slippage in terms of ability. The depth after that is questionable. Nothing else has more impact on Sanchez’ development than those five positions.
Draft well next year, Rex.
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j pizzle says:
Three out of the five are old, i don’t think so . Mangold , Brick and Moore are all young and Slauson will be good when it’s his time
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Moore is 29. That is getting old for an O-lineman. As for Slauson, you must be his agent.
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Bent says:
I like Rob Turner as a potential future starter, but it’s reasonable to be concerned. Faneca is off to, let’s say, a slow start by his standards. I wonder if Mangold is 100% after his preseason knee problems too, because (without looking in detail at film), my impression is that he’s been good, but not as dominant as last year (yet).
Brick has been great and is looking more technically polished, the main difference though, is that he is noticeably stronger, so that if a guy gets a step on him, he is able to knock him off course with those long arms of his. He may actually get “credit” for a sack allowed last week, but what actually happened was that Thomas Jones ran out into the flat and kind of got in his way and then Sanchez broke a tackle in the pocket from a lineman who broke through uncontested and ended up in the arms of Brick’s man. They may have credited it as a half sack, but really it was the fault of the guy on the right side (I couldn’t say who) that was beaten cleanly.
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Zartan says:
IMO which i posted during training camp,Flacco has a hugh arm and plays deep like its short passes. matter of time before he starts throwing way too many picks and he lacks the high IQ. younger better version of Farve.Ryan is a all around good QB who will most likely do great things in the league.Sanchez though he doesnt have a super cannon has the skill set of a Payton Manning aloung with the IQ. Like Flacco has the skills to paly deep like its short,Sanchez has a skill to put the ball anywhere and on the money. dont knowwhy Doug Farrar acts like flacco can put the ball anywhere. if you watch him he has no fear of putting the ball up. You will see him have some down right mind knumbing game over his career.
Once i see hoe Sanchez handle the New your rain sleet n snow ,ill crown him king or not.
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Rudibager says:
“matter of time before he starts throwing way too many picks and he lacks the high IQ.”
I’m not sure if you mean football IQ, or general “smarts” or awareness or what… I studied the same major (accounting) as Flacco at the University of Delaware, and had some classes with him. There’s no doubt in my mind that Flacco is smarter than Sanchez.
Not saying Sanchez is dumb at all, but Flacco is probably a damn genius compared to most football players. Now, football awareness? Still to be determined.
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Bent says:
I think he must mean football IQ.
If it was all about IQ, then Chris “Harvard” Pizzotti would still be on the team.
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Row says:
yeah, don’t really understand it’s a “matter of time” before Flacco starts throwing picks. is he going to forget how to play? why, all of a sudden, would he just start throwing a lot of picks?
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Doug in Long Valley says:
I’m stealing a line from ESPN. “There’s a reason Sanchez was the #1 prospect in the nation out of high school, and why he went to the #1 university in the country for QB talent and why he excelled at USC and why they stink without him and why he will do well in the NFL, becasue he has the it factor”.
Man that’s a long sentence.
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Pete57 says:
29 is not old for an O lineman. That’s his prime. Moore has probably got another solid 5 years at least.
Next year I’d like to see the Jets draft a stud DE in the 1st rd and a RT/ Guard in the second.
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EastSide says:
“Isolate skill set”… What does that even mean?
When analyzing a quarterback there is almost no point in making statements like that. How do you distill the arm and legs from the working body? Sure, you could put a QB on the 50 and see how quickly he can get the ball through the goal posts but that isn’t football. Todd Marinovich, Ryan Leaf, Kyle Boller and Vince Young will tell you that. This isn’t a knock on Flacco although I do think Ryan is the best of the 4 first round QBs thus far. The article itself was actually a lot better than that clip.Not sure what Zartan was talking about in regards to the smarts thing. If you mean that when Flacco gets under pressure he might rely too much on his arm, I could see that. Plus there’s already the second coming of Favre in this league- his name’s Jay Cutler.
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High IQ for a QB is reading the coverage and understanding everything that goes on even before it happens.
I defended Flacco on this site before but not to the manner of him being a better pro than Sanchez.
Some of the deep balls Flacco put up,he just throws it up there and seem to wish it in the arms of the receiver.
sorry but i dont like that their trying to sell Sanchez short. as they have their opinion i have mine.
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?High IQ for a QB is reading the coverage and understanding everything that goes on even before it happens.
I defended Flacco on this site before but not to the manner of him being a better pro than Sanchez.
Some of the deep balls Flacco put up,he just throws it up there and seem to wish it in the arms of the receiver.
sorry but i dont like that their trying to sell Sanchez short. as they have their opinion i have mine.
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Bent says:
“there’s already the second coming of Favre in this league- his name’s Jay Cutler.”
This writer thinks Cutler is the second coming of Tom Brady:
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Everyone is the second coming of Tom Brady through rose-colored spectacles. Can’t argue with a guy who shares a surname with the most famous member of the Smiths.
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JesusRevis says:
I think this article is very unfair.
Flacco had 1 TD and 4 or 5 INT’s after his first 4 games last year (these numbers may be a bit off but they are in the right neighborhood).
Sanchez has looked way better in his first 3 games then Flacco, without question. So isnt Sanchez ahead of the curve?Am I wrong? Bent?
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Bent says:
Not only that, but Ryan was little more than a game manager in his first five.
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Jack says:
The only meaningful statistic is wins. Everything else is an interesting parlor game but it doesn’t mean much in the final analysis.
Remember when Brees came out of Purdue and everyone said he was too small. Second round draft choice of the Chargers because nobody was all that enamored of him despite his success in college. How did that work out?
Sanchez is a winner. As was said above, he has the ‘it” factor. He is making heady plays (albeit some dangerous ones, head meet safety), he can make all the throws, he energizes his team and he has a burning desire to win. I wouldn’t trade him for Flacco or Ryan.
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jess says:
This article was great, I always look for a thorough analysis of play calls. While Franchez may not be the most amazing physical specimen we have ever seen he certainly has the desire and the mental capacity to become an elite qb in this league. His work ethic has been noted in several articles and it’s a blessing to have a qb that is the first one in and the last one out (imagine the opposite of Russell for the raiders). I feel it’s too young in all three of their careers to determine who is the better qb. I think 4 years in the league is a good time to determine your ability. look at drew brees when he was in SD, they wanted him out of there, people need time to develop and while franchez is only a rook he has shown signs of stardom. JETS BABY!
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MegaTell says:
This analysis is stupid. Sanchex doesn’t have Michael Turner or Willis McGahee. Atlanta and Baltimore’s defense were great. Baltimore might be the best of the three but all were great.
Sanchez first three game numbers are better than all of theirs. His record WL record is better (he and Flacco tied.) People who review the NFL can’t get outside of the biases.
Sanchez has tools close to all of those guys except he has great feet. His feet are better than both of those guys. His arm is as strong as Ryan, he is more accurate than Flacco and his pocket presence is phenomenal. So what he isn’t that tall. His arms are as long as Flacco’s and his hands are bigger. Analyst get too caught up on height. He is 6’2″ and Drew Brees is 6’0″ You know who else was 6’2″,,, Joe Montana
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Bent says:
You don’t think the jets running personnel is as good as those teams?
They haven’t done well this year but that’s probably because teams are stacking the box.
“[Sanchez is] in a great situation. And again, this is not a negative. He’s on a team that has a defense that can dictate and dominate. He’s on a team that is clearly driven by the run game.”
And Flacco isn’t in the same situation?