Rex Better Be Ready To Hit The Mark

Rex Better Be Ready To Hit The Mark
(Photo Credit Sanchez at his NFL draft Presser-By Dr. Bill Chachkes for FRO)
by TJ Rosenthal-NY Jets Reporter-Football Reporters Online

The New York Jets are Mark Sanchez’s team. Now AND going forward. Coach Rex Ryan made that clear during a press conference this week. Sanchez is just in his second year after having played only one season at USC before become a top ten selection for the Jets in 2009. Yet should the coach get “that feeling” again, it may be the right time to move to Mark Brunell for a flash. If only to see whether the Jets backup quarterback can restore order to a unit that despite all of their weapons, turns the ball over too much, can’t score points, and has begun to lose faith in itself.

Sanchez, the Jets franchise quarterback has played very well and very clutch at times over his almost two year career. Thrust into action from the start of his rookie year, he recovered from a personal midseason swoon to lead the team to an AFC Championship appearance, after guiding the club to two impressive road playoff wins.

This year he has guided four late road comeback wins, and thrown for over 300 yards in games for the first time as a pro. Yet there have been very rocky moments for Sanchez along the way, especially lately. Instances filled with indecision,  interceptions, and a loss of confidence. 

Call it immaturity call it emotional disposition, the Jets stand at a crossroads NOW. This week. They were 9-2 and to themselves and many others, a Super Bowl contender.

They are now 9-4, still wondering how they lost 45-3 in Foxboro, and seen as a fraud to those same experts who now frame those last minute comebacks as luck, rather than ability driven. 

Aside from their league leading nine win start, Sanchez and the offense for much of the year have been ineffective. None more than over the past two weeks, where the club has failed to score a TD. His early season 11TD’s to zero interceptions ratio have been replaced by a myriad of picks without the TD’s to balance it. Two early mistakes last week by the QB led to ten Miami points. The only points the Fish scored, and needed in order to beat the Jets 10-6.

Rex Ryan mentioned after the game that he “considered benching Sanchez,” but decided against it after coming to terms with the notion that the scoring problems were not all Sanchez’s fault. Ryan was correct. There was plenty of blame to go around. The receivers were dropping passes. The line, missing key piece Damien Woody for much of the afternoon pass protected poorly. Failing to spring open holes for the sagging Jets run game.Yet that notion of making a brief signal calling switch may have to come to fruition soon if things worsen early.

Ryan has to be on HIS game Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Jets need a change of energy. If Sanchez plods along, making poor throws, scary choices, and tossing interceptions that lead to say, a 17-0 deficit, there would be nothing wrong with changing it up for a drive, a quarter, or a game with Brunell. 

The Jets can’t afford to sit back and become witnesses to their own collapse. Many Jets fans are not huge Mark Brunell fans at this point in his long career. His play was erratic during the Summer, the most recent look anyone has had of his current skill set.. He is certainly not the top ten NFL quarterback he was when the Jets faced him in the AFC divisional round back in 1999. A time when Brunell led the Jacksonville Jaguars to places they’ve not returned to since. Nonetheless, the once fleet footed Brunell has seen it all, and may provide a calming presence to what has become a jittery huddle. The veteran backup’s viewpoint from the sideline might also provide an example of how to spread the ball around and who to spread it around to. 

In last week’s loss, one drive might have been enough to win that game. It might be enough as well in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers and their 27th ranked red zone offense are struggling to find the end zone too, and stand only slightly better as of late than the Jets 30th ranked red zone offense. 

What Ryan and the Jets CAN’T do is fear change or damaging the young Sanchez’s view of himself. The luxury of a nice cushion is eroding quickly. The Jets are only two games up on a playoff berth with three games left. The hard charging Colts, Chargers and Dolphins, all at 7-6, are hanging around praying for more disasters from Gang Green. 

Ryan’s fear that Sanchez will lose confidence in himself going forward is NOT the reason to sit on the idea of short term relief with Brunell anymore. If Sanchez’s lack of trust in himself IS the cause for more shoddy play that is burying the team in Pittsburgh, Ryan has to go to the bullpen for a few innings. The scoring drought has NOT been all Sanchez’s fault, but a lack of field leadership in part, has been. That’s the job of a quarterback. To exude confidence. Through thick and thin. A bad emotional and physical stretch by Sanchez against the Steelers, the NFL’s best defense, may finally force Ryan’s hand. Sometimes you just need a spark.

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