Over the last two games the offense has done a good job converting on third downs going 12 / 23 (52.2%). They have been really good in the first half going 7 / 11 but drop off a little bit in the second half going 5 / 12. We need to do a better job on first and second down to get into favorable down and distance for 3rd down. Of the 23 3rd down plays only 9 of them have been of 4 yards or less and 8 plays have been 9 yards or more. Remarkably - we have converted on 4 of the 8 on 3rd and long which to me shows the maturation of Sanchez. He’s converted 10 / 17 3rd downs thru the air. The biggest need for improvement comes in the 5 – 8 range where he’s only 2 / 6. One interesting point is that over the last two games Sanchez has not completed a 3rd down pass that did not get us enough yardage for the first down. 3rd down is the Quarterback down. As of right now, Sanchez has done a good job on 3rd downs. If he can pick up his play in the mid range down and distance he will make a huge step forward. I like what I have seen and only expect better things to come.
During Baltimore game, 3rd down and "x" felt like automatic 4th down. During the games against NE and MIA, I felt way too confident on 3rd down situations. I hope this feeling stays.
Ive definitely felt more confident in the Jets offense on 3rd downs than in the Jets defense on 3rd downs.
Sanchez has stepped it up big time, and I have felt very confident the last two weeks we would be converting basically every third down. To help him improve in that mid range 5-8 yard area, I would love to see some slants and hit routes. We never see those anymore, but when teams run them on us, they almost always work. Why we don't run them, I don't know, but I feel like they would consistently work for us. No need to run them every other play, but 2-3 times a game, and I would bet they lead to an extra third down conversion in the 5-8 yard range.
Having LT in the flat if all else fails has really helped with Sanchez on third down. I will keep repeating it, this team will be almost impossible to stop on any down when Santonio comes back. As long as Sanchez continues to play as he is now. There will be a myriad of options on a third down set with three WRs and LT in the backfield and Keller at TE. Edwards, Cotch, Holmes, LT and Keller. Killer third down set or on any passing down.
He had that bad pass on 3rd down to LT where he put the ball too low and LT couldn't make the grab. That would have been another conversion cause LT was 1 yard from the marker and no defenders around him. Bad pass by Mark but that shit happens.
Sanchez was a god on 3rd down in the first 3 games last year also. I think what we're seeing now is the same guy but with a year of experience under his belt. All the flaws are not gone, he could easily have cost us the game with that shovel pass that was nearly intercepted, but he has the right idea about trying to win the game on every play that he possibly can. The artificial shell the Jets created for him last year to let the team have a chance down the stretch and in the playoffs was good for the team but bad for Sanchez development. We saw the results in game 1. It's nice that upper management saw them also and took a big step back just before they pushed him into bust-land.
his 3rd down throw to EB on that last drive was amazing. i mean as soon as BE turned around it hit him right in the numbers. sanchez has some zip and has really developed good chemistry and trust with his WRs
