Sanchez Takes a Step Back

Mark Sanchez is finding out there is a steep learning curve for young quarterbacks in the NFL.

The question for the Jets rookie is how quickly can he overcome his first subpar effort?

Make no mistake about it: Sanchez needs to perform better than he did in Sunday’s 24-10 loss to New Orleans.

The final numbers were these: 14 completions in 27 attempts, a mere a 138 yards. The bigger numbers were these: Three interceptions and one fumble that resulted in a Saints touchdown.

It wasn’t just the turnovers or the fumble that were killers for the Jets. It was also when he fired the interceptions. The most critical one was early in the second quarter, with the Jets trailing 3-0 but deep in Saints territory. His pass intended for Dustin Keller was picked off by Darren Sharper and returned for a 99-yard touchdown.

Talk about turning points. The Jets get the lead there, they can let their defense loose. Coach Rex Ryan’s team will be difficult to beat once they get a lead, but Sanchez’s critical interception cost them that chance.

“That’s a classic rookie quarterback looking at his receiver and Sharper read me the whole way,’’ Sanchez said. “I took him right to it. It was a poor decision and poor use of my eyes.”

The Jets’ loss can’t be pinned entirely on Sanchez. The Saints had a fourth-and-one play in Jets’ territory late in the fourth quarter and protecting a 17-10 lead. Coach Sean Payton said the team was content to take a delay penalty and punt, but nose tackle Kris Jenkins jumped offside and the Saints maintained possession.

There were other errors, too, but Sanchez’ mistakes were critical. “We spotted them 14 points, and the final score was 24-10,’’ Sanchez said. “That was huge. I’ve got to learn from that and improve.”

How quickly, and how much, Sanchez improves will define his career. He won his first three games as an NFL starter, and certainly shows as much promise as any Jets quarterback has shown in a long, long time. But if the team is going to make a run at the postseason, he will need to improve. Quickly. Things change on a weekly basis in the NFL, and the Jets need Sanchez to minimize turnovers and let the defense keep the team in the game.

We will find out quickly if Sanchez is up for the challenge. His next opponent is the Miami Dolphins in a nationally televised game on Monday night. There is no question Miami general manager Bill Parcells and coach Tony Sparano saw Sanchez get exposed Sunday, and will try to capitalize on that.

It is too soon to tell if the Jets made a mistake by taking Sanchez with the No. 5 pick in April’s draft or even if he will be a starting quarterback in the NFL for any length of time. We will have a much better idea, however, after the next couple of games.

Jets Need to Show Saints Something

New York is What-Have-You-Done-Lately town, and that will certainly be evidenced by the New York Jets in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.

The Jets have shown in three games thus far that these are not the Same Old’ Jets.
Things have a way turning around quickly in this town, however, which is why Sunday’s game at New Orleans is critical for Gang Green.

Certainly, the Jets have taken care of business so far. They are 3-0, beat New England at home, and have shown an aggressive defense that is capable of shutting down any one. Coach Rex Ryan has injected new life into the team, and first round quarterback Mark Sanchez has played as well as any one had any right to expect.

What was impressive in Sunday’s win over Tennessee was how the Jets were able to capitalize after getting a turnover. The game changed when Titans’ rookie Ryan Mouton fumbled a punt deep in his own territory. The Jets scored a few players later on Mark Sanchez’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery, and the defense allowed very little the rest of the way in a 24-17 victory.

The Saints and quarterback Drew Brees might be the Jets’ toughest test yet this season. It is on the road, and Brees and Co. have been putting up staggering offensive numbers. If the Jets are as good as people think they are, this will be a good chance for them to show it.
”People are going to say what they want to say whether you win, lose or draw, Ryan said at Thursday’s news conference. “ I think people realize now that the Jets have a pretty darn good football team. That’s important to us.”

The Jets don’t necessarily have to beat the Saints on Sunday, because there is still a lot of season left. Nobody expects the team to go undefeated and losing on the road to an upper-echelon team is not going to end their season.

The one thing that positively cannot happen, however, is for the Jets to lose ugly. Their defense can’t surrender 40-plus points, Sanchez and the offense can’t survive multiple turnovers and the defense has to show that it can stop one of the marquee teams in the league.

If any of those things happen, many of the good vibes that have been generated by the good start will get washed away. New York is a town that breaks legs jumping on and off bandwagons, and if things get rolling in the wrong direction, people will be quick to dismiss the team’s good start as a fluke.

That’s not Ryan’s fault, but that’s the way things are in New York. If Ryan wants to keep the faith among the team’s hard core (and long-suffering) fans, it needs to play well against the Saints. Otherwise, many of the good feelings engendered from their September sprint will be wiped away.

A Signature Win for the Jets

This just wasn’t any victory for the New York Jets.

This was over New England, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. At home, in front of a rabid, energized crowd that was tired of losing to the Patriots.

Sunday’s 16-9 victory was, quite simply, one of the biggest wins in this decade for this franchise.

“The Patriots are a hell of a football team. I just thought we were the better team today,’’ coach Rex Ryan said. “That’s all we said the whole time. We believe that we are the better team today. We went out and showed it.”

If anybody doubts how the Jets are going to go about this season, their blueprint has been on display through the first two games.

They are going to be an aggressive, physical team that is defined by its defense. Two games, two victories, and Ryan has shown that he’s not afraid of any team, even one that has won a couple of Super Bowls.

“The big deal is, we’re a football team that should be respected,’’ Ryan said. “Sometimes we talk a little bit, but only because we have confidence in our football team. We believe it to be true that we are an outstanding football team. We have to go out and show it each week.”

The Jets made Brady look positively average yesterday. Brady was 23-for-47 for a pedestrian 216 yards and a quarterback rating of 53.1. The Jets didn’t’ sack Brady – he was hit seven times – but the most important number is this: No touchdowns. For the first time since 1993, the Jets played consecutive games without allowing a touchdown by the opposition’s offense.

That’s how the Jets are going to play this season, and that’s how Ryan wants it.

“In the past, it was aggressive and semi-laid back,’’ defensive end Shaun Ellis said. “In the past, in the second half, we would have been more laid back. With Rex, we are more like, “get it!” We were just going to keep coming out there with that game plan, keep coming out there and working, and not (going) to sit back one bit. We put as much pressure as possible.”

No quarterback likes pressure, even one that has won Super Bowls. But under Ryan, the Jets promise to be an aggressive team that gets after the quarterback and makes him feel the heat. If it worked against the Patriots, it can work against any team.

What Sunday’s victory did was show the rest of the AFC that the Jets are coming after them. They might not win every game, but the Jets are going to play hard in every game. That you can count on.

“This is a new beginning. I don’t pay attention to the past,’’ Bart Scott said. “The past is the past. It’s a new day, It’s a new team. It’s not the same old Jets people are used to. When you come in here, you have to fight and battle for every yard. Not one or two yards. If you get down to the goal line, you are not in the end zone until you are actually in the end zone.”

Jets, Ryan Not Afraid to Tweak Patriots

If any body is surprised by the tactics Jets coach Rex Ryan has used to prepare his team for Sunday’s game against the Patriots, they haven’t been paying attention.

One of the first things Ryan said when he landed the head coaching job was he didn’t plan to “kiss Belichick’s rings”, alluding to Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

The teams meet for the first time since that statement on Sunday at Giants Stadium, and Ryan hasn’t backed down from that comment. He has brought a new attitude to the Jets, a bold approach that runs contrary to just about every thing Belichick stands for.

Ryan went so far as to record a message this week for Jets season-ticket holders, asking them to make things difficult for the Patriots and their stud quarterback, Tom Brady. The fans have seen enough of the Patriots winning at the Meadowlands, where they have walked off with eight consecutive victories over the Jets. The last time the Jets beat New England at home was in 2000.

"I’ve always challenged our players, as you know," Ryan said Wednesday. "And I've challenged our fans. I want our fans to be a factor in this game to help our defense out, make it loud and make the communication tough.

"I know Brady has seen it all before, but still, let’s look like we have about 13 or 14 guys out there. It would be great. Sometimes I’ve seen that happen where it gets so loud — it just takes one guy to miss a check. And so I’m challenging our fans to maybe be the difference in the game this week."

Ryan’s attitude has rubbed off on his players. Safety Kerry Rhodes said in The Daily News on Thursday that he merely doesn’t want to beat the Patriots, he wants to “embarrass” them.

That’s fine with Ryan, who likes to talk the talk. Sunday, we’ll see if his team can walk the walk.

The Patriots, following the cue of the keep-it-zipped Belichick, have refused to be drawn into the war of words. There’s not a whole lot of talking come out of Foxborough, but then again, you don’t expect a lot. Belichick never gives any team bulletin board fodder, and certainly won’t give any to the Jets.

“Our main focus is us and what we need to take care of as a team. We try not to pay attention to everything else,” wide receiver Wes Welker said.

That attitude plays well for the Patriots, but the Jets needed a new attitude, and Ryan has given it to them. Even if it doesn’t result in a victory on Sunday, at least Ryan has made the Jets an interesting franchise. After several years under the rudder-less leadership of Eric Mangini, that’s certainly a welcome sign.

Jets Might Be a Surprise Playoff Contender

There is a lot of anticipation in New York as the NFL season prepares to get under way.

Most of the talk centers on the Giants, who are generating a lot of attention as a preseason NFC favorite to win the East and reach the Super Bowl. They improved their depth on the defensive line, have one of the league’s top quarterbacks and a strong running game.

They also have a strong pedigree, winning the Super Bowl in February of 2008 and a coach most regard as one of the best in the business in Tom Coughlin. There is no reason not to believe the Giants won’t be playing in January and perhaps making it to the Bowl once again.

But the intriguing team in New York is the Jets, who turned over some key personnel after going 9-7 last year. They have a new quarterback in Mark Sanchez, and a new coach in Rex Ryan but the most important thing is this: a new defense, orchestrated by Ryan, which will go a long way toward determining Gang Green’s fate this fall.

The Jets open their season Sunday in Houston.

The key addition to the defense is linebacker Bart Scott, who came over with Ryan from the Ravens. He will play on the inside with David Harris, and with a defensive line anchored by Kris Jenkins, the team should be difficult to run on.

“I expect him to play lights out,’’ Ryan said of Scott at Thursday’s news conference. “I expect him to be a physical presence like he always is and bring that type of mentality to the defense. He already has. The great things is, I think he feels great about David (Harris) playing right next to him. That’s the big two right there in the middle and then you’ve got (Kris) Jenkins in there with them. He’s just a guy that’s fantastic for the whole unit.”

If Scott and Co. can control opponents’ rushing attack, the Jets appear to have a strong secondary that will make them difficult to attack through the air. Darrelle Revis was an All-Pro selection last year, and CB Lito Sheppard joined the team from Philadelphia. Kerry Rhodes was one of the best safeties in the league in 2007 and veteran Jim Leonhard also comes over from Baltimore. The defensive backfield should be one of the team’s most improved areas this season.

The key will be getting a pass rush, but Ryan’s aggressive mentality should help the team keep heat on the quarterback.

The Jets were in the running for a playoff spot last year until a late-season swoon derailed their season and led to the firing of coach Eric Mangini. The Jets were 8-3 after beating Tennessee on Nov. 23, but followed with consecutive clunkers against Denver and San Francisco. After beating Buffalo in Week 15, the Jets lost to Seattle and Miami and missed the playoffs. In their final five games, they surrendered an average of 24.4 points per game.

It didn’t help that quarterback Brett Favre, as we found out this week, played most of the season with a torn biceps. The No. 4 Sideshow is off to Minnesota now, and Sanchez takes over with a veteran offensive line and shifty running back Leon Washington.

The Jets won’t be a high-octane offense, but maybe it won’t have to be. If the defense plays as well as Ryan promises, this could be a team that is fighting for a postseason berth in December. Maybe both New York NFL franchises will be playoff-bound, which would be a welcome sight for New York fans.

Giants, Jets still face questions

The NFL preseason has come and gone for the Jets and Giants, and heading into next week’s season-openers, the big questions on both teams still have to be answered.

The Jets open their season Sept. 13 at Houston, and the Giants open their season the same day at home against Washington. For all of the new faces and big-name players on both squads, how each team fares this season will be determined by two very different phases.

The Giants, who went 1-3 in the preseason, are one of the favorites in the NFC to reach the Super Bowl. They have a stout defense that overcame a rash of injuries last year and is one of the best in the league.

Quarterback Eli Manning is steady, if unspectacular like his brother Peyton, and Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs give the team what they believe is one of the best backfield tandems in the league.

The question marks are at wide receiver, where Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer are gone and will be replaced by an untested group. The team believes it has the replacements for the two veterans in Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and Domenik Hixon.

Smith, in his third year out of USC, is the most experienced and caught 57 passes last year for and will probably be the guy Manning looks for in the clutch. Whether he can become the team’s No. 1 option is unclear. The Giants struggled down the stretch last year when Burress left the team, and Smith will see a lot of extra coverage this year.

Manningham, in his second year out of Michigan, had just four receptions last year. Nicks, the team’s first round draft choice out of North Carolina, has played well in the preseason. He caught six passes against the Jets last week and Thursday against New England, he took in a 64-yard touchdown pass.

Hixon’s value is primarily on special teams, where he is a dangerous return man, but he could also see time at receiver in obvious passing downs.

It’s going to be critical for the Giants to develop a passing game so teams can’t load up in the box against Jacobs and Bradshaw, who will also see their share of passes from Manning. But if the young receivers can’t get separation and force the Giants to become one-dimensional, they won’t be heading to the Super Bowl.

The Jets (2-2 in the preseason) aren't considered Super Bowl contenders, but Rex Ryan was brought in to improve a defense that played poorly during last year’s 9-7 campaign.
The team brought in Mark Sanchez as the team’s top pick and named him the starting quarterback after a preseason competition with Kellen Clemens, but the team’s success will be determined by its defense.

Ryan brought over linebacker Bart Scott from Baltimore, and he should help improve a defense that had difficulty stopping teams last year. The Jets surrendered 356 points last year, the most allowed in the AFC East. With Scott and All-Pro safety Kerry Rhodes, there are some pieces for an attacking defense, which Ryan employed as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens.

While Sanchez and running back Leon Washington are the featured offensive players, it will ultimately be the defense that decides the fate of the Jets this year.

Sanchez and Manning Square Off

Never has a game that has meant so little meant so much for the quarterbacks in Saturday’s preseason game between the Giants and Jets.
The third preseason game is always the most critical of NFL schedule, because it is when the starters get the most reps. The final preseason game is almost pointless, because teams rarely let starters play more than one or two series for a fear of injuries.
So it is that tomorrow’s 8 p.m. contest is important not only for Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, but also Giants quarterback Eli Manning. There is much more at stake for Sanchez, the highly-heralded rookie from USC who was anointed the starter earlier this week by coach Rex Ryan. But Manning will also be under pressure to perform, if for no other reason than to show he’s still the top quarterback in town.
Sanchez got his first start on Monday against the Ravens and looked shaky. His first pass was returned for a touchdown and he completed 3-of-8 attempts for 43 yards and one touchdown
It came as no surprise that Ryan decided to go with the rookie Sanchez over four-year veteran Kellen Clemens, who was also competing for the starting job. Of course, the competition was like the Globetrotters going up against the Washington Generals. The outcome was pretty much decided when training camp began, despite what Ryan or anyone else connected with the Jets will say. Now, Sanchez has to go out and prove he was worth taking as the No. 5 pick in April’s draft.
“This comes with a lot of responsibility,” Sanchez said on NewYorkJets.com. “I know as happy as I am, this is just the beginning and I’m really excited to get the chance to play with such great players.”
Sanchez won’t be able to do it by himself. He’ll need a strong running game led by Leon Washington and a veteran offensive line that should be one of the team’s strengths. The Jets also need to improve on the defensive side of the ball, and they should under Ryan and his aggressive schemes.
Look for the Jets to play a lot of their games like last year’s Ravens’ team, where Ryan was an assistant, and the team used its running attack to take the pressure of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco.
Manning’s situation is altogether different. He’s now the highest paid player in the NFL, and is in his fifth full season as the team’s starter. He already has a Super Bowl victory in his pocket, and is clearly the face of the franchise.
But there is also pressure on him to perform well in the contest against the Jets. Sure it’s preseason, but neither team likes to lose this game. If Manning struggles and gets outplayed by Sanchez, there will be more than a few Giants fans who will wonder if Eli is worth all the money.
Manning, for his part, knows the struggles that Sanchez will face. He didn’t get the starting nod as a rookie, but he was a starter by midseason during the 2004 season.
"The hardest thing about it is learning the game," Manning said in the New York Daily News. "It takes time. The media is going to play a role because if you play well, they will promote you and say you are the greatest. If you don't play real well, then you will be the worst. It is about believing in yourself and listening to your coaches and earning the confidence and respect of your teammates. That is what you kind of have to learn."
Manning and Sanchez will face off for the first time against each other Saturday, and there is a lot riding on it for both of them. It’s rare, but it is actually a preseason game that has a compelling angle.