TOJ 12 Pack: Nobody Likes Mark Sanchez Edition

Today’s TOJ 12 pack is dedicated to those who have already decided Mark Sanchez will be benched for Tim Tebow. A quarterback who isn’t half the quarterback he is and who didin’t accomplish half as much as he did in his first two years. I see positives in the Tebow addition but I do not think the Jets would be anywhere near better off with him under center full time than Sanchez, who I believe is a far superior quarterback. Anyway here is a little extra motivation for you #6 -

1. Amani Toomer, Good Receiver, Awful Analyst (Seriously, have you ever heard his color commentary?) – “I don’t see Sanchez being the starter for the entire season,” Toomer told reporters, including the Daily News’ Eb Samuel, at the launch of the league’s new apparel partnerships. “(Sanchez) is not a great quarterback. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that.”

2. Von Miller, Wayne Hunter’s Biggest Fan, Cheap Shotted Sanchez Last Year – Miller said: “I think everybody’s mistaken if you think he’s just going to go over there and be a wildcat quarterback or a situational quarterback. The Tebow that I know is going … to be able to compete for that starting job.”

3. Michael Irvin, Great Receiver, Predicted Mark Brunell Would Take Over For Sanchez Last Year – “You can have a plan,” the always-animated Irvin continued. “Brad Smith, all of that stuff is a whole different thing. Because when Tebow makes a play and everbody starts hollering ‘TE-BOW! TE-BOW!’ They never hollered ‘BRAD SMITH! BRAD SMITH!’ That’s going to affect Mark Sanchez. And I don’t care if you lose that Buffalo Bills opener and then Pittsburgh knocks you around, he will be starting by the Miami Dolphins game…. That’s the third game of the season. Sanchez: put your petal to the metal. Get going!”

4. Heath Evans, Okay Fullback I Guess, Commentator on NFL Network – “Tebow will start by week 3…of the pre-season” – NFL Network

5. Vince Wilkfork, Defensive Tackle, 3 Losses To Sanchez, Zero Losses To Tebow – ”I’d start Tebow. He’s a winner. He’s proven.

6. Percy Harvin, Noted For Migraines and Choking His College WR coach, Former Tebow Teammate – “For anybody to think he’s not going in there to win the starting job, you’re fooling yourself. “

7. Mike Lombardi, The Smartest Fired GM Who Can’t Get Hired Again – “For all the talk of being a leader, Sanchez never operates like one. No matter what the Jets claim publicly, they don’t really believe in Sanchez.”

8. Gregg Rosenthal, Mike Florio’s Former Employee – “If New York can’t stay above .500 during their five-game stretch to start the season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Tebow was the team’s starter before the Jets head to Foxborough in Week 7″

9. Bill Barnwell, Said Chad Henne Was Second Coming Of Drew Brees – “Sanchez has failed to launch since 2009, but he was able to duck the criticism during his first two years with playoff runs that saw him raise his level of play and the team enjoy an inordinate amount of luck.”

Let’s stop with the negativity for a second and finish up with some encouragement for our quarterback -

10. Joe Montana, Kind Of Understands This Quarterback Thing – “Mark is a better player right now and that’s it,” he said in an email to the Daily News. “As long as Mark believes in himself and plays, it’s not an issue. It’s more of an issue for those of you who write, or blog or tweet and all the other methods of delivering content.”

11. The Smartest City In The World – The poll, released Monday, showed both general New York residents and the state’s football fans felt strongly that Sanchez is the best option at quarterback.

12. The Playoff Game Sanchez Started In New England Versus The Playoff Game Tebow Started In New England -

New York Jets: Linebackers Not Named Ingram or Upshaw

Previously at Turn On The Jets, we have evaluated the Safeties the New York Jets could target if they opted to pass on Alabama’s Mark Barron and draft one of the many DE/OLB prospects that they so desperately need. But what if the Jets do end up taking Barron, and pass on the chance to land Mark Ingram, Courtney Upshaw, Quinton Coples, Chandler Jones, etc? Although the value of these players will be extremely high in the first round, this is certainly a scenario that could play out. If the Jets do opt to take Barron, there are still several quality prospects that could be the answer to New York’s desperate need for an outside pass rusher.

Recent TOJ Draft Coverage

• Wide Receiver Prospects
• #16 Scenarios
• Mock Draft 2.0
• Courtney Upshaw
• Melvin Ingram
• Safety Prospects

Nebraska’s Lavonte David is a popular sleeper on many boards, but at just over 6’0 230 lbs, he is much more suited as a 4-3 OLB and not the DE/OLB hybrid the Jets need in their 3-4 scheme. Andre Branch is certainly a possibility, but if the Jets are interested in him, they will most likely have to trade back into the 30-40 range. Branch has superlative size for the DE/OLB position at 6’4” 260 lbs. Although his strength is not ideal with only 19 reps on the bench, his speed is certainly adequate for his size with a 4.70 40-yard dash. Branch also has the explosiveness that you look for in evaluating a pass-rushing prospect, as he showed at the combine with his 10’ broad jump. The production is there as well. Branch posted 10.5 sacks last season including 4 against Virginia Tech, a game in which he also had 11 tackles, including 8 solos. If the Jets were to take Barron in the first round, Branch would certainly not be a bad consolation prize to losing out on Ingram or Upshaw, assuming that they could get him in the second.

Perhaps the most intriguing name to keep an eye on is West Virginia’s Bruce Irvin. With 22.5 sacks in his past two seasons at WVU, Irvin has proved to be one of the top pass rushers in the nation during his time as a Mountaineer. He also blew scouts away with his speed and agility posting a 4.5 40 yard dash and a lightning quick 4.03 short shuttle at this year’s combine. At 6’3 245 lbs, Irvin doesn’t have ideal size, but his talent and production help him overcome that.
So, the obvious question is, how could such a productive prospect not even be discussed as a possible first round selection?

The answer is character issues. Irvin is a former high school dropout who already has more than one arrest on his resume. This has been hanging over him for his entire collegiate career, despite his immense production, and he unfortunately did nothing to ease the minds of NFL teams on this issue after he was arrested following his pro day this year. Irvin’s character issues will almost certainly cause him to fall to at least the third round, where based on production and potential alone, he would be an absolute steal.

However, are his talents enough for the Jets, who are already mending their locker room image, to take such a risk? The answer lies with Rex Ryan. Although Ryan admitted he lost the locker room last season, he is still a coach who prides himself on being able to mold his players into strong characters. If it were up to Rex alone, there is little doubt that the Jets would take a shot on Irvin. However, after the events of last year, Rex will have to convince Mike Tannebaum to select the immensely skilled, yet controversial pass rusher. If Rex believes that he can aid Irvin to overcome the issues that have haunted him for so long, he may be able to talk Mike T into taking him, in the event that he is available in the later rounds. This could be a very interesting scenario to keep an eye on as the draft plays out.

New York Jets: Safety Needs Multiple Player Solution

The New York Jets current depth chart at safety is almost as scary as their depth chart at right tackle. Right now their starters would be LaRon Landry who hasn’t played a full 16 games since 2008 and Eric Smith, who in comparison to Landry would be relied upon to be the primary coverage safety. The top two backups? Tracy Wilson who has never played a snap in the NFL and the recently signed DeAngelo Smith who didn’t play in the NFL last season.

The problems with this depth chart can’t be solved with one draft pick, especially if that pick comes in the second or third round. Unless the Jets draft Mark Barron in the first round, you can’t bank on your draft pick to walk in, immediately take over the starting role and keep it for the entire 16 games.

In a perfect world, Landry will play the full season at strong safety, your draft pick will learn the defense quickly and be a capable starter at free safety as a rookie and Eric Smith will provide the needed depth at both spots, performing in the situational role he has always thrived in. Yet, this isn’t a perfect world which is why the Jets are paying Landry on a week to week basis and went hard after Reggie Nelson to pair with him but unfortunately came up short.

As it stands now and on the assumption the Jets add a draft pick at safety, it is more than likely Landry will miss a few games leading to Smith being overextended as a starter again and a rookie, especially if it is a 2nd or 3rd rounder, being overextended as well.

The Jets are going to need more than one addition at the safety position. Jim Leonhard is a logical addition if his rehab continues to go well. If Barron is taken in the first round, he is starting from day one and Leonhard is a clear cut backup which is where he should start the season off. If the Jets end up with somebody like Harrison Smith, George Iloka, or Markelle Martin. They may need to add a better option than Leonhard, whether that is Yeremiah Bell or a player acquired via trade.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets looked to boost their depth by spending one of their 6th or 7th round picks on a safety. They are thin enough right now where you can justify taking two safeties in one draft.

Check out TOJ’s selection for the Jets in the Zone Blitz Mock Draft

New York Jets: Day One Of New Offense

The headlines surrounding the New York Jets first day of voluntary workouts centered on Santonio Holmes tone with reporters and his entertaining decision to Tweet a picture of himself wearing a shirt that said “captain.” Personally, I couldn’t give a damn if Holmes gave an attitude to reporters and how could you not crack a smile at that picture?

Let’s talk about more important things. In case you haven’t noticed, the Jets roster isn’t going to look much different from last season. They are relying on improvement to come from within and from a new offensive system led by Tony Sparano.

Not only does Sparano have to teach starting quarterback Mark Sanchez a new offense, different from the only one he has ever learned in the NFL, he needs to figure out how to best incorporate Tim Tebow’s Wildcat/Option package. He also needs to help the Jets rediscover their elite power running game, which was absent last year and find a way to hit big plays down the field in the passing game. Should be a busy man, no?

At a minimum, Tebow’s arrival should make the running game more dangerous and dynamic. If designed properly there will be more lanes for Shonn Greene and Joe McKnight from Tebow’s presence under center. Yet, the Jets will need Tebow to not just be their backup quarterback but be a primary ball carrying option. Greene hasn’t proven to be the “bell cow” the team thought he could be and McKnight, despite showing potential, hasn’t shown he is capable of being a 1B option full time.

Basically you are hoping Greene can be a 1A when he has produced like a 1B and that McKnight can be a 1B when he has produced like a backup. If they can both improve and Tebow gives them 5-10 strong carries a game, the Jets have the makings a capable three headed monster running the football. I also wouldn’t be surprised if they spent a late round pick on a running back to compete with Bilal Powell for a roster spot.

In the passing game, Sparano must find a way to compensate for Wayne Hunter or Vladimir Ducasse’s shortcomings at right tackle in pass protection. If the Jets can protect Sanchez, he has the ability to connect on passes down the field and outside of the hashes, areas he rarely had the opportunity to throw to in Brian Schottenheimer’s scheme.

Who will stretch the field? Santonio Holmes isn’t a true vertical receiver. He works better in the intermediate passing game and then making people miss after the catch. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t shake a defender with a double move every now and then, as he did in the Washington game last season on his game winning catch. Chaz Schilens has the top end speed and the size to be a good candidate to run go routes down the sideline, but can he stay healthy and can he produce consistently? Perhaps at a minimum he can give the Jets a Dedric Ward type threat. In 1998, Ward caught only 25 passes but averaged 19.8 yards per catch and hauled in 4 long touchdowns.

Dustin Keller and Jeremy Kerley both have the ability to get down the seam. Yet, with Kerley I would expect him to be used in a Davone Bess type role in Sparano’s offense, working in the slot and primarily in the short passing game. Bess averaged between 10 and 10.5 yards per catch the last four seasons under Sparano.

When it comes to Keller, interestingly enough Dolphins tight end Anthony Fasano has averaged more yards per catch in three of the last four seasons. Most people have talked about Sparano using the tight end primarily as a blocker yet he has found ways to create a higher YPC for Fasano, despite him being much less than athletic and versatile than Keller. As we say every year, Keller has the skill set to consistently be a big play weapon. Can Sparano get the most out of him and have him picking up the big chunks of yardage this offense desperately needs?

Despite a lack of depth of receiver, running back, and right tackle, this offense still has talent. It is now up to Sparano to do what Brian Schottenheimer couldn’t, maximize that talent.

New York Jets: Considering Trade Up For Melvin Ingram?

Throughout the previous few months we have heard the New York Jets were high on South Carolina outside linebacker Melvin Ingram. In recent days, talk of that interest has only intensified. Today, Evan Silva from Rotoworld and NBC Sports had this to say on the Jets and Ingram -

“Word at South Carolina Pro Day last month was Jaguars don’t want Melvin Ingram, just posturing. Jets though are smitten with Ingram. Might move up. Rex Ryan apparently sees Adalius Thomas like qualities in Ingram…versatile pass rusher who can drop and cover.”

It should come as no surprise that Ryan is in love with a player who could line up at outside linebacker, inside linebacker, defensive end and even defensive tacke. With the realization that Courtney Upshaw may not be the explosive pass rusher the team needs, the Jets should seriously consider making an aggressive move to get Ingram.

The Jets will need to move up into the top ten to take Ingram. If Jacksonville (with pick #7) truly isn’t interested, they could target swapping picks with Carolina who holds the number 9 spot. Miami won’t do business with them at #8 and they are likely taking quarterback Ryan Tannehill anyway. If the Jets want to play it very safe, they could look to swap with St. Louis at #6 who is reportedly looking to move back and acquire more picks.

What will it cost the Jets to move up? It is hard to say because the old draft value board isn’t as reliable anymore with the changes to the rookie wage scale. However, DraftTek has put together this value board for this year which shows to move from #16 to #9, the Jets would either have to trade their second round pick and get a fourth rounder back or trade a third rounder this year and next year, approximately.

Is the price worth it? If Ingram turns out to be a game changer who can play four different positions on Rex Ryan’s defense, I’d say so. Last season he racked up ten sacks, two interceptions, fifteen tackles for a loss and three touchdowns, including one on a 68 yard fake punt.

New York Jets: What Have You Done To Win Your Division?

There is an inevitable reality in the AFC East as long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are active participants, the New England Patriots are the team to beat if you want to win the division. Until the New York Jets find a way to get past them in the standings, they will be forced to scrap for a wild-card spot and win three straight road games if they ever want to appear in a Super Bowl.

In Rex Ryan’s first two seasons as the Jets head coach, they were able to go 3-2 against the Patriots including a memorable playoff upset. In these games, the Jets were able to overcome Bill Belichick’s countermove to their talent at cornerback by building his offense through Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, thanks to terrific game planning and timely big plays from their offense.

They weren’t as fortunate last season as the Jets lost both games and never seriously threatened the Patriots for the division. On defense, the Jets couldn’t scheme around their deficiencies and they never got the needed big plays from their offense.

Why could the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots twice last year? They could hit the quarterback and they could make big plays in the passing game to take advantage of their weak secondary.

We have seen the Buffalo Bills sign Mario Williams and Mark Anderson to improve their ability to get after Tom Brady. Whether their passing game can generate big plays remains to be seen but at a minimum New England will have a difficult time protecting Brady and he shouldn’t have time in the pocket to distribute the ball to Gronkowski, Hernandez and recently signed Brandon Lloyd.

When you look at the Jets current roster, they are still yet to address their gaping hole at pass rusher. There is only so many blitzes you can throw at Brady until he beats you, hence the team’s need for a player who can simply beat his man one on one to the quarterback. There aren’t many players, if any who can adequately match up on the Patriots tight ends in single coverage. The Jets certainly aren’t equipped with them as they are still woefully undermanned at safety. They are going to need as many people in coverage as possible, meaning they don’t have the luxury to continually throw their extra defensive backs on blitzes.

The rumors have the Jets addressing their hole at pass rusher through the draft. How aggressive Mike Tannenbaum pursues the need remains to be seen but something needs to be done to enhance the speed and athleticism of the front seven.

On the other side of the football, you need to make plays in the passing game to beat New England. Think about the Jets victories over the Patriots in recent years. In 2009, Jerricho Cotchery gashed them for big plays down the middle of the field in the second half to lead a comeback victory. In 2010, Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller ripped apart their secondary in the regular season victory and in the playoffs it was Cotchery and Edwards who again did the damage.

Last season the Jets didn’t have Cotchery ripping off a 58 yard reception in the 4th quarter or Edwards hauling in a 37 yard grab down the sideline to set up a touchdown. The big plays were nowhere to be found.

They must return this year, whether it comes from Dustin Keller being used properly, Braylon Edwards returning or the Jets finding another big play receiver.

It certainly could create a dilemma for the Jets on draft day. If you are sitting at number 16 with Melvin Ingram and Quinton Couples off the board, staring at either Courtney Upshaw or Michael Floyd, what do you do? Upshaw’s stock as a 3-4 player has fallen due to his size and potential issues with his knee while Floyd’s stock is climbing every day as a big play receiver. It seems at this point that Floyd would be much better value at that spot but is the need too big to ignore at outside linebacker or can you justify taking Floyd by saying you need to replace the big plays in the passing game that allowed you to beat New England in previous years?

Santonio Holmes, The New York Jets Bogeyman

Big bad Santonio Holmes is at it again. The poster boy for the New York Jets locker room dysfunction grabbed himself a front page of The Daily News by giving the following quotes to Manish Mehta in the middle of one of his off-season workouts in Florida -

“The media don’t make me and the media don’t break me…I am Santonio Holmes and that’s it”

“You haven’t seen Santonio Holmes stories in the news since the season was over”

“My offseason is just beginning”

“I don’t care”

Yes, that’s it. That is everything Santonio Holmes said, everything else that is being trumped as headline material was said by an unnamed player who trains with Holmes or his strength coach Tom Shaw. All those words about “chanting for Tebow” or wanting “the damn ball” didn’t come from Holmes mouth, they came from yet another anonymous source or a strength coach.

Unfortunately, most people have been too lazy to make this distinction and are ripping Holmes for his continued selfishness. In reality, all he has done this off-season is stay out of the limelight and spend two weeks in Africa helping impoverished kids with Pros For Africa. Of course that received no media coverage…that received no headlines. Doing charity work doesn’t sell newspapers unless you are Tim Tebow.

There is nothing wrong with Holmes saying the media doesn’t break him, because it shouldn’t. Just like he said, he shouldn’t give a damn what is being written about him. All he is currently doing is minding his own business, staying out of trouble and working out in Florida to get ready for next season.

The guy made a mistake in the Miami game last year. He was frustrated from being given a number one receiver role and not receiving the looks he desired down the stretch. His behavior was unacceptable but one bad week shouldn’t define his NFL or Jets career, just like we say three bad games last year shouldn’t define Mark Sanchez’s career. Holmes is a Super Bowl MVP and without his clutch play in 2010, the Jets get nowhere near the AFC Championship Game.

The media and fanbase love to pick villains and they have one in Holmes. Don’t blindly hop the bandwagon without taking the time to comprehend what the media is trying to do with a story like this.

New York Jets Off-Season: Getting Inside Mike Tannenbaum’s Head

At this point in the New York Jets off-season, it is easy to be a little confused, angry and disappointed. Here is a review of what they have done so far -

• Signed a highly injury prone strong safety, LaRon Landry
• Signed a highly injury prone wide receiver, Chaz Schilens
• Traded for a backup quarterback/wildcat option, Tim Tebow
• Re-signed Sione Pouha and Bryan Thomas
• Guaranteed Wayne Hunter’s salary next year
• Held on to Santonio Holmes by guaranteeing his salary the next two years
• Signed Drew Stanton…then traded Drew Stanton after trading for Tebow
• Gave Mark Sanchez an overhyped extension that basically didn’t change much to his original contract but brought a wave of publicity with it

So, what the hell is Mike Tannenbaum thinking? Let’s try to figure it out -

Starting on offense, we told you throughout February the Jets would not be spending big money at the wide receiver position opposite of Santonio Holmes. The hiring of Tony Sparano confirmed a commitment to a run heavy offense and with so much already invested in Holmes, it doesn’t make philosophical sense to splurge financially for another receiver. Their approach is taking a low cost risk on a player like Schilens and then seeing how the draft shakes out before exploring the option of bringing Braylon Edwards back.

Do not look for the Jets to take a receiver early in the draft, unless somebody they fall in love with drops into their lap in round 2 or 3. I would expect them to take a receiver with one of their late round picks and then check out Edwards knee in May. If he passes the team’s physical, he can be brought back on a low cost deal and likely provide all the production they’d need from the number two receiver spot, with Schilens providing insurance.

The Tebow trade was clearly not something in the original off-season plans as demonstrated by the Stanton signing. There was speculation about the Jets signing or trading for another running back to compliment Shonn Greene but bringing in Tebow is going to prevent that from happening. He will be a weapon in the running game more than anything and outside of potentially a mid or late round pick, look for the Jets running back depth chart to stay the same.

Tebow’s trade was fueled by Rex Ryan and Tony Sparano’s desire to run and protect the football coupled with the business aspects of it endorsed by Woody Johnson. Tannenbaum saw Tebow become available, had his head coach, offensive coordinator and owner express interest and made it happen. Mark Sanchez was a peripheral thought in all of this, as I do think the organization still believes he could be the franchise quarterback but saw the Wildcat dimension/business aspects of Tebow too valuable to pass it up. Only time will tell, if it was worth it.

At tackle, Tannenbaum probably looked at Hunter’s contract and figured at a minimum he was a good depth player, which he is and something that the Jets badly lacked last year. The hope in the organization is that with a full off-season to learn the position, Vladimir Ducasse will be a viable option at right tackle. Teams don’t like giving up on second round picks after two years, regardless of how awful they looked throughout those two years. At this point, I fully expect the Jets to open camp with Hunter and Ducasse competing for the job, with Austin Howard maybe grabbing a few reps.

If they struggle, the Jets could hope that Vernon Carey is still on the market. He is a veteran who knows Sparano’s system that could immediately hop in or Tannenbaum could swing a trade in August to supplement the position. It is a risky strategy and not one I agree with, but it appears to be the planned approach at the moment.

Defensively, the Jets wanted to pair LaRon Landry and Reggie Nelson as their shiny, new safety duo. Unfortunately, they struck out with Nelson leaving a gaping hole at free safety. The Jets protected themselves from Landry’s injury with how the contract is structured but the defense will suffer if he misses extended periods of time in 2012. I would expect the Jets to seriously consider finding a way to add a free safety in one of the early rounds of the draft and then bring back Jim Leonhard in May or June as veteran insurance. Missing out on Nelson hurt and the Jets are now going to need to rely on a healthy Landry and likely a draft pick to improve the position’s play.

The team hasn’t been shy about their desire to improve the pass rush. It would be an upset at this point if they don’t find away to take a outside linebacker in the first round. The question is only how aggressive will they pursue one? Would they trade up for Melvin Ingram or Quinton Couples? Could they trade back for Andre Branch? Is Courtney Upshaw on the board for them at number 16? The Jets want a young pass rusher to take Bryan Thomas off the field on passing downs and eventually off the field all together. They likely envision a third down defense that prominently features this first round pick opposite of Aaron Maybin, who should only get better in Rex’s system in year two.

One other thing that should be noted, the locker room chaos last year clearly made a huge impression on the Jets front office. Re-signing Sione Pouha was a smart football move but became such a major priority because he was a respected captain last year. The quick re-signing of Bryan Thomas, a longtime good guy veteran of the organization was also a larger priority than it would have in years past. Bringing back Hunter, who despite his on field struggles, is a respected player in the locker room who stood up to Santonio Holmes slacking last year supports the notion of emphasizing the importance of improving the locker room. Finally, while the Tebow trade was primarily motivated by the Wildcat and business, it would be foolish to think his personality didn’t play a factor in it as well.

So what else should you expect the rest of the way from the Jets? I would look for an outside linebacker and safety early in the draft, along with an eventual signing of Braylon Edwards and Jim Leonhard. If the Jets make an addition at right tackle, it probably won’t happen until training camp. It isn’t the flashiest off-season but the Jets are clearly banking on Tony Sparano improving Mark Sanchez’s play and Tim Tebow adding an element to the Jets offense that will make it harder to defend. Rex Ryan is always going to be confident in his defense and I am sure he thinks with a new pass rusher, Landry, and a free safety the group will take major strides from last year.

Finally, what about that extra money the Jets still have? Remember they are going to have to pay Darrelle Revis next off-season to avoid another holdout, along with Dustin Keller and Shonn Greene’s contracts both being up. Those considerations have to be a factor in the Jets spending right now.

Doesn’t cheer you up? Well maybe this will…feels like a hundred years ago, right?

New York Jets: All About Sanchez Now

You can speculate about what Tim Tebow will or won’t do this season in the New York Jets version of “The Wildcat” or discuss your ongoing angst about how this team still has holes at right tackle, outside linebacker, and safety (and I do nonstop), yet in the end this season will mostly come down to one player’s actions on and off the field, starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

There are two different versions of Mark Sanchez you probably hear about. There is the Michael Lombardi/Mike Florio version, who portray Sanchez as a bottom five quarterback in the league who is a mental midget. No success the Jets have had in the past three years can be credited to him, only their failures. Then there is the common sense version, led by people like Trent Dilfer (who you know, watch game tape) and who anybody else that has watched every snap of Sanchez’s NFL career can plainly see:

• Sanchez is a young quarterback, who struggles with consistency. Like any quarterback, if he doesn’t have protection his turnovers and bad decision making increase.
• His accuracy is his biggest weakness but has steadily improved. Yet, still needs to get better.
• He is more mobile and a much better athlete than people give him credit for. His arm strength is also not an issue as he has made every throw necessary from a NFL quarterback.
• Generally, he plays better in bigger spots and has a knack for late game comebacks/success in the two minute drill.
• He has improved in every statistical category, every year of his career.
• Sanchez has had four (and will soon be on his fifth) starting pair of wide receivers.
• His offensive coordinator was thoroughly below average the past three years and he deserves a chance in a new system.
• Comparatively, to other first round quarterbacks he has had a good amount of success through his first three years and is pacing well compared to a quarterback like Eli Manning.
• 27-20 regular season record as a starter. 4-2 record in the playoffs.

You can cut it anyway you want, trading for Tebow is a frustrating situation for Sanchez. He will have a backup who is more popular than him and he will be taken off the field for a handfuls of plays throughout the game to run an offense he won’t be part of. No quarterback wants that. Regardless, the amount Tim Tebow is on the field is really in Mark Sanchez’s hands. If he protects the football and produces with the normal offense, Tebow will be nothing more than a glossy sidenote on the Jets season. The Jets will also likely find themselves as contenders in the AFC again.

Make no mistake, if this team is getting anywhere near a Super Bowl, it is because Sanchez, the best quarterback on the team, has a good year and steps up in big moments. An ideal scenario for this team is that Sanchez thrives as a starting quarterback, while balancing a difficult situation on and off the field while Tebow thrives as role player. At the end of the season, you hope a team that is a desperate for a starting quarterback makes an enticing offer to get Tebow and you install Greg McElroy as the long term backup because you know after 2012 that Sanchez is without question your guy.

Most people see Sanchez cowering under the competition to a quarterback who has accomplished a fifth of what he has in the NFL and who simply put is not a better quarterback than him. I wouldn’t write off #6 so easily.

New York Knicks: All About ‘Melo Now

Carmelo Anthony has had his moments since joining the New York Knicks last season. Unfortunately, they have been overshadowed by an alleged dispute with former head coach Mike D’Antoni and a winning streak that he wasn’t apart of. Yet, now Anthony is part of the Knicks winning 7 of their last 8, moving back to .500 and getting within striking distance of first place in the Atlantic Division…and now, more than ever, Anthony must assert himself as this team’s franchise player.

Amare Stoudemire is likely out until the playoffs begin, if he is lucky and the Knicks happen to get there. Jeremy Lin is banged up and won’t be suiting up tonight against Orlando, the conference’s third best team. Anthony is dealing with a groin pull himself which he gutted through in the fourth quarter and will gut through again tonight against the Magic. It is admirable to see him play through pain, especially when the lifting will be so heavy without his power forward and point guard.

The Knicks have quality role players around Anthony and have learned to win ugly with defense, hustle and rebounding which is a beautiful and welcome sight to basketball fans in this city who have fond memories of the early 90s. Yet, if they are going to get through this brutal stretch of the schedule which is filled with playoff caliber opponents, it must be Anthony who takes the lead on both ends of the floor. The Knicks need their franchise player to carry them to a playoff spot and just maybe a division title.

These are the kind of situations where elite players are made and Anthony knows that.

“A situation like this requires me to step my game up a little bit more, take it up a notch,” Anthony said. “I love moments like this.” – Carmelo Anthony on Monday.

The Knicks brought him here to love moments like this and to thrive in them. There is enough talent around Anthony to make some real noise in the Eastern Conference, now it is up to him to lead the charge.