Question One: To Bench or Not To Bench?
If anything, last night’s loss presented more questions than answers about this team. Today we’ll be writing up a number of them, one post at a time …
Three interceptions, five interceptions, four interceptions … when’s enough to bench a struggling young quarterback? The first time that occurred to me was during the Saints game. Rex is convinced that Mark Sanchez is his guy, and I think he could be, but the question then is what’s better for his development?
I was concerned about whether playing Sanchez as a raw rookie would be the right move and I don’t claim to know, but Ryan’s made up his mind on what he’s doing according to Hutch at the Star-Ledger. He’s being thrown in at the deep end, period end of story.
Ryan said afterward he didn’t consider benching Sanchez, who was a season-worst 8 for 21 for 136 yards. His passer rating was 37.1.
“I don’t think he’s going to get better sitting on the sidelines,” Ryan said. “He has to learn from it. You can visualize it all you want standing there with the clipboard but unless you get on the field, you’re not going to get better.”
Sanchez said he was just off-target on his first two interceptions – he threw behind wide reciever Jerricho Cotchery and missed Braylon Edwards on his second. On the final two, he said he simply tried to force the ball – an overthrow to Cotchery and an ill-advised heave to him. He didn’t have any interceptions in the first meeting — a 16-9 Jets’ victory.
“You can’t afford to have turnovers like that,” said Sanchez, who has thrown 14 of his interceptions in the Jets’ six losses. “Sometimes you need to say ‘uncle’ and be smart with the football. I’m learning a lot. (But) it’s hard to say by the stats.”
Rex had talked during the offseason about being competitive (playoffs, etc.) this season, and wanting to win now, but when a rookie QB is struggling what’s best for his development? What should a veteran player think about his coach at this point? When’s the time to bring in another guy? Which is more damaging?
As Corey and I walked the tunnels towards the Jets locker room after Ryan’s press conference in Foxboro, Kellen Clemens zipped down the hall, rolly bag in tow, fully showered, dressed smartly in a suit and tie headed to the bus, maybe one of the first players out of the locker room. Clemens removed himself from the locker room, something that I definitely noticed.
Personally, I think that the Jets are right to let Sanchez play through these struggles, but getting back to the offseason, his collegiate inexperience is showing. That he refuses to throw the ball away is maddening. That there’s no fear of getting benched if he doesn’t say “uncle” is also a concern. I get the sense he knows what’s right, but with no fear of getting yanked, he’s continuing to do what he wants.
Beyond all that, If the Jets are going to not bench Mark Sanchez, for seemingly any reason then can someone please explain WHY this team is currently carrying four quarterbacks?
166 Responses to Question One: To Bench or Not To Bench?
-
NYSACKEXCHANGE says:
No point in pulling him out now. Were not going to the playoffs so he might as well get in there and take some more of a **** kicking. Him sitting on the bench isn’t going to do anything but slow his production. Sanchez is going to grow up and mature fast or he’s going to falter.
There is no point in pulling him out now.
-
Richard in NC says:
The real shame here is this team is a playoff caliber team with a better QB (non-rookie). I am sure his team mates would never say anything but you know they are steaming. You have to wonder what the season would have been with Clemmens over center and Sanchez carrying the clipboard observing for his first year. When Ryan made the decision to start Sanchez he all but wrote off the season. The whole “I want to win now” rhetoric was for the benefit of the fans.
-
There is no point in pulling him out now. Let him stay in there and take it on the chin.
-
Andy says:
No he should not be benched. He has to learn by experience. All I ask for is the Jets to finish at 9-7 or 8-8, and more importantly to see signs of improvement from the team and of course Sanchez. He is our guy right now. We have to stick by him and understand he is very young and still learining the ropes of the NFL. Remember he was only a starter for one season at USC. We all cheered on draft day when we got him. Now we need to be patient with him.
-
Harris52ChampionshipDefense says:
After his first two stinker games this year (NO, Buffalo), he played much better in each of the following weeks. If I were Rex, I’d see how he plays against Carolina. If its more of the same, then maybe he should be benched. Otherwise, what’s the point? The season is over, wins almost hurt the Jets at this point, and is KC going to lead the Jets on some miraculous 6-0 run? I also can’t believe the venom directed against Sanchez by many of the posters yesterday. Personally, I’m more worried about Ryan. Sanchez has shown the ability to bounce back this season. Ryan messed up down in Miami, and hasn’t shown much improvement since then. And screw benching Sanchez – you want him to send a message, how about benching the most overrated safety in all of football, Mr. Hollywood Kerry LOL Rhodes? You have arms Kerry! Use them!!!!!
-
When Eli Manning took over the starting spot for the Giants, they were 5-2. The Giants finished that year 6-11. He beat Dallas in the final minute of the last game of the season, and then led the team to a division title the following year. PATIENCE!
-
Fire Tannenbaum (WOJF) says:
You will be shocked by my response, but NO!!!
Should he have been benched during the first 5 INT game? Yes.
Should he have perhaps been benched with the season on the line beginning after the bye? Perhaps.
Should he have been benched at half time yesterday? Absolutely.
But the season is now over for all practical purposes and he is the future for better or worse. And the three easiest games left on the schedule are staring them in the face. Let him play, nothing to lose.
The person to bench is Schott, send him home, today. That game plan was abyssmal (worst was B Smith on 3rd and 2 in critical spot with TJ on the sidelines).
Promote Callahan and tell him (not that you will need to) to implement the old Raider offense, a power running attack with the occasional long throw down the field off play action.
This will let the kid settle and hopefully develop through the remainder of the season.
Clemens is a goner in 2010, it makes no sense to give him playing time right now, so of course this is exactly what they will do.
IF this is yet another episode of Same Old Jets Clemens will probably go 5-2 and miss the playoffs by a nostril while compiling a 110 QB rating, then flea back to the west coast with a big deal.
-
5-1, forgot which week this was.
-
And yes, Rhodes needs to be benched after that debacle too at least for the beginning of the game.
The only negative I could see to benching Rhodes is he has support in the locker room and all the vets KNOW that the real reason they are losing is the rookie QB, so blaming Rhodes might create a mutiny.
Then again there might by a mutiny anyway, I truly feel bad for the quality veteran players in the locker room. 9 wins last year, high hopes, and they get screwed by an incompetant GM.
Other notes : Shephard should not play another down unless desperation sets in, no point in giving up a higher pick. If they do Mr. T should be committed.
And they need to begin looking at some of the kids, especially the potential pass rushers. There is no point in sending Douglass and B Thomas out there any more, time to see Westerman, Murrell etc and find out if we have a diamond in the rough somewhere on the roster.
Other than that, I remain.
FIRE MR T!
-
deevee says:
It’s interesting to hear all the Sanchez/Manning Rookie Comparison.
It’s interesting to hear the Sanchez/Flacco, Sanchez/Ryan Comparisons, Sanchez/Elway…whoever.But all these comparisons really don’t mean anything. Sanchez is a unique situation.
He played 16 games in college. I repeat 16 games in college.
To think that he wouldn’t struggle this year would be like thinking that the IRS would forget that April 15th is Tax Day.
I like Sanchez I think in order for him to succeed he needs to do a better job of getting on the same page as his receivers. To me his problems have nothing to do with his physical skills, or even the mental side. I think it has to do with inexperience and youth…and lack of preparation. That’s why I think SCHITTENHEIMER needs to go. This guy is not helping our young rookie QB’s cause. If anything he is just going to stir him off course. Get rid of Schitty today! Bring in a better offensive mind that can protect our QB. Once we have that then we will be set for the future.
-
I’d just bench him for the next game, so that he can just sit back and watch (from the sidelines) and recollect in his mind what he has done this season (good or bad) thus far. He puts too much pressure on himself and I think that will do him good. Beating team likes Carolina, Bills or the Bucs won’t give him that much confidence if he ends up having good games in any of those games that he plays in.
-
Marc Harris says:
The success of Flacco and Ryan last season was something that rarely ocurrs. It lulled all of us into forgetting that it takes 2-4 years to develop a QB. It’s important for all Jet fans to go back and remember the struggles that Eli and even Peyton had when starting out.
Yes, it is really tough to watch “rookie”mistakes being made that are piling up the Jet losses. Benching him now is akin to “closing the barn door after the horses have escaped”. Let him take his lumps and errors but please Mark, learn from them!
Also, without Jenkins and Washington , we really shouldn’t have expected the team to be able to succeed on a consistent basis.
We all know that the Jets need additional playmakers on offense and defense if they want to be considered an elite team, but it starts with Sanchez…without him maturing as a QB, we can never get to where we all want to be. -
Fire Tannenbaum? hahahahahaa… just stop it. You made 2 really well thought out posts that I agree with 100% then you end it off and just totally kill it with some fly off the handle response like Fire M.T?.. That comment just ruined your posts. Makes absolutely no sense.
-
Dude why the heck you wanna fire the GM? What did he do wrong? He has done a good job. He got us the qb of the future. Got us a WR when we needed one. Id say aside from Gholston he has done a good job on draft day. He has made good moves to improve the team. I see the GM is not to blame for the season going south. He is the least of the problems.
-
RichKotite2.0 says:
I don’t see how they can bench Sanchez, because they don’t have a quality backup QB. KC has the same amount of NFL game day experience as Sanchez and has also shown that he is just as turnover prone as Sanchez. Tanny should have brought in a veteran QB to challenge Sanchez when it was clear that they had no confidence in KC being a starting QB. Without a legitimate backup I don’t see how the Jets can bench Sanchez.
As for the people on this blog calling for Ainge, at first I thought they were crazy. However, I think I would rather see Ainge get a shot to play over KC. Maybe Ainge could drop some bombs to Clowney like in preseason.
-
kc. says:
the KID HAS to LEARN….Manning 1-15 Aikman 1-15 both in their first years and both started EVERY game. When the game “slows down” for Sanchez,he’ll be the quarterback he was in college!
-
Fire Mr. T, I’m not going to disagree with you that Rhodes has the support of the locker room, but if that is truly the case, that’s pathetic on the player’s part. He doesn’t work hard, he doesn’t study film (how much film is out there of Lawrence Maroney running over SS and CBs who he outweighs by 30-40 pounds who thought it a good idea to try and hit him instead of tackling him?), he mouths off ALL the time, he’s more focused on Twitter than on winning games, etc. etc. etc.
And I agree with those who talk about getting rid of Schitty. The plan this year was to win games running the ball. That hasn’t happened whatsoever. Rothlisberger threw what, 12 passes a game his first year in the league? Why? Because the Steelers had an awesome running game and a rookie QB! That Steeler team was far more talented than this Jets team, but the philosophy should be the same.
-
Shamik says:
Manning and Aikman were both long-time starters in College and were both cant-miss prospects. In addition, they were both on terrible teams (They weren’t 1-15 either, Manning was 3-13), but Sanchez isnt on a terrible team. What’s his excuse? Sanchez has played horribly and has shown abysmal decision-making and terrible throws. If he needs to develop better chemistry with his receivers, do it in practice, not on the field. Eli didnt even start until midseason, Carson Palmer sat out his entire first year before starting. Both of those guys had long-time veterans to mentor them. Sanchez has nothing like that, and that comes down on the GM/Coaches. They’re the ones throwing him into the deep-end without anything to help him. And they’re the ones responsible, when a shell-shocked Sanchez is ultimately run out of town.
-
Jake says:
Can someone explain to me why a team that committed to learning and losing this year by starting Sanchez traded away draft picks to get Braylon Edwards? Isn’t his contract up at the end of the season? Why make such a “win now” move if you don’t really want to win now?
To be clear, I agree with starting Sanchez. I think the experience will help a kid with only 16 college games under center. It just seems like the Coach and the GM aren’t on the same page…
-
They Chose Me says:
Look at the roster before Tannenbaum (and the salary cap situation) and today– not even a question he has done a phenomenal job
Regarding Sanchez, his greatest flaw is his lack of experience…… so lets sit him?
I know what we are going to hear this week, and it is going to make me sick– Bart Scott and Kerry Rhodes coming out and supporting him, like what they say means a damn, like they have actually done something is this league. “He is our quarterback, we will stick by him”– you better, because you can’t stop anybody!! The O-line and RB’s should be coming out and saying “we still support our defense”.
And it all starts in the secondary– the d-line could use a playmaker next year, but the secondary (especially the safeties) need a major overhaul. This defense puts them in a great position to make plays– I can’t stand watching Rhodes get there two steps late, then just dive with his shoulders and arms by his side and bounce off RECIEVERS– forget about getting routinely trucked by RB’s.
I got killed for saying it a month ago, but it looks like you are all coming around– we need better safety play.
-
Jason says:
To be fair, sanchez threw a great ball on the TD and had a lot of other nice passes, so it’s not like the flashes aren’t there.
-
Green Bleeder says:
How many picks did Brett throw last year? This year he has 21 tds and I believe 3 or 4 picks with Minnie. What is the pattern here? Could it be the Jackass running the Offense? Sanchez has been a great dissapointment . Who can believe he does not know to throw the ball away this far into the season. Is anyone teaching him? As bad as Sanchez is I feel he would be much better off with a different OC.
-
starz31 says:
What really hurts this argument is when you see glimpses of what Shancez can do, like throw a beautiful TD pass to the corner of the endzone to Cothcery. But that was it. Other than that drive, he was horrible. So it’s like we’re grasping for anything by letting him play. He was horrible yesterday, horrible, but then makes a great play and it makes you think, well, this kid can handle it. I dont even know what to think.
He should be starting the rest of the way, but benching him for one game would not be the end of the world, maybe send him a message. He shouldve been benched mid-game in against Buffalo, but yesterday his great drive came on the first drive of the 2nd half, so it makes you feel like he’ll be alright, but then he regresses. -
matt says:
Sanchez should of been benched after the 3rd interception at the buffalo game…. the kid needs to carry the clipboard for this team that could of made a playoff run………you had a top five defense with (kris jenkins and the number one rushing attack) you needed a servicable nfl qb…not a rookie and 25 interceptions….. aikman was benched bradshaw was benched…. he should of been benched…..now that the season is over…let him play it out…..2010 should be a legit qb contest… if he does not progress and is making mistakes sit him…..don’t let him kill two seasons
-
The Steelers must have been an anomoly, but this Jet team has been a shining example that the old addage “run the ball and stop the run” doesn’t win the league anymore–
This is the team (going into yesterday) with the most rushing yards and giving up the fewest, and they were 4-5. Doesn’t work anymore.
Also, I have heard people bemoaning the trade of Ratliff—- are you kidding me!?!?!?! The guy can’t even start in CLEVELAND! And you were all the same people callings for Clowney, and he has had a chance and done nothing— please don’t ask for Ainge now.
-
Maybe its me but if you dont bench him against Buffalo (5 INTS) when the game was soooo winnable and we rushed for 300……thenyou dont bench him yesterday.
Sitting him yesterday would have proven what? That if you throw bad picks you get benched for a guy that wont be here next year? Getting your ass kicked in NE is a good lesson for this kid. He knows his problems and will need to get better at it. he needs to throw the ball away better and get in sync with his WR/TE.
10 games into his rookie year he has been as expected…good and bad
-
Derrelle Revis is the best CB in the NFL.
We really need a 2nd CB. Why is Eric Smith covering Wes Welker? I know Coleman was on him for the most part, but Welker was open everytime he was thrown too. Double him, triple him, Revis can be left alone. How can this not happen? He had 15 catches yesterday. Everyone in the world knew he’d be thrown to yesterday, yet we made no changes to cover him.
-
rex dropped the ball not sitting him in buff game
-
I would have no problem benching Sanchez after a couple of picks. At least he gets to cool off and at least a moment end the torment. For a half or a quarter why not play Clemmens or Ainge. While we are at it why not take away the free pass that is Brian Sch?
-
Brendan says:
WOJF,
You can’t be serious with the Fire Mr. T nonsense. The team isn’t a mess because of him. It’s a mess because we’re starting a rookie QB who is about as green as it gets. It’s a mess because we have a rookie head coach who still lacks experience running a team. It’s a mess because we lost, arguably, our two most important players. It’s a mess because Schotty is God awful at his gameplanning and continues to put Sanchez into spots he shouldn’t be in as a rookie (i.e. throwing 30 passes a game).
All Tanny has done while he is here get the players the coach wanted and keep the contracts in order. No one is better than this guy at understanding and utilizing contracts. This offseason some “experts” pegged us as high as $30 million over the salary cap, and we ended up being some $20mil under it.
You can blame the coaches and the players, but the GM has done his job and firing him wouldn’t solve any of these issues.
-
Bench him for who!?!?!?!?
He left the field against Miami and Jacksonville ahead– and put the Jets ahead in the second Miami game and almost answered back.
It the defense can make ONE STOP in those games, he is the comeback kid, is clutch and has all those intangibles, even if he played like he did @NO, vs BUF and @ NE. The defense can’t make a stop, and now he should be benched.
-
run and stop run defense works when you have a servicable qb … not a turnover machine… i know he is a rookie…but he shouldnt be out there then.. this is not a 2-14 talent team surrounding him….he cost this team the playoffs this year…… and will probably cost them next year…..
-
Look, I get it– we all have to let off some steam. I was in a miserable mood yesterday, and hated the team. But it is so illogical to think about benching him–
-
As for the question posed here, you don’t bench him. He needs experience. He needs to take his lumps. He’s not going to get better sitting and watching.
And anyone who thinks Ainge a.k.a. Lurch is the answer is kidding themselves.
-
BTW…
Not defending Sanchez but how many times this year has D Keller ran a crossing route and either not been ready to catch the ball or has ducked out of the way while it sailed past him?
I have been pretty suprised how little Keller has contributed this year
-
klecko71 says:
kc….thank you… and i am sure others have agreed with you and I….
yes it sucks to see what we saw yesterday and other times…. but anyone who doesnt see that he clearly has talent is an idiot…
and mike fat-cessa on his show last night on nbc said he didnt like sanchezs answers in the press conference…… that saying “i gotta learn to say uncle on plays and realize they are over” is a bad answer.
and when he was asked if he was confident he said that sometimes he is too confident, meaning he thinks he can make every throw….somehow fat-cessa cant understand what he means and thinks he is an idiot for being “too confident”.
-
Matt,
Would the Jets have gone to the Superbowl with Clemens or Ainge? Highly unlikely. You let him play, sacrifice an early exit from the playoffs with either of those guys starting, and hope in year 2 he starts making big strides. He’s learning the NFL game right now, have patience.
-
frank says:
ONE THING ON THE GM!!!
-
as far as defense makes a stop, they did yesterday pinning ne back at 15 or something…3 and out Jets get the ball back at the fifty… next play sanchez interception…… takes the life out of you when you stop them and next play back on the field because of the turnovers…………Mark Sanchez will throw and 24 25 interceptions this year… with a very low completion percentage …. Clemens may be no star but he wouldnt of been this awful with a legit offense line a solid running game he would of been much better than sanchez has been…..Clemens was terrible a few years back with no running game or offensive line… but years experience and drafting offenseiv line help…. he would been better than sanchez now…
-
Mark says:
Painful as it looks, I’d leave him in there. It really is the best way to learn. The tough thing was the 3-0 start and his early success. Now, defenses have figured him out, which isn’t surprising, and he needs to adjust. It could be a long end to the season…..
-
Its hard to digest, but this is the reality of things. Sanchez is our best option at QB. that is why he is playing. Over the course of the season, he has done a lot of good things for us. He has also done a lot of bad things for us, but for the future of this team, he needs to experience failure before he can be a complete QB. He has never played bad football in his adult life. Was a star high-school QB, was a star college QB in only one season, he has never had to deal with failure and adversity. Thats what happens to elite prospects (they’ve been dominant they’re entire youth).
His first half was horrible, but he came out and orchestrated a great TD drive in the first drive of the 2nd half. The kid is learning.
What sucks is that the rest of the team is ready to win…our QB is not there yet. Yet, our offense is setup and run like he is an experienced QB. not very smart. Gotta blame Schottenheimer there.
-
Arizona went to the SB last year…. granted they had warner..not a great team by any stretch of the imagination….. but as a team the jets with a top 5 defense a good running game.. and an avg qb could of made a run….. if the jets have no faith in kellen Clemons to be servicable why not get Jeff Garcia….. They have to bring in a legit number 2 QB next year….
-
1-Yes, my point on Mr. T. is that while he has done a good job, he is trading away the future in terms of the # draft picks so while they’ve grabbed Revis and Harris in ’07, ’06 was great, but their drafts are thin and that concerns me. Problem is the Jets need many players, DL, OL (aging), RB (TJ old), and maybe a frickin pass rusher on the outside. I don’t know that they will get that in the ’09 draft.
2- you have to play Sanchez,, how did Clemens do in training camp? he should’ve won the job if he were any good. MR. T should’ve gotten a Vet backup for Sanchez (maybe Jeff Garcia) -
Look, I understand that on Fatcessa’s show, the only kind of gravy the producers had for his IVs was the thick, Southern-style gravy, not the au-jus, granule based gravy that he prefers, thus making him a little cranky.
With all the criticism of Schott here, I’m reminded of the end of the Miami (home) game. Sanchez gets them down to the 9 yard line with 1:25 left and at least one time out. They had the number one rushing attack in the league. He calls pass, pass, pass, pass. Game over.
-
Deven says:
Yeah there is no point to pull him now cuz our season if officially dead. But a move 5 weeks ago may have changed something. I’m just starting to wonder if he is learning from his mistakes because thats the third game where he had 4 TO or more. I feel like he should be getting better at some point not worse. I’m just worried that his flashes of hope are getting farther and farther apart and he looks more like Jay Cutler everyday. There may be other problems but that pick 6 was deflating and changed the whole game
-
leave him in there because the playoffs are over…. but get a legit option for 2010 if he does not make the strides to complete 60 percent of his passes.. and throw less picks … less fumbles
-
klecko- there is nothing wrong with that answer. the kid is a rookie. all rookies and 22-year olds are naive and think they have all the answers. Problem with that answer is, someone needs to be reeling him in. You can’t let a kid play reckless like that. You dont fault him for doing it, because he can’t help it, thats why it falls to the responsibility of the verteran coach we needs to teach him and put him in play situations where he doesnt have to make that risky play. The kid will play and do things as much as you allow him. If he thinks he can do it all, you dont let him do it all, then he wont be able to.
-
backup to push the rookie
-
Matt, you cannot compare arizona in 2008 to our team in 2009. They made the superbowl because of their defense AND kurt warner. it was twofold. Kurt Warner is a veteran QB, who knows how to play the game and minimize mistakes. Kurt Warner is not Kellen Clemens or Mark Sanchez.
-
Matt,
I’m deeply offended by a phrase you’ve used many times in your posts, and feel compelled to respond.
The phrase I’m referring to, of course, is SHOULD OF. As in “Sanchez should of been benched after the 3rd interception at the buffalo game”
I believe the words you’re searching for are SHOULD HAVE or possibly even SHOULD’VE, but definitely not SHOULD OF.
There… now I feel better.
Jake
-
Apologies to KSK.
Flash forward, Wednesday AM meeting at Fort Florham:
Rex Comes bounding into locker room like a man on a mission, a piece of breakfast burrito hanging from the corner of his mouth, full plumbers ass mode:
“OK Teams, we exporting suck. No just kidding, but some of us do. Schott, get up here. Sanchez, get me a dog, still hungry”
“wha, what, wat’d I do??” Brian whispers.
“First example, I didn’t want to bring this up, but the JAX game, what the export were you thinking with this play call?”
Rex points the remote at the DVD and up pops the opening play, Sanchez rolls left, deep throw, INT.
Brian: “Well, we thought we had a vulnerabiltiy…” POW!!!
REX floors him with a right hook.
“Get up you, p*****”".
Brian stands, shaking, blood trickling from left nostril.
Rex: “Now this week, what happened to the power running game we discussed??”.
BS: ” Well, when looking at the films it was obvious they were going to stack the box and dare us to throw so I decided to take advantage by…..” POW!!!!
Rex decks him again and screams : “You exporting idiot!!! Bart, get him the export out of my sight! Your fired.”
Bart Scott picks his wimpy ass up, full fledged red river running down his face, and throws him head first out the locker room door.
Callahan you’re in charge.
OK, NEXT!!
Everyone staring blankly, look of shock, except Kerry Rhodes who is bopping to the loud Jay Z rap emanating from his Ipod.
Rex: “RHODES!!!!!”
No response.
Rex: (into headset) Jim, take care of that will you?.
Jim Leohhard, full unform, helmet with the green dot on it, listens, nods, and takes off accross the room and wacks Kerry’s head phones off his head with his cast laden hand. Digs punches Leonhard, who doesnt feel a thing.
Kerry, in shock: Waa?????? I was in a great groove, wtf are you doing JL?
JL: Coach wants to see ya.
KR (looks around): Whats going on? Where’s Brian?
Rex: Rhodes, get the export up here.
KR: ok, coach, (stoops over to pick up pieces of his ipod, tears welling up, shuffles to podium).
Rex points clicker, shows clip of Rhodes fairy tackling Welker.
Rex: Whats with that?
Rhodes (fiddling with ipod remants): “What, I got him didnt I?”
Rex smacks Ipod remnants out of his hand.
Rex: Whats with that?
Rhodes: I just wanted to tackle him, was meeting some serious ass later downtown, wasnt going to mess myself up when we were losing anyway.
Rex: Hope that went well for ya, right team? Team nods.
Rhodes (distracted by beep from pocket): “Ummm, thx, so what are we talking about??”. (Fiddles in pocket, starts to text reply).
Rex: ” I tell ya what, Kerry, we all want to know how this twitter thing works, want all the players on it all the time now, modern preparation, ya know, counter intelligence?”
KR: ” Yeah?? Great move coach, well you access it like this here, hit this button first…” POW!!!
Knocks the device from his hands, Pouha jumps on it like a loose fumble and crushes it.
Rex: “Get the export out of my locker room”.
KR: “ummm, ok, heh, Digs, bring the car around”.
-
matt,
Did you see Clemens in the preseason? He looked worse than Jamarcus Russell. Even if he was better than Sanchez, it’d only be by a little bit, and that would have inhibited Sanchez’s growth. Jeff Garcia?? Why bring a guy in to start for a season instead of letting your guy get out there and learn. Sanchez needed game experience, we all knew this when we drafted him, so to bring a 35 year old QB to play a season (especially one who isn’t good anymore) would’ve been pointless.
-
Sanchez is surrounded by a decent cast…. decent offense line, solid if not great running game…..good weapons at receiver…. he is not producing…. for critizing schotty for calling pass plays against defenses that are putting 8-9 in the box(.Buff game) .. the kid has to complete those plays or not be out there….Preseason was push between clemmons and Sanchez,,, i understood going with the kid… but he has blown up…. it wasn’t as though sanchez was head and shoulders above clemmons,….. he has more potential….. and it was sanchez job to lose… he has lost it…
-
neauone says:
If there was one thing I would remind Sanchez of it would be that it is a team sport, a team game. Up until the final INT the Jets were capable of coming back. The momentum had shifted, the defense had stopped N.E. but Sanchez buried the Jets with that last INT. So whats the point? Sanchez threw away the efforts of the rest of the team and killed any hope of a comeback against N.E. This loss is completely on Sanchez, this is his and his alone. Team Mark, thats what it is all about, the Team.
-
Who is the back up you wanna bring in?>
-
This is why I think the coaches are the problem. The Defense and Offense are just not playing properly. They cant tackle, throw, catch, or block. Its the coaches fault for not properly teaching them how to play. Spend less time scheming and more time working on proper mechanics. Simplify the game-plan.
-
Clemmons could not be worst then this kid is now… preseason is tough. who is nicked up not playing… As a team you are trying to work things out…playing guys that are no going to make the team…. On the practice field if clemmons is not getting it done..( I am not saying that is the case) then the Jets should of addressed it with a veteran qb. as a backup going into the season…… lets see what woodhead can do at running back….wr… welker style
-
Sanchez should of spend the year…. working his mechanics with an NFL QB coach… and not stressing like he is doing now… I am sure he is questioning himself if he can play in this league…..
-
Philip Rivers spent two years on the bench… Drew Brees was ahead him but was the struggling third year guy before he took off and became the Brees he is today… they let brees start…..
-
TJBfan (twitter @infresco4) says:
Ok here is the problem. You want to teach a QB and think the best way is to let him get experience on the field.
Swell as that may be you are holding back Sanchez as well as the rest of the team. The kid want’s no more than to be the starting QB of an NFL team and win games. He busted his ass to become starter…..
NOW BENCH HIM! Let him learn that you not only have to earn the starting job but play well to keep it. Let him go through the trauma of seeing his career start to slip out of his hands and into someone elses(just like the damn ints he keeps throwing).
So yes Rex sitting on the sideline with a clipboard will teach Mark something. If you keep this up this is as close to the action as you will ever get again. A competitor like him could learn no better lesson.
-
subwayfare says:
I don’t get the people who think the team that imploded down the stretch last year and couldn’t stop anyone on defense was one veteran HC and someone’s castoff vet QB away from a SB run. Favre was an easy target because of all the picks but, oddly enough, he’s a legitimate MVP candidate this year. The team that couldn’t make good use of Favre and made Seneca Wallace look like Montana had major problems.
The hiring of Ryan and drafting of Sanchez was a reboot with much longer implications than this season. The one thing I’d question Tennenbaum for is forcing Schottenheimer on Ryan, if those reports are true. I’ve not been on the “Fire Schott” bandwagon but his questionable handling of both a HOF vet and a highly touted rookie speak volumes.
I appreciated the desire and effort to win this year – hey, anything’s possible – but the Baltimore/Flacco comparisons are misleading. Flacco had a lot more college experience and, more importantly, Ryan had been running that D for several years. It was finely tuned. For all Sanchez’ mistakes, the D has cost this team a couple of games on final drives. That should be expected for a first season with a new system. Similar problems would have occurred with Cowher or a reanimated Lombardi for that matter.
I say let Sanchez play it out in the school of hard knocks but I’d take a long look at who is going to be teaching and guiding him and calling his plays going forward. Hopefully someone who doesn’t call an out into a pattern that draws 3 DBs into the area on the opening drive.
-
ED says:
Tough call. Its hard to preach “best player plays” when your QB is stinking it up. We know what we have in Kellen, and the season is over, so I see nothing to be gained by pulling the kid. I think his ego is bruised enough, what purpose would the benching serve? That said, his regression is very frustrating, but expected. Let him play out the year, have a full off season, and we’ll judge him next year and I expect real strides.
-
matt,
How, exactly, would you know Sanchez is doubting if he can play in this league? I highly doubt that is taking place.
What sense would it be to start Clemens right now? Looking past the fact he is awful and had just as much time with the starters as Sanchez did in training camp/preseason, what good would bringing him in to start at this point do?
People throwing Jeff Garcia’s name out there should look up what he’s doing right now. That would be nothing, because 32 NFL teams decided he isn’t worth the investment. Let the kid play, it’s what’s best for the team moving forward.
-
Favre played terrible down the stretch (combination of no recievers and playing hurt) but the jets sucked down the stretch because lack of pass rush… blitzing 3+4 on third and longs was quite irritating.. mangini made Shaun hIll and Seneca wallace look like stars… the defense was the problem last year…
-
JetObsessed28 says:
Rookie years:
P. Manning – 3739 yds, 26 TDs 28 ints 56.7%completion
Aikman – 1749yds 9 TDs 18 ints 52.9% (11 games)
Elway – 1663 yds 7 TDs 14 ints 47.5% (10 games)
Eli – 1043yds 6 TDs 9 Ints 48.2% (9 games; 7 starts)Just something to reference..
Rookies struggle.. Sanchez shows flashes of greatness, smarts, savvy, etc.. He shows you that he’s a rookie too.. Put him up against the Pats in NE, i’m not surprised this was one of his worst games.. The best way to learn is by messing up..
He’ll get better.. i know it sucks the Jets aren’t going to the playoffs (again), he’ll get better each year.. Get some more of Rex’s people in place next season, i think we’re OK.. No need to blame Schotty or Tanny, or anyone.. 4 losses on the last play of the game should tell you that we were in it.. and we have a good team.. I wish we were on the right side of those 4 games, like you.. but, i’m not too down on this team. Rex will find a way to win those games..
-
Brendan,
your right benching him now is pointless because the playoff hunt is over…..I would not expect clemmons to come in and be peyton manning, but he would not be throwing 24-26 interceptions this year…
-
jet obsessed…
your pointing to stats of greats… but there qb play didnt cost there team a legit shot at the playoffs this year…
aikman bradshaw phil rivers all were benched or sat rookie years…
-
those greats were on crap teams…
-
scapp says:
Can we hire Curley from the 3 stooges to stand right next to Sanchez and poke him in the eyes every time he stares down the receiver? Come on Mark, that’s high school stuff!!
-
reality jet fan says:
I want to know why our promising young qb has completely regressed from the first 3 weeks?
-
the problem here, guys, is not that we have a rookie QB starting, the problem is, we have a team that is treating our offense like we dont have a rookie QB starting.
We are putting Sanchez into position where there is no room for error. Well, the kid is a rookie, he makes mistakes, but we’re putting him into situations where he feels like he must make THE play, and then boom, forces something.Just like subwayfare mentioned, why call a comeback route, with a tight window, with DBs all in the area, on the first throw of the game? the first…throw…of the game. ditto last week. HORRIBLE managing of our rookie QB.
He can make the plays, we’ve seen it, so the argument of , well he shouldnt be in there if he cant make the play, doesnt hold true…the problem is, we are not treating him like a rookie QB. its ridiculous.
-
Starz 31 u are absolutely right so isnt that a horrible job by the coaching staff.
-
and i hope everyone saw the awful pick flacco threw when his team was clearly in range for a game winning fg late in that colts game…..
he has a full year under his belt after 2 or 3? years in college and still makes mistakes like that….
so relaxxxxxxxxx
-
I am worried we have the right qb with this kid but will we ever see him at his best with these coaches because this kid has gone backwards and im not going to blame a 23 year old rookie.
-
starz31 and subwayfare have it right
We have the #1 rushing game in the league and still continue to ask Sanchez to make huge throws in close games. The reason Ryan and Flacco had success is the OC didnt ask them to do to much unless he absolutely had to
Plus. I know he has had bad games but he played well in more than just the 1st 3 games. He also gave our defesne the lead with 5 mins to go last week
The bigger problem is Sanchez will have to learn a new system when B-Schott moves on next year.
-
Matt,
You sure Clemens wouldn’t throw as many INT’s? Do you remember his awe inspiring hook shot in the preseason this year? That was worse than anything Sanchez has done thus far, and that’s saying something.
-
starz….u are 1000% right…. we have put him in too many spots that a rookie qb is gonna most likely make the wrong choice….
the ravens with flacco is a good blueprint….and we aint following it…… and again as i just said, even flacco has had his probs in his 2nd year…
people just need to freaking RELAX…. the kid has sick talent, its there…..
-
you don’t bench him now. clemens couldn’t keep his head connected to his body in the preseason if it wasn’t strapped on. before our 3-0 start, which tilted the world on a different axis, we were all (the realists) hoping for a competitive team with a rookie head coach and sanchez. not to be totally cliche, but here’s where we find out something about this team. looking @ remaining schedule, based on the last few perfomances, we could easily go 0-6. wouldn’t shock me a bit. do that and incur the wrath (ryan/sanchez/everyone), b/c you’ve earned it. split the remaining (buf, TB, carolina) and show some improvement and you weather the storm. make a real run at 7-9 or 8-8 and you just might have some of us thinking that the ealry season promise wasn’t a total mirage and there just might be decent things to
come./shaking head because i know better
-
reality, you are right. I was on the fence about Schott, because, at times, he does orchestrate well-paced drives…but the guy is almost as inconsistent as Sanchez. And he isn’t a rookie. It’s really frustrating. He’s demanding too much of Sanchez, and theres two things with that…1) it means Sanchez is a good learner and plays well in practice and can handle the playbook which makes the coaching staff think they can open it up more (thats not sanchez fault for adapting) but 2)the coaches need to be like, hold on, he’s a rookie, i dont care that you thnk you can handle this, I’m not going to allow you to. I’m going to restrict what you can and cannot do on gameday…I will not allow YOU to dictate the game. I am the coach. you are a rookie. I cant put you into situations where there is a small window for success.
Up until this point, I think rex has given Schott alot of room to breath. I am hoping, that Rex addresses this. Tanny can have a say as well..
-
Why has he gone backwards?
-
You don’t ask a kid who has – by Schott’s own account – been starting games too amped up, playing too fast, throwing off rhythm, to throw a ball into a tight window on the opening drive. That is a coaching mistake. A big one.
-
brendan..
Beleive me I am no clemmons fan….but qbs that throw as many picks as this kid are usualy under relentess pressure because of an awful offensive line…. Assuming clemmons can be an avg qb with decent supporting cast he wouldn’t have these many picks…. And if clemmons doesn’t have the ability to reach the hieghts of being an avg qb, then get garcia or a reliable nfl qb and surround him with the good defense good running game and defense…..
2010 blueprint… sure up the defense making it a top five defense… ( If kris Jenkins comes back) rely on the a solid run attack… and get a real solid backup to Sanchez… IF Sanchez is not cutting it next year give him the hook,,,, not permenantly but be ready to sit him…. if the team is a bust then he plays it out…. like this year….. Sanchez needs to drill, drill drill his fundamentals in the off season….Improve his fundamentals he will be a solid NFL QB, BUT DONT HAVE HIM COST JETS THE PLAYOFFS AGAIN LIKE HE DID THIS YEAR
-
If sanchez year so far was reversed we would all be doing cartwheels
-
frusrated fan says:
this team stinks,screw the jets,they will never make the playoffs,let alone win a superbowl,this team is cursed,i will never root for this team again,screw the whole organization,screw the owner and the gm,i threw away all my jets stuff,ive had it with this team,they are for ever losers,i will root for the giants from now on,screw the jets once again.
-
I OFTEN HEAR OF LET HIM LEARN IT ON THE FIELD…. PRACTICE IS WHERE THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GOING TO BE MADE…. AND THEN GAME TIME PLAYING…
-
subway… just to play devil’s advocate:
I don’t know enough to blame the coaches, but i do think the QB not going through his reads good or fast enough contributes to these mistakes..
He needs to make better reads, go through his progressions better as well..
I do agree though, the coaches need to put their players in a better position to succeed (i sound like Mangini.. punch me please)..
-
matt,
Sanchez didn’t cost the Jets the playoffs. Educated fans realized having a rookie head coach and a rookie QB meant the playoffs were unlikely anyway. This has been a team-wide letdown, with each phase of the game (offense, defense, ST’s) costing the Jets at different times. And aside from the Baltimore game in ’07, Clemens hasn’t shown anything that would remotely lead you to believe he can be any good. Starting him this year over Sanchez would have kept the kid from learning the game.
-
Sanchez needs to learn how to make better reads and throws. This comes from practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We’re talking about practice!
-
Bent says: If the Jets are expected to be contenders next year, then would it have been any better to let him sit this year (of course everyone would have been calling for him to start as soon as the starter faltered) and then make all these mistakes while they were in the hunt?
Oh…and Kevin O’Connell. Just wanted to be the first to mention him since he was actually on the active roster yesterday, unlike Ainge.
-
JetObsessed28-
Sanchez needs to do everything better, no doubt. But he’s a young kid with little game experience and, as a coach, you have to have a feel for when and where he’s most vulnerable. He’s consistently played better later in games when he gets into the flow and calms down a bit. Don’t ask him to take big risks early when he’s still jumpy and not able to slow his thoughts down adequately.
The late game pics yesterday were actually unusual and I’d chalk those up to his having been in a deep hole all game, on the road, against an intimidating team.
-
PICK SIXES, TAKES THE LIFE OUT OF YOU DEFENSE AND WHOLE TEAM.. … clemons played behind a crappy offensive line 06-07…. they drasticaly improved that….. the defense with Kris Jenkins is a top five in the league, without him it is a middle of the road….. he gave them no shot to win the following games NO, Buffalo, NE, and even the Jags game when the linebacker tripped going back for pick six….
You learn the game better if you are playing, but if he wasn’t starting doesn’t mean he wouldnt be drilling and practing and improving……….. Jets made alot of free agent pickups,
Bart Scott.. Leonard traded for a Braylon Edwards to win now….. you can’t have a qb that is reckless as he is ….. again he has a solid offense line, so it is not there fault…. -
James in TN says:
WOJF, that was hilarious, and I hope it goes down just like that.
-
Bench Sir Throws INT’s alot or Fire Schotty. I prefer the latter.
-
subway, very true..
-
the reason flacco and ryan had successful season as rookie, they didnt turn the ball over…. they had good defenses and good running game…. same as sanchez………the kid will be good…. but he should of been given the bench midway through the buff game…. and given the ball back if playoffs hunt was over….. for those who disagree… we agree to disagree… later everybody…..2010 jets will be a serious contender
-
Matt,
He left the Jax game with the lead and drove down the field for what was at the time a touchdown to take the lead.
He has definitely shown what he can do. Clemens’ “2007 we were awful” excuse doesn’t hold up anymore since we saw Sanchez outplay him in the preseason with the same players. If Clemens was their guy, or capable of being the guy, then the Jets wouldn’t have gone after Sanchez. But since they clearly didn’t think he was their future, they got a franchise QB. Clemens is not the answer, nor will he ever be.
-
3rd and 7 at IND 14 (Shotgun) J.Flacco pass short middle intended for R.Rice INTERCEPTED by G.Brackett at IND 13. G.Brackett to IND 21 for 8 yards (C.Chester).
THATS WHAT JOE FLACCO DID YESTERDAY WITH HIS TEAM DOWN 17-15 WITH JUST OVER 2 MINUTES LEFT!!!!!! his team had confidence in him to not make a bad throw on the freaking 14 yard line….. and he made an awful throw….
a guy with 2 full years as a starter at deleware….and 16 starts last year as a rookie…and 10 starts this year….
the sanchez bashing needs to slow the f–k down….. =)
-
Matt, I understand your point, but Kellen Clemens had his shot this summer and did nothing with it. I wanted him to start and let Sanchez learn, but he did nothing to take that opportunity away.
-
subway….great points……
-
freshAShell says:
get ya hotdog ready!!!! Sanchez sucks, hes to soft
-
At least Flacco kept his team in a position to win all game. Its not like he threw the ball to the Colts all game and give them 14+ points.
-
to starz31,,, ARIZONA WAS A 9-7 TEAM THAT MADE IT TO THE SUPERBOWL THAT THE JETS DESTROYED LAST YEAR… THEY GOT HOT… SO YOU NEVER KNOW ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A GOOD DEFENSE…. THE BEARS WENT A FEW YEARS BACK WITH A WEAK QB…… GRANTED MOST SUPERBOWL TEAMS HAVE DYNAMIC QB PLAY BUT NONE WITH A QB THROWING 25-28 INTERCEPTIONS OR WHATEVER HE ENDS UP WITH
-
shamik….agree…. but the point is even in a situation like that one, where the ravens obviously had confidence in their 2nd yr qb, he made an awful throw…. in a spot that u cant make that mistake… down 2 with 2+ min left in chip shot fg range….
and he is a 2nd yr guy who was brought along slowly last year….
so the optimist might say sanchez is getting more experience with mistakes now then flacco did last year so maybe he will grow up faster =)
-
starz31..
I hear you about the preseason… but in preseason when you play opposition your not facing a team them is scheming and blitz packages for you.. the other team is seeing what they got……
Clemmons played Sanchez to a push… money and the high draft pick is the reason they played him….
I was alright with them starting Sanchez,.,…. but you can’t be afraid to bench a player who isn’t getting it done,……
-
hank/naples says:
Brendan:
The NY Jets and The NY Mets were born Siamese twins. Born at the same time, grew up in the same town, shared the same crib (Polo Grounds, and even share the same name separated only by one letter.
As siamese twins both have been destined to the same history, with the difference being luck blessed, (remeber Buckner ?) one TWICE and not the other, and both inherited most of the same fans.
If you look back, you will see one more common thread since their birth.
That thread beign OPTIMISM. Jet fans and Mets fans are both eternal optimists. Some well founded (YOU GATTA BELIEVE!) Others, well, just plain optimists.
Myself and others (WOJF, Chris, Fonzie, Mike Taliferro Dean Barbella to name a few) eternal optimist that we are, have tried to express our fears to anyone that will listen.
These warnings have been ignored or rejected and in many instances subjecting some of to ridicule, insults and downrigth threats!!!
-
Fair point in regards to Arizona before the playoffs. But, Kurt Warner played very well once in the playoffs. You need that solid QB-play in the playoffs to do things. The year the Giants won, Eli didn’t create any turnovers the entire way to the Super Bowl. You need that moxie at QB to advance…
If we made the playoffs this year, Sanchez could easily buckle in the big game mainly b/c of his inexperience and that fact that Schott would make him do everything lol. Ryan and Flacco both played poorly in their defeats in the playoffs.
I knew before the year, that with Sanchez, we wouldn’t be able to win the big games, and I’m not knocking him, its just the reality of being a rookie.
-
hank, I will actually agree with some of that post, since I am a mets fan, and life sucks haha, but…honestly, you didn’t really offer anything constructive in that post. Are you saying that you expect to lose all the time?
-
Hank,
Um, why was that addressed to me? I’m not delusionaly optimistic. I see things for what they are.
As a Jets/Mets fan I don’t need a history of the suffering. And how could you ever leave out their other shared home…Shea Stadium! (I really miss that place).
I like to believe I don’t ridicule on here, but at times we all get a little fired up and respond a little emotionally. It’s no secret we don’t have the same way of thinking about this team, but you’re not expressing your fears, you’re calling for failure. I have no problem disagreeing and listening to both sides of an argument, but when your side is ALWAYS negative, it loses credibility.
-
Jetsetter says:
Sanchez will be fine. Yes he has been awful at times and ok, but never great. When this season is over, he would of doubled his game experience to 32 games played, that is priceless.Give him another offseason with Braylon, Cotch, and Keller. The future is in place. Rookie QB, Rookie Future RB, 2nd year TE, 2 Receivers in their mid 20′s, Young Pro Bowl Center and Left Tackle. Lots of talent to build on. Tanny has done an amazing job building this team. We are fortunate to have an aggressive GM with an eye for talent. WE WILL BE FINE. Its sucks and is extremely diappointing, but we need to focus on the positive. WE all knew that we were not going to win the Super Bowl this year, so lets step back a bit and understand who THE JETS ARE. Young in key areas and team that needs to learn to finish games. I do expect BIG things from this team the nxt 5-10 years. This is the best collection of talent the franchise has ever had. Lets enjoy the learning process the next 6 games and see our QB develop and see if we can learn to finish teams in the fourth quarter. No more negative Nancy’s. Positive things happen to positive thinkers, that’s why we will be fine with Rex and Sanchez.
-
So he’s a deer in the headlights, the season is over so why bench him now? I don’t think he’s necessarily regressed it’s just that he was an unknown quantity at the beginning of the season and there’s a ton of tape on him now. Admittedly 4 picks is a little excessive and the fumble was icing but play the kid, what do you have to lose now?
-
Here Here! Jetsetter. Thats what I like to hear. A positive outlook. I totally agree.
-
Brendan:
Contiunued:
Those same “fans” believe they are experts and therefore are righteous in their freedom to reject any opposing comments b y spewing vitriol, hatred or insults, while COMPLETEL disregarding our argument. Arguments base on objective views that have surfaced as FACTS !!!
What these ETERNAL OPTIMISTS do not realize, is that this same optimisim, without objective reasoning, PERPETUATED the same losing history for foth “TWINS”.
Brendan,blinded optimist fans like youself, must stand back and look objectively as to WHY the Jets are the SOJ !!!
-
All I know is that with Delhomme and Sanchez on the field, and with both defenses looking to stop the run, it could be a record-breaking day for interceptions in a game.
-
starz31:
My computer is all screwed up, sorry the post was incomplete! The second part is @ 11:37
-
igs says:
Oh, you mean your rookie QB had a 4 interception day? Oh my god that’s so abnormal. He must be a bust. Bench him! Right away.
Give me a break. Let the kid start. This is all growing pains. I haven’t seen one thing about Sanchez that bothers me. What disturbs me is the terribble tackling and horrid penalties that killed the spirit of the team every time they started to get some momentum.
Leave Sanchez alone.
-
I would also love to see the Jets REALLY pursue Charlie Weis as OC. It would add more to the rivarly as well as a great Offensive mind and help the development of Sanchez???
-
Yeah, Schotty’s gotta go. I don’t know about Charlie Weis though. I mean I wouldn’t call him a success at Notre Dame
-
Hank,
“while COMPLETEL disregarding our argument. Arguments base on objective views that have surfaced as FACTS !!!”
I disregard your arguments? I’m sorry, but I always address a subject when you bring it up. You, however, will abandon a discussion if you’re proven to be out-done in it. You pull random arbitrary comments out of thin air and rarely use any factual information to back up your claims.
I am realistic and realize that people will not always agree on here. That’s the whole point. I also never thought the Jets were going to win the Superbowl this year, but that I was optimistic that they could take some major steps towards that ultimate goal.
You can disagree with me, point out when I’m wrong and that’s fine, but don’t tell me I’m blinded by my optimism and that I’m the one perpetuating this losing. I’m a big believer in karma, and I think it’s people such as yourself who are always negative, always expecting failure, and always call for epic change and upheaval that are the ones perpetuating the losing. Man, that optimism sure is a killer.
-
James thanks, me too.
starz31, not so sure Clemens got a true shot this summer, “competition” was fixed from the start.
But whethar he did or not is now irrelevent, Sanchez needs to play, too late now to save the season anyway.
Hopefully the coaches finally get it through their thick skulls they need to simplify things for him and he can take baby steps.
Clemens will get a shot somewhere else next year.
Basset, your last is the easiest question to answer, they are carrying four QB’s because they know Clemens is gone next year and they like the other two.
-
Harvlis says:
I think that Sanchez will eventually become a good QB but, I don’t think it is fair to the team and the fans to give up on this season so that Sanchez can learn how to play.
There have been times, this season, where he should have been shown the bench. The best pitchers in baseball have to be taken out of the game, when they are having bad days. It does not help Sanchez to let him implode and single handedly lose a game. If the coach sees him struggling, he can put in a back up, give Sanchez a breather, and hopefully the backup might have better luck. This limits the damage that Sanchez can do, prevents Sanchez from having three, four, or five INT days, shows Sanchez that he has to earn the starting position, and gives us a better chance to win. In addition, it gives our backups a chance to play. If Sanchez went down, and we were in the playoff hunt, wouldn’t it be better if his backup had seen some regular season action, before stepping in.
In the New England game, most of Sanchez’s mistakes came from bad throws. He saw the field well and went to the right recievers but, he was extremely inaccurate. His brain freeze occured when he was scrambling and threw the ball down the sideline for a pick. That was downright dumb. And, it has happened more than once, this season. He should have been benched for that play, alone. His coach has to let him know that throwing the ball blindly into the field of play is unacceptable.
-
igs:
Two part question
1) I know you are level headed, but can you actually say that from what you have seen in the last eleven games , Franchez has shown more positives than negatived for him to develop in the next five?
2) Do you really want to throw away any upside, or potential promise that Ainge has for the Jets future so that Franchez gets this extra FIVE games?
-
Bent says:
“I don’t know about Charlie Weis though. I mean I wouldn’t call him a success at Notre Dame”
Peter Principle? He wouldn’t even have been at Notre Dame if he wasn’t an outstanding OC to begin with (let alone a huge 10 year deal). Maybe HC was too much for him, but a return to what he does best could be just the ticket.
I’m not endorsing the move, which I’m sure would cause debate after debate for exactly the reason igs states. I’m not sure how I’d feel about Weis – or if it’s a realistic option. Anyone else have thoughts?
-
Weiss is certainly an interesting question. And, yes, the PP notion that OC is the best fit for him has to be considered. Would anyone worry that his being out of the pro game for so long is an issue?
-
Hank,
I haven’t seen a single tendency in Sanchez that says this is not the Jets QB of the future. LIke I said earlier, he’s a perfect QB that needs to mature and stand taller. I actually thought he had better pocket presence yesterday and the INTs came from bad decisions or miscommunications with the WRs.
You have to remember about Sanchez he is a gunslinger in the mold of Favre with less of an arm. He’s going to give you some interceptions.
Meanwhile you got guys that are veterans missing tackles all over the field and killing the team with penalties. And let Welker run over this team like a mad man.Those are the guys that worry me.
As far as Ainge, Ainge has no future here. maybe if he sticks around he develops over the next 5 or 6 years and ends up doing some damage in a fill in role. But I’ve seen nothing in him that says he should be starting for this team.
-
Brendan wrote “I have no problem disagreeing and listening to both sides of an argument, but when your side is ALWAYS negative, it loses credibility.”
Works both ways.
I am not always negative, but since about week 11 of last year there has been plenty to be negative about.
I was praising the kid, and publicly ate crow for saying he was not ready, after week three. I fell for the start like everyone else and still believe the kid may be fine IF the coaches can reel him in.
But I try to see the big picture, which is why my name is now changed until it accomplishes my goal.
To answer a reply of yours to me from the prior thread, when you were defending Mr. T with all the usual excuses, rookie HC, QB etc.
Remember, Mr. T decided to hire this rookie HC and draft therookie QB, despite having what I and many believed to be a win now team coming off a 9 win season with an idiot coach and an injured QB.
Even if you accept that Rex was the right hire, which he might be long term since the defense has in truth been very good, Mr. T saddled Rex with with the same guy most are blaming now, Schotty, an OC whose philosphy is completely at odds with the somewhat successful formula that we were alledgedly adopting.
T hired Schott and despite last years meltdown was his first choice for HC last year until Woody talked him out of it, if you believe the rumours.
So Mr. T needs to take the hit here.
He went all in this year with a rookie QB and the Edwards and Shephard trades and it has been a huge disappointment. Not to mention the Gholston debacle.
Why is he immune from cricism?
The Mets/Jets analogy is perfect, big budget clubs continually under performing with owners totally oblivious to the failures of the GM.
-
Bent, true. I can’t dispute that. He really made it happen for the Pats.
-
Brendan:
OK lets take one (of many, many) example(s).
I have been saying since we drafted Franchez that we gave up too much for him (Mangini was “dumb” as a Wolf to allow Tannenbaum to eat his lunch). this comment was received by criicism by some and insults by others.
Againd when we played the Ravens in the same season, I pointed out to SEVERAL deficient skills and huge problems in his game and was also criticized on insulted by other
All these unpopular, objective comments have come to the surface the last seven games, and still not one word agreeingto the slightest from you!
-
hank, in response to your questions for igs,
1) absolutely yes.
2) doesnt need an answer, because I assume you would never ask the question with a straight-face. -
Bent, I think the offensive coordinator is in house, Callahan would be fine.
Weiss would be taking a huge salary cut to return to a coordinator postion in the NFL, just do not see it happening and in truth I would prefer to move away from the Parcels tree in its entirety.
Rex should be allowed to find his own coordinator that shares his vision.
I think Callahan and him have a lot in common but if not Rex should find Schott’s replacement, a coach needs to hire his own staff so the line of command is not blurred.
-
Bent says:
Hank – As you know, I didn’t like the trade up for Sanchez, thought he was a reach at number 5 and have questioned whether Tannenbaum deserved all the credit he’d been receiving for building the roster…
…but I still disagree with you that they gave up too much for Sanchez.
First off, they didn’t trade Sanchez for those picks/players, they traded those picks/players for the 5th pick. THEN picked Sanchez. Different transaction.
If Sanchez was a bad pick at 5, that’s a separate issue, but in terms of pure value (according to the universally recognized draft chart), that 5th pick was worth what they gave up for it, if not more.
If you assign a realistic value in terms of what draft pick they could have been traded for at the time, Ratliff would have netted a 7th rounder, Elam a mid-round pick (maybe – and he’s having a lousy year) and Coleman also a mid-round pick). The cost of moving from 17 to 5 according to the draft chart? Approximately one second rounder, two mid round picks and a late round pick…pretty much what they gave up.
Again, the decision to give up a bunch of picks when they had areas that they could have addressed the depth in may have been a bad one, but it’s a separate issue.
In terms of value for the trade IN ISOLATION, it was a fair deal. Some of the decision making around how they went about it, whether it was smart and how they used the pick may not have been smart (which were why I didn’t like the move myself), but to harp on this 5-for-1 is not the issue because they gave up 5 nickels and got back a quarter.
On a separate note (connected to the Edwards trade, in which they similarly gave up what appears to be fair value) Trusnik looked pretty good yesterday. Good for him, but the decision to get rid of him when you already have several other young players struggling for playing time
-
Hank,
I criticize your Sanchez trade stance because you seem to think 3 players who wouldn’t have even started for us, swapping first rounders, and giving up a second rounder for us to get our franchise QB is Mangini pulling a fast one.
Everyone on here criticizes people’s posts. That’s not an issue, because without that we’d be pretty bored. It’s name calling and personal attacks that I consider to be over the line. I can attack your theory all day if I choose to, that’s a risk you run by posting it.
“Againd when we played the Ravens in the same season, I pointed out to SEVERAL deficient skills and huge problems in his game and was also criticized on insulted by other”
Who is this referring to?
-
Inagodadavida says:
Harvlis, I agree 100% with your post. Bench Sanchez for his own good.
-
The 4 QB thing is a joke. I don’t get what this teams with stockpiling roster space with guys who will never ever see the field. They did the same thing with Mike Nugent at K last year. I understand the no benching of him, but Rex has made a big mistake with the team, the fans, and the media. Rex should have said back in camp what he is saying now about how you don’t learn holding a clipboard. Everyone knew that competition was a farce and all Rex had to do was say we are willing to take our lumps starting Sanchez because it is in the best interest of the future of the franchise. He didn’t do that and now Sanchez is being unfairly attacked for ruining a season (which was ruined long before his turnover attack yesterday).
They really need to be tougher with Sanchez. They treat him with kids gloves and Im not sure he learns anything from it. I dont believe the game slows down anyway until year 2, but every week it just seems like Sacnhez shrugs it off as if “hey Im a rookie”. That is not a good thing for his future and that is all on Rex and the way they handle him.
-
FT(WOJF)-
You make some good points and Mike T. should not be immune to criticism. However, the premise you put forth that I find the most flawed is:
“despite having what I and many believed to be a win now team coming off a 9 win season with an idiot coach and an injured QB.”
The vast majority of NFL analysts, including the FO metric junkies, did not share this view. The team’s death spiral last year was systemic and was not going to be immediately reversed in a year by simply plugging in a vet HC and QB. Is there and example where that’s ever happened? Don’t HC’s always bring new systems, schemes, assistants, philosophies that take time to gel? Who would that QB have been? Don’t QB’s always need time to build chemistry with receivers in new systems?
I just don’t agree with your interpretation that Mike T. went “all in this year” with Sanchez or Braylon, who the team is not locked into but could keep for good value for at least another year, and certainly not with Lito, who costs the team very little if the results aren’t there. Sanchez was the pick for the next 15 years, not just this one. The Baltimore/Flacco/Ryan model ( a reach, as I mentioned above) was a nice top of the scale upside, but not, I believe, the sole reason for the pick and hire.
If one were looking at the moves made by Mike T this year without the burden of unrealistic expectations for this year, they don’t look nearly as bad.
Allowing the VG pick – even if it was Mangini’s wish – is a big blot on his record, however. And if he did force Schottenheimer on Ryan against his wishes he gets a big demerit there as well.
-
starz31;
I respect the fact that you would rather throw Ainge on the trash heap in order to give Franchez the next five games of practice. Unbelievable, and that is the SOJ OPTIMIST response!!!
The second answer demands a follow-up: WHAT do you see in his positives that outweigh his negatives and allow you to throw Ainge on the trash heap?
-
I think we have to keep in perspective that whther we like the Sanchez trade or not there has just been too much draft day trading. And I know I sound like a broken record with this. But I think Hank is keying in on an important issue:
The Sanchez trade to me was a phenomenal trade because they didn’t give up too many picks and they didn’t touch the 2010 draft picks. But the success of that deal is dulled by the stupidity of the Shonne Green deal. Revis deal is fine – agree with it or not – but up against the Harris trade? The Keller trade – agree or not – it’s descent, but sandwiched by drafts in which you make these blockbuster deals? It’s just too mch. You can’t build a team like this. And yo’ll see when you’re constantly trying to get that instant fix, things like chemistry and development will suffer.
The Jets have to start putting a premium on the amount of draft picks.
-
RE: Tannenbaum
I think Tanny gets too suckered in with the short term success of the team similar to how a fan gets suckered in. In many ways he is like a fantasy GM, IMO. 2006 ended up being murder because he thought we were way closer than we really were. We faced a soft schedule and had a new system to keep teams guessing as we ended up with 10 wins. Rather than keeping on a track to build for the future we began the thought process that this team was ready for the bigtime. By 2008 they completely went into win now mode. Better coaching and we would have won the division, but it did not change the fact that 12 wins were going to be a result of the schedule not great talent. This year was more of the same.
The bottom line is when Tannenbaum took over the thought was that this was a 3 year plan and the fact is we got no better. The Jets will be one of only 11 teams to not make the playoffs in the last 3 years. All of this despite having a huge payroll and all kinds of splashy trades. At some point someone has to point the finger at the way the team is being run.
-
Jason-
Those are valid points and I also agree with Igs in that the way forward from here should be a focus on drafting for depth. If Sanchez is the QB of the future the team needs to begin acting like it has one.
-
Jason,
“fantasy GM” is a good way to put it.Subway,
culdn’t have said it better myself. -
Bent:
Just two brief comments:
Saying that Franchez’s was not a trade with Mangini is all semantics. For all intent and purposes, the end to the means, it was a trade.
Also, “In terms of value for the trade IN ISOLATION, it was a fair deal” only if he is trully Franchize. I maintain that we should NOT have given franchize value then, and He STILL remains unproven BY ANY MEANS, that he is franchize value now.
UNTILL PROVEN OTHERWISE, I remain correct in my opinion !!!
-
Jason:
By saying that…”I think Tanny gets too suckered in with the short term success of the team similar to how a fan gets suckered in.” You are 1000% correct on Tannenbaum and why we have been in a win NOW MODE since the end of ’07. To say otherwise is The SOJ Folklore.
-
Krista says:
ACCURACY CAN NOT BE TAUGHT!!!!!! I mean COME ON!!! Like Thomas Jones said at the end of last season about taking Favre out after throwing 4 INT’s….TAKE HIM OUT!!!! He will NEVER be a better QB than what he is now because he is TOO INACCURATE!!! And since day 1 of training camp, everyone has always said “he’s got a strong arm, blah, blah, blah, but he’s inaccurate”. THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE! YOU CAN’T TEACH ACCURACY!
He should be benched…he should have already been benched, actually. He’s thrown how many INT’s? 17? He has had 2 games with 4+ interceptions. I just can’t take it anymore. There is no way Clemens or Ainge could do worse! It’s really a joke at this point! He’s nothing but a cry baby, Southern California, nail biting, crying in the shower, pretty boy who will probably be our QB forever, which means we will suck forever. Okay, that was a little harsh, but it’s just not normal for me as a fan to get nauseous and sick to my stomach when we have the ball. And it’s also sad that we can be down by 2 touchdowns and we don’t trust our QB enough to let him throw the ball.
I’m spent!
-
Krista,
But Sanchez is not an inaccurate QB. The 1st 3 interceptions were misreads of the WR routes. And the last was just a terrible decision on a ball that shoud have been thrown out of bounds. Sanchez’s placement is very good. -
One of the things about the turnovers is that it’s allowing fans to look past all the absolutely miserable things that went wrong in this game. I’m not losing any sleep over the turnovers. There’s plenty else to be stressed over.
-
Hank,
You aren’t correct just because you deem it so.
The truth is we took a chance at (finally) getting ourselves a franchise QB. We obviously don’t know if he is or not, but he certainly has the potential.
Now let’s look at what we gave up:
Abram Elam – would’ve been lucky to get the snaps E. Smith is getting, factored into this season minimally, if at all.Kenyon Coleman’s corpse- Guy has no push at the line and his biggest asset is his ability to hold position against the run. If your biggest tool is just being present on the field, you probably aren’t a keeper. Would not have been starting here, and would’ve been phased out with the emergence of guys like Devito and Pouha.
Brett Ratliff – A guy so good that he hasn’t sniffed the field with the worst QB performance from a team as a whole I can remember seeing. Would have been our 3rd QB.
1st round pick swaps. You want the franchise center? I’ll take the franchise QB.
2nd rounder – used on David Veikune, who hasn’t seen a snap all season.
That is not a high price. At all. I can’t stress enough how minimal that cost is. We essentially gave up 3 players who would barely contribute, if at all, in 2009. We swapped firsts and gave up a 2nd rounder.
The real loss was the 2nd rounder that we could’ve used to bolster the d-line or secondary.
-
Krista:
You bring up a GREAT point in that….”Okay, that was a little harsh, but it’s just not normal for me as a fan to get nauseous and sick to my stomach when we have the ball. And it’s also sad that we can be down by 2 touchdowns and we don’t trust our QB enough to let him throw the ball.
From the real looks of it, are we sujected to however long he needs to feel as you say ” to get nauseous and sick to our stomach ” every time we have the ball.
Isn’t that akin to doomed in hell as a Jets fan?
-
Brendan:
How can you possibly say that based on your own supposition that…”The truth is we took a chance at (finally) getting ourselves a franchise QB. We obviously don’t know if he is or not, but he certainly has the potential.” and attest that my argument, based on undeniable facts presented by Franchez so far , Is wrong.
Your logic is totally convoluted !!
-
hank/naples,
Yes, we are doomed as Jets fans…no matter how badly I try to deny it and make excuses for us…there just are no more!
igs,
How many times have you been watching a game and said “HE WAS WIDE OPEN!!!”? Cotchery does NOT misread routes, period! Not to mention, Cotchery is the most emotionless person on the Jets, and you can SEE the frustration in his eyes when he’s missed by 5 feet or the ball is thrown at his feet. Sanchez is inaccurate. Bottom line!
-
Hank,
What are you asking? We’re talking about the Sanchez trade. What undeniable facts have been presented by Sanchez? That he’s a rookie making rookie mistakes?
Are you saying that you’d rather have Mack, Veikune, Coleman, Elam and Ratliff than Sanchez? Because I’ll take the potential franchise QB instead of that poo-poo platter of role players. Sanchez is a rookie and you want him to come in and blow the doors off the place? Of course if you look at his stats and grade the trade we probably aren’t on the winning end, but talk to me in 3 years when Coleman isn’t in the league, Abram is glued to the bench, Ratliff is a journeyman 3rd string-lifer, Veikune is a bench player and Mack hasn’t made it to a pro-bowl yet.
Is Sanchez going to save the franchise from the depths of sports’ purgatory? I don’t know. But what I DO know is those players would most definitely not, so why waste time and money on them rather than putting it towards a franchise player?
-
tyrone says:
THIS SEASON IS TO EVALUATE YOU CAN NOT WIN A SUPER BOWL CHANGING QB HE’S THE MAN I BELIEVE WE DO NEED TO CHANGE SHOTTIE. HE IS NOT THAT GOOD AS OS HIS PLAYS SUCK AND HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN 2ND HALF HE MORE A CONSERVATIVE TYPE OS I BELIEVE SANCHEZ IA SLINGER AND NEEDS OS LIKE MIKE MARTZ OR CALLAHAN WHICH HAD THAT EXPLOSIVE RAIDER TEAM I KNEW THAT THEY WOULD STRUGGLE THIS YEAR WE SHOULD BE BETTER NEXT YEAR THOUGH AINGE LOOKS GOOD TO WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK AT HIM THIS YEAR ALSO
-
Krista,
Year one: 56% Completion Percentage
Year three: 62.5% Completion Percentage
Year six: 67% Completion Percentage
Year twelve: 70% Completion PercentageThat’s Peyton Manning’s completion percentages over his career. And it’s not me picking out numbers that fit my theory. Go and look at his career stats and you’ll see a steady improvement in completion percentage over the course of his 12 seasons. You can become more accurate over time, it is a skill and skills can be taught.
-
Hank, I purposely didn’t answer your question about Ainge because I found it hard to believe someone who claims to be a Jets fan would sincerely ask why Erik Ainge is not getting reps with our first team.
-
Inaccurate and reckless are two different things.
Brett Favre is very accurate, he’s just reckless.
Mark Sanchez has shown he is accurate (TD pass yesterday)…but he has also shown to be reckless.
Please dont deal in absolutes. An incompletion can be inaccuracy, in can also be a misread. Sanchez is showing both. But he has shown more misreads IMO to lend me to trust when he does make a good throw that his accuracy is pretty solid.
-
I never knew SOJ meant optimism…I learn something new every day. Thanks Hank.
I’ll still be rooting for the Jets though, because I do see the silver linings in things, and I make my own assumptions about my teams, I don’t believe the media, who love to thrive on extremes. One thing is for sure : I’m sure glad Mark Sanchez is our QB and Erik Ainge isn’t.
-
jvsvn says:
They are not going to bench Sanchez. Period. And they shouldn’t. Yes, it’s been frustrating to watch but that’s the way it is. The playoff prospects are gone and there is no one else to give the ball to anyway. KC has been sitting on the bench for 4 years. If they wanted to make him a starter they would have done it by now. KC is 6 games away from ending his Jet career. No point in playing him now. For better or worse, Sanchez is the guy, both right now and in the future. Let him play and develop. End of story.
As far as Sanchez’s play is concerned, well, it’s been bad. No other way to say it. In my opinion, Sanchez has shown both football inexperience and some immaturity as well. Both of which should have been expected. He came out as a junior with only 16 starts and he is the youngest guy on the roster. Not a good combination and it has shown on the field. Both of those things won’t be forever, and I expect he will be a very good QB. Even with all the mistakes, you can see he has genuine talent.
Now, there is a lot of other blame to go around. First, Ryan and Schott. I think the play calling this season has been very bad. We should have run, run and run some more. We gave the kid more than he was able to handle.
Second, what is the deal with Kerry Rhodes? The guy has been totally invisible. Since he is not a Ryan guy, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them go out a try to find a replacement in the offseason.
Finally, there is Braylon Edwards. He had a couple of great games against Miami but he has inexcusably made some important drops the last couple of weeks. If you are going to be a true #1, you have to be consistent. He hasn’t been. This was the knock on him before he got here and he’s done nothing to disprove it. He simply has to play better.
-
matt says:
it would be a huge mikstake to bench him now. peyton manning was horribile his first year the only way to get better is to play. mark has a chance to be great lets not screw with his head by taking him out now. He should be doubting himself right now and he has to battle through it. being a qb in the nfl is not easy you need to be headstrong and the only way to do so is to not be treated like a baby and fight and work until you get it figured out
-
SackDance99 says:
Benching Sanchez would serve absolutely no purpose. I think (as I posted on the Schotty question) that Sanchez’s development is being hurt by Schotty. I’d love to see a more QB-friendly offense for our rookie franchise QB.
Sanchez is very inconsistent in his throws. Sometimes his ball placement is perfect, but in other instances he fails to put the ball between the WR and sideline. A lot of his picks come from passing to his WR’s or TE’s inside shoulder, which is usually where the DB lurks. The other thing that I’ve noticed is that maybe he’s too cocky. His final INT was unbelievably stupid. He doesn’t have to try to win these games, all he really has to do is not make too many mistakes.
Whe Sanchez throws just 1 or fewer INTs, the Jets are 4-2, with those losses being against Miami (the defense and special teams were responsible for those losses). When Sanchez throws 2 or more INTs, the Jets are 0-4. He just has to be more cautious, especially when he feels the need to throw into double coverage or to throw when he’s under extreme pressure. Just throw the ball away, run out of bounds or take the sack. Let your defense get the ball back for you.
-
I am just glad someone is willing to place some blame where it truly belongs, with the GM.
Thanks Jason for providing terrific context.
Sub, thanks for your intelligent reply.
No matter what FO or football analysts allegedly believed, I believe the Jets could have made a nice run this year with a vet QB and HC. For that matter it is fairly obvious they could have made a nice run with a vet QB and this rookie HC.
I am sure there are examples of a new QB and HC stepping in and succeeding (parcels and vinny?) and there is certainly no reason it could not.
One reason an example might not jump out at us is it is very rare for the coach to be fired off a 9 win season.
Regardless, I just found it counterintuitive to draft for the future coming off a 9 win season, especially with obvious needs on your plate and a prior year draft pick that contributed nothing.
I did not like the concept of picking the franchise QB at this point in the teams development, and did not like the QB they selected.
If I am going to be married to a QB for the next ten years I prefer one that fits the mold of a franchise QB, 6’4+”, gun for an arm, with plenty of experience.
I know, I know, size does not guarantee success, Brees and Warner are smaller, etc, but the chances of success are increased when you can see over your lineman, which may be one of the reasons this kid is less accurate than advertised despite getting overall good protection.
But to answer Q1, NO I would not bench him.
For better or worse we are married to him. Now that we are living with him and see more of his faults does not mean we can just get up and walk out the door. We must work to improve him and we a well past the babying stage.
The COACHES need to develop a gameplan to nurture him to his potential, whatever that may be, holding a clipboard is not going to expedite that process. I did not like the pick but now that he is here he needs to play.
-
Max says:
It is too late to bench him now. Like someone said the horse is already out of the barn.
However, when you see your QB completely confused, shaky and throwing one interception after another then it is only prudent and wise to bench him so that he can reflect and recollect himself. No matter what Qbs say in public those interceptions and bad plays stay in your mind and to a point mess up with your psyche especially a young kid. Moreover, by benching him you are sending a signal to the rest of the players that no one not even the QB is indispesable. Three alarming things that I see: 1) Sanchez does not seem to be learning from his mistakes (Schotty’s responsibility); 2) Sanchez believes to be the savior/untouchable and knows Rex will never reign him in ( 5 interceptions was not enough, how about 6, maybe 7 or perhaps 8 before you take him out?) This fall on Rex’s lap. And 3) Apparently Sanchez has No quality mentor (bring in an old retired QB to help him out, please – anybody has Joe Montana’s phone #?) But now that the season is over, well, the horse is way out there running pretty far from the barn. -
WW85 says:
I have to add this. I always thought that Sanchez should start over Clemens, but when Garcia was cut, I thought he would have been an ideal pickup: A proven playoff QB to teach the kid. Can you imagine how differently this season would have been with him there? Garcia to Eqdwards? Wow, We’d be in the playoff hunt now.
-
Brendan,
You can’t really be comparing Mark Sanchez to Peyton Manning…let’s get real! However, I hope you’re right and I’m wrong.
-
The fact is that nobody knows how Sanchez will turn out because struggling as a rookie is not indicative of anything. Great ones struggle (P. Manning) and some struggle and then don’t seem to get any better. I’m not saying that Sanchez is the next Peyton Manning but I’d say that the chances are that he improves significantly next year and becomes a very solid long time starting QB. The tools are there and he definitely has the desire to improve. My main issue with Sanchez at this point is that he seems very young and immature. Yes, he is poised with the media but that is not what I’m talking about. During games his emotions are all over the map. You can see it on his face and in his actions. I think he has also been working way to hard to prove he is a leader, etc., etc. He needs to calm down. I’m not really worried because the fact is that he IS young and immature, both in football and life terms. That is not a permanent state. He’ll grow up, and when he does I think he will be a different, and much better, player. At least that’s the hope.
-
Steve in Philly says:
Listening to the FAN, you’d think Rex Ryan was wearing a clown suit and Mark Sanchez was going to be the next Joey Harrington. Francesa obviously hates the Jets for whatever reason. He’s probably just pissed because in the offseason he named the Giants “the best team in the NFC” so wtf does he know!
As for all this Sanchez talk, sheesh guys. I haven’t been reading the blog as much lately because it’s all negative this and doom and gloom that. Half you guys said you were happy with 6 wins this offseason…. so be happy with 6 wins! Sheesh!!!
I think we have to compare Sanchez to other guys who are struggling and see where he sits. JaMarcus Russell? Has that guy made one play ever? Sanchez is not JaMarcus Russell. We should be happy that he can make throws and he can lead big drives. That’s a sign of maturity.
I should remind Francesa to go and look at film of his favorite player Eli Manning in his rookie year. He was throwing softer passes than Chad Pennington and he was forcing the ball into all kinds of terrible spots. He held onto the ball too long and would just literally throw it right at defenders and that was a team that with Kurt Warner could have probably gone deep into the playoffs. They made that decision to bench Kurt and put in Eli and I remember ALL of the sports media was going “OMG WTF COUGHLIN”. They wanted Coughlin fired because Eli was so bad… and Coughlin wasn’t a rookie coach.
We gotta give Rex his chance to coach. In addition, I see many bright spots with this kid and I think if he gets a little more in control, he will be above average at least. Let’s get behind our team for once. I’m sick of the schizo fans. I see enough criticism of the home team here in Philly with people calling for future hall of fame QB McNabb to be benched. It’s all stupid. We don’t know anything, we’re just fans. Francesa is just some obnoxious radio personality who bets on horses and thinks he knows things about football. Let’s not let him get us down.
-
Francesca hates anything that isn’t the Yankees or Giants. He’s a blowhard who thinks he is 100% right 100% of the time. I don’t even listen to him now that Mad Dog isn’t there to balance out his unbelievably intense homer-ism.
-
Steve S says:
This is dead on. If we had a real playoff shot, and we had a veteran QB who’d give us a better chance, then it would make sense to think about benching Sanchez. We have neither, and it makes no sense. Peyton Manning cites his opportunity to take every snap his rookie year, even though he was losing games like crazy. As I recall, Joe Namath threw a few interceptions as a rookie too. It’s too bad that this team had the potential to go far this season. But bad luck has hit on so many fronts. Sanchez is not the only reason the potential wasn’t fulfilled. And now, let him play it out and learn.
Maybe they’re afraid of snapping his consecutive game streak.