Jets Sticking With Sanchez

bleacherreport.com

The New York Jets and Rex Ryan made the big decision that everyone was waiting for on Wednesday morning and will be sticking with Mark Sanchez as the starting quarterback for Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The move definitely has to have factored more off the field stuff than on the field performance, as Sanchez was given an extension last off-season and is still owed over $8 million next season. Another reason also has to be that the Jets don’t want to admit they made a mistake trading up to the 5th pick to draft Sanchez and pushed to everyone that he was going to be the franchise quarterback earning him the nickname “The Sanchise.”

The leash heading into Jacksonville has to be short on Sanchez; he has been awful this season only completing 55 percent of his passes and has only 12 touchdown passes to 13 interceptions to go along with seven fumbles. Sanchez has never had any threat in his first three years of being benched for Mark Brunell, so it will be interesting to see how he responds to being benched for Greg McElroy.

The luckiest thing for Sanchez, Ryan and the Jets organization is that their next two games are on the road against the Jaguars and Titans, both of whom haven’t played well. If this next game against the Jaguars was at home it would be hard to imagine how many boo’s would be coming from the crowd in MetLife stadium, as Jets fans clearly don’t want Sanchez as their quarterback anymore.

The next question for the Jets now is who is their number two quarterback, as McElroy played very well, managing the game for the Jets against the Cardinals in leading them to a one point win and McElroy has to feel a bit snubbed that he isn’t getting a shot to start after the win. Tim Tebow also has to feel snubbed, as it is clear the Jets don’t want him as the quarterback with him being cleared to play last week but not suiting up. The whole Tebow question is a confusing one if he wasn’t brought in to be the backup quarterback, was he really brought in to just sell tickets? It will be interesting to see if Tebow dresses along with McElroy, as the Jets head back to where Tebow became a college legend.

Ryan will be sticking with Sanchez in four very winnable games as he has been the biggest Sanchez supporter; Ryan has probably put his job in the hands of Sanchez, as if the Jets stumble in these last four games. If Sanchez continues his poor play the Jets may be looking for a new quarterback and coach next season.

McElroy's Heroics Lead Jets to Win

latimes.com

Obviously the biggest part in the game is the benching of Mark Sanchez, who was god awful in the first two and a half quarters against the Cardinals. Sanchez was on his way to one of the worst performances of his career, as he went 10 for 21 for just 97 yards passing with three interceptions and was unable to help the Jets get any points in his time under center. The chanting for McElroy became louder and louder from the Jets fans; when Ryan benched Sanchez the game turned around for them.

Greg McElroy, making his first appearance in a regular season NFL game did very well and his experience at Alabama winning a National Title certainly had to help him with his nerves in relieving Sanchez and leading the Jets to the victory. The seventh round pick led the Jets on two very nice drives; one resulting in a touchdown pass to Jeff Cumberland and the second bringing them to the Cardinals goalline where he took a knee to ice it for his first career win.

Former Jet Kerry Rhodes came to prove a point it would appear against his former team and the coach that called him a selfish player with a Hollywood attitude. Rhodes got two of the interceptions off his former teammate Sanchez and forced a fumble which led to one of the Cardinals two field goals in this game; also by another former Jet, Jay Feely.

If Jets fans thought their quarterback situation was bad, they must be thankful that they do not root for the Cardinals. As bad as Sanchez has been this season, he looks like Aaron Rodgers compared to Ryan Lindley, who when watching him play quarterback has to keep peoples' dreams alive that you too can be a quarterback in the NFL. Lindley went 10 for 31 with just 72 yards passing, and threw an interception to LaRon Landry. Despite targeting one of the best receivers in the NFL in Larry Fitzgerald seven times, one of the best in the game only had one catch for 23 yards. Overall the defense has to get a lot of credit; they did their job against a bad quarterback and held the Cardinals to zero for 15 on third downs.

It was not a pretty win but it does count so the Jets are now 5-7, and have a very slim chance still of making the playoffs, but the real questions will be in the week to come about who will be the starting quarterback heading into Jacksonville and why Tebow scratched despite being cleared to play with his rib injury on Sunday.