The stats lie here. The numbers look fine but the way the turnovers came are what it alarming. The interceptions, more often than not, did not come from throwing a jump ball deep down the field in which the defender made a good play, they came from throwing directly to defenders AND a lot of them resulted directly in 6 points each time.
This is Mark's flaws in a nutshell, and in his third year these flaws should be improving, not regressing. Defense's now know how to beat the Jets with Mark under center, pressure, pressure, pressure. You don't even have to hit him, just get close, Mark, sooner or later will make that poor throw and turn it over. If we have a open QB competition this summer and Mark does earn the job( I personally think a solid vet would beat him out) and we see the same thing next year behind a shored up O-line, it will be time to part ways. If the kid has started for four years and still does not correct his flaws, in all likelyhood they are uncorrectable...
I don't know if he has regressed in comparison to last year, but it certainly happened over the course of THIS year. When he should have been IMPROVING with experience and progressively building a rapport with Holmes, Burress, and Kerley, (two first year WRs with the team and one second year) he got worse! If he matched his first 8 game totals of 84.0 rating, 57.5%, 6.9YPA, and 13:7 TD:INT in the second half, the year would have been a solid across-the-board improvement. But problems with team chemistry, trust in coaches, and/or maybe just poor play caused a rough second half split. Or was he simply too busy getting his dick wet. And I'm not blaming the schedule, there were plenty of teams he should have lit up but didn't (NE, NYG) Second half 2011: 72.8 Rating, 56.0%, 6.0YPA, 13:11 TD:INT Those are straight bad. So what's the answer? --- Also, for the OP: You can't give him credit for 32 touchdowns (26 passing, 6 rushing) without giving him discredit for 26 total turnovers (16 interceptions, 8 fumbles lost)
The first answer is to shore up the RT position and build depth on the OL. Second answer is to bring back Braylon Edwards - who was someone Mark was comfortable with and had confidence in.
I'm just wondering, for all the people talking about Sanchez and having new receivers this year, how long as Eli Manning been throwing to Victor Cruz now?? Cruz appeared in 3 games last year without a catch. This year, he was out there for all 16, caught 82 passes and 9 TDs (had a 99 yd long) Sanchez didn't really regress though in my opinion, he still sucks as badly as he did the first day.
Cruz was on the team and with Eli throughout training camp the year before. Sanchez had new receivers to work with and a shortened off-season to get to know them. That wasn't enough time to form the appropriate relationships with those guys.
For shits and giggles, here's the list of QB's who had a better QB rating than Sanchez this year. I took out the guys who had less than 30 passes. So there are a handful with only about a games worth of passes. Matt Flynn Aaron Rodgers Drew Brees Tom Brady Tony Romo Jake Locker Jake Delhomme Matthew Stafford Matt Schaub Eli Manning Matt Ryan Alex Smith Ben Roethlisberger Philip Rivers Matt Moore Jay Cutler Michael Vick Cam Newton Jason Campbell Stephen McGee Donovan McNabb Matt Hasselbeck Dan Orlovsky Kevin Kolb Kyle Orton Joe Flacco T.J. Yates Carson Palmer Andy Dalton Tarvaris Jackson Ryan Fitzpatrick Chad Henne
Okay. Assume we do everything possible to improve Mark's situation, the O-line play is better, he gets Braylon, and posts something like this: 3600 Yards, 59% Completion, 6.8 YPA, 28:16 ratio - This would be clear progression for him across the board. That's good for an 85.2 QB rating. With this year's D and running game, that's 10-6. With last year's, it's 12-4. Are we satisfied with this? Is this close to his ceiling then, with him in the best possible position to succeed? I think that's good enough to win one if we have an elite level defense and running game. We didn't pick him 5th overall so our passing game could be the weak link.
I hate comparing anything to Victor Cruz. He showed the flashes last year too. He is a genuine diamond in the rough, the one the scouts missed.
OK!!!!...... CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT SEASON THEN.. all signs point to a blowout year for Sanchez and these wide outs. Awww man, I guess Burress is not under contract. But I'm sure we can get him cheap if we want, he's familiar with the system. I'll be happy to eat crow when Sanchez pans out, hopefully it is next season. Unfortunately, too many people in the fan base will be satisfied with a average performance. A game manager, a Trent Dilfer who doesn't lose the game for us. All that for the 5th fricking overall pick in the draft (move up to get why don't we!! )
I agree, although he seems to be all heart as well as talented. Wayne Chrebet comes to mind. My point though was that people are making excuses for Sanchez saying that his receivers were new. Cruz, although not totally new, never caught a pass in a game until this season. But Murrel got me on the 2010 off season and camp experience.
He's a winning QB. He had garbage around him. Be fair in your criticism of Mark. They lost THREE receivers last year. They brought in a rookie, a veteran who hadn't played in 2 seasons and a washed up 37 year old and Mark had very little time to work with these guys. If you want to criticize him then go ahead, but be fair.
Right, that's my prediction based on making "necessary changes" without huge upgrades, like an elite WR. What I'm asking is: are we satisfied with it? Do we give Mark Sanchez a lucrative second contract based on those numbers which would upgrade him to a solidly average NFL starting quarterback?
If Mark only puts up "average" numbers BUT we win, why wouldn't you keep him? Especially when you consider he's only going to be in Year 4 and has shown improvement each year.
Because in order to win with status quo (or slightly improved) Mark Sanchez/NYJ passing game, the burden is on our running game and defense to be elite level. If they are only good, we don't.
He can't make his mind up what do with the ball because there's no open receivers. Everyone is standing 5-6 yards off the line of scrimmage in coverage. No one is bothering to get open. In addition to that he's got 2.2 - 2.6 seconds to make a decision on what to do with the ball. Yes, I do believe that our OL was one of the worst in the NFL this year. You only had to watch a few games to see it on every snap.
BINGO!!! that is where this is heading. We should all rally around our average QB and continue to watch the rest of the league find winners around us. I'm not asking to get rid of him this off season, I'm hoping that by the beginning of training camp, there is a solid veteran free agent right there next to him, who can also manage games vying for the starting job. Hopefully, the vet wins it and I don't have to constantly be reminded of how brainless it seems to move up to the 5th overall pick in the draft to select someone whose ceiling is average.
Actually, your stats show that he has improved. If fumbles have remained steady despite more sacks and more pressure, then he's doing a better job hanging onto the ball. Nonetheless, those are ugly numbers from this year.
It will be very interesting to see what the Jets FO does with his next contract. You know Sanchez and his agent will be looking for a contract in the upper echelon of the NFL QB pay scale. That's probably in the $80MM-$90MM range with a huge chunk that is guaranteed. Personally, if the Jets initiate discussions prior to his current contract expiring, I think it will show they have an interest in resigning him. If, on the other hand, they take the stance of "let him play out his current contract before we negotiate a new one", Sanchez's days in New York are probably over.
