If Mark Sanchez is a better quarterback this year, it might be because he doesn’t have Tony Sparano to kick around any longer.

Sparano, the Jets’ offensive coordinator for last year’s 6-10 season, oversaw Sanchez’s nosedive in performance. The quarterback had his worst statistical season since his rookie year, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns.

Now with Marty Mornhinweg calling the plays, Sanchez is hopeful he can bounce back. The experienced offensive coordinator has a reputation for maximizing a quarterback’s potential and he will be charged with rebuilding a fledgling career now at an all-time low.

“I just feel like this coaching staff is going to get the best out of me — just rededicating yourself to the game, rededicating yourself to your preparation and just being excited about this system and what it can do for a quarterback,” Sanchez said. “I think just in these early stages we strung together a couple good days of OTAs. We just got to keep it rolling, stay positive and keep on improving. But I like our attitude and I like the coaching we’ve received so far. I think it’s only going to continue to grow and get better.”

A season ago, the Jets were going to return to the ground game under Sparano and the acquisition of quarterback Tim Tebow to run the Wildcat only underscored that Sanchez’s arm was on the outs in a run-heavy offense. But the ground game sputtered and was inconsistent and injuries beset the wide receivers, leaving Sanchez without a running game or bona fide targets.

It also didn’t help that Sanchez struggled with his progression and regressed to a one-read quarterback as a result of an unimaginative offense lacking playmakers.

Sanchez wouldn’t blame an offense that under Sparano was No. 30 in total offense last season or last year’s coaching staff.

“I don’t know about that. Each system has its own pros and cons. A lot of that stuff is timing and there’s a million things that come into play,” Sanchez said. “At the end of the day, I just have to worry about what I can control.”

What may not be a good sign is that he continues to lose the turnover battle. On Wednesday, Sanchez threw three interceptions, one of which was picked off by nose tackle Damon Harrison.

Sanchez laughed off being intercepted by a player who has been nicknamed by the coaching staff as “Big Snacks” due to his size, but Ryan sounded concerned even if it is only May.

“Yeah it is, absolutely [concerning]. It was a good thing the defense made some plays but I’d rather him not turn the ball over once,” Ryan said. “He did some great things but at the end of the day those are the things that get you beat.”

There is, of course, extra pressure on Sanchez this year as he not only has to improve but he’s engaged in the first true quarterback competition of his professional career.

Geno Smith took the second-most reps in practice after Sanchez and felt he showed “subtle improvement” this week. After a strong rookie minicamp two weeks ago, he struggled with his accuracy and timing.

Part of it is the adjustment to an offense where he is under center, unlike last year at West Virginia where he operated primarily out of the shotgun.

“It just takes reps. Overall, I feel that I’ve been able to pick up on my reads, figure out my depth and drops and how it should be done,” Smith said. “As I said, there’s a total difference in the systems and it’s just a process I have to go through.”

Jets notes …

» The Jets lined up first round pick Sheldon Richardson in the 3-technique today, which he told Metro during rookie minicamp was their ideal spot for him. In college, Richardson primarily played on the edge.

» Smith announced he will be represented by Roc Nation Sports, the agency started by rapper Jay-Z. Head coach Rex Ryan didn’t seem too concerned about his second-round pick going with such a high-profile agency.

“He knows he has to focus on the job at hand here. I’m confident that will happen,” Ryan said. “I don’t even think about who he hired.”

» Second-year wide receiver Stephen Hill was held out of OTAs on Wednesday due to swelling in his knee. He rode the stationary bicycle along with wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who did not practice as he continues to recover from last year’s foot surgery that ended his season.

A team source told Metro New York on Wednesday morning that Holmes “is not expected to be able to run till training camp. His injury is coming along fine but don’t expect him for OTAs or minicamp next month.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Mark Sanchez sounds like someone who is ready to battle for the spot under center.

Following Thursday’s organized team activities, Sanchez addressed the ever-brewing quarterback controversy. The competition got a little less crowded Wednesday with the retirement of David Garrard, who called it quits due to a long-standing knee injury.

“He was one of those guys that I felt like I’d be able to bounce my ideas off of, having that veteran experience,” Sanchez said. “So, it’s tough to see a guy go like that and you just wish him the best health-wise first, and then, he has a career to celebrate, he played a long time in this league and did a heck of a job. It was great to be around him in the short time I had with him and we wish him nothing but the best.”

Taking Garrard out of the picture doesn’t change Sanchez’s perception heading into June’s minicamp and then training camp a month later.

“Nothing’s changed. My mindset is the same,” Sanchez said. “Just stay focused, master this offense, improve on my fundamentals, be as accurate as possible, take care of the football and lead this team.”

Sanchez looked a lot like his rookie self in his fourth season in the league in 2012. He was unsure in the pocket, held onto the ball too long, went consistently with his first read and forced way too many passes.

For the second time in his career and the first since his rookie season in 2009, he threw more interceptions than touchdowns.

Now with Garrard out of the picture, Sanchez will be locked in a quarterback battle with second-round pick Geno Smith in addition to Greg McElroy, who replaced Sanchez in Week 15 last year and then started over him the next game. If he wants to be the starter, Sanchez will need to cut down on his turnovers which means throwing the ball away more.
He’s been working on that in practice.

“Guys will raise their hands if they’re open, and if no one raises their hands, you’re either running or throwing it away,” Sanchez said. “That’s kind of the drill. I think it’s valuable and I think it’s one of those things that we aim to address.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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David Garrard is ready to be the other man.

During his nine years as a quarterback in the NFL, Garrard has been on both sides of a quarterback controversy. In 2006 and again in 2007, Garrard battled with Byron Leftwich to start for the Jaguars — a battle eventually won by Garrard. Then in 2010, Garrard was on the wrong side of the battle when first-round pick Blaine Gabbert won the starting job and Jacksonville released the veteran quarterback.

Now after two injury-plagued years in which he hasn’t played a single snap of football, Garrard is in New York where he will look to wrestle the starting job away from Mark Sanchez.

“It seems like the last few years, everywhere I’ve been has been a little bit of a quarterback competition [and] a lot of hype with it. [It's] a little bit different here — a few more cameras up here,” Garrard said on Thursday. “Still, what it comes down to is between the lines out there and the way you perform on the field, the way you perform in practice, training camp, preseason games. To me, that will be the deciding factor in who is on the field, who is the starting quarterback on day one. And that’s how it should be.”

Sanchez has struggled the last two years but 2012 was a year marked by ineptness en route to a 6-10 record and another missed trips to the playoffs. Under new general manager John Idzik, the competition mantra is being instilled in the organization and Garrard is expected to be much more than a veteran mentor, he’s coming in to compete and perhaps start.

For this first time in what will be his fifth season in the league, Sanchez will have to win a job that was handed to him during his rookie year in 2009. Despite being plagued by injuries and having not thrown a pass since 2010, Garrard is already an enticing option when compared to Sanchez.

He thinks he can regain the form he showed with the Jaguars in 2010 when he threw for 2,734 with 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

“I’ve been a No. 1 quarterback before, as long as I’m healthy, as long as I’m able to continue to work with the team and I don’t have setbacks with my knee or back or anything like that, then I know that I have the ability to,” Garrard said. “But I can’t talk about it, I have to go out there on the field and do it. I’ve been trying to be the No. 1 guy for the last two years and just one thing after another hasn’t allowed that. So right now I can’t talk about where I want to be, I want to show that.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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What is being labeled as a circus is nothing more than a quarterback competition for the Jets, albeit a lackluster one at this point.

Mark Sanchez enters his fifth year in the league not solidly entrenched atop the depth chart but rather battling for his future in New York. After taking the normal amount of time away from the game this offseason to recover from the NFL season, Sanchez said he is here to not just compete but also to retain the starting role he has had since he was handed the job as a rookie in 2009.

“Absolutely, that’s where my head is at,” Sanchez said. “I’m competing to be the starter.”

After a 2012 season where he struggled in nearly all facets of the game, the pressure and attention is on Sanchez to improve this year or likely face his last year as a Jet. Last year his numbers were down dramatically as the team missed the playoffs for a second straight season.

The response came from new Jets general manager John Idzik, who brought in David Garrard this offseason as a free agent to provide depth at the position and compete for the starting spot. Despite having not played the last two years due to injuries, the New Jersey native is expected to push Sanchez.

Garrard comes into a crowded quarterback stable that includes not only Sanchez but third-year quarterback Greg McElroy, who played in two games last year including one start, and second-round draft pick Geno Smith. Given the number of quarterbacks in camp, and especially since Idzik brought in a veteran and a high draft pick onto the roster, the general consensus would hold that Sanchez is currently on the outs.

He did acknowledge that each of the five quarterbacks is vying for the starting job this year, saying, “We’re friendly about it but at the same time it’s a fierce competition.”

“It falls right in line with what John Idzik talked about – bringing in competition at every position,” Sanchez said. “But it also mirrors up with everything I’ve been about really my whole life whether in high school, college or making it to the NFL level – of competing with other players [and] earning everything you’ve received in this league; nothing is just given. You have to compete to earn it. It will be fun.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Tim Tebow is gone but the questions about his curious one-year stint with the Jets continue a day after his release.

Acquired in a trade with the Broncos last March, Tebow spent one puzzling year with the Jets where he threw just eight passes and was involved just a handful of times in each game. Tebow’s tenure started with a full press conference attended by 150 members of the media and ended ingloriously with a 125-word press release announcing his release on Monday.

On Tuesday in a conference call with season-ticket holders, general manager John Idzik said Tebow was never asked to switch positions.

“We really view Tim as a quarterback here. We didn’t contemplate moving him around,” Idzik said on the call. “When we viewed him on the roster, we viewed him with respect to the other quarterbacks we have.”

Immediately after the trade, head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum said Tebow was coming in to back up incumbent starter Mark Sanchez and to be used in a variety of different roles.

This line from Jets management was supposed to quell any talk of a quarterback competition but instead created an issue in the team’s locker room.

One offensive starter on the 2012 team spoke to Metro New York about the fallout of the Tebow trade last season. The starter spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the nature of the remarks.

“It’s done, it’s over, but it wasn’t good last year. What happened was that Mark became entitled because he was the only player on the roster who didn’t fight for his job,” the player said. “You’ve got this situation where the player brought in to be the backup can’t win the starting job so what does that mean for the starter? It means he’s the starter no matter what goes on and all that. I’m not saying Mark dogged it out there but it created this sort of entitlement mentality and Mark had his job no matter what. Then you got a Tim Tebow who outworked everyone and couldn’t get a fair shot. They made a mistake by not making this an open thing. I don’t think they meant to but making Tebow the immediate backup hurt the whole team. It made Mark protected in his role.

“I think last year, the coaches and GM were scared that Tebow might come in and show-up Mark. If Tebow was active in Week 15 and not [backup quarterback] Greg [McElroy] then I don’t think they pull Sanchez from that game.”

“You then have a bunch of his teammates saying, ‘Mark is our guy.’ Well, do they say that for an offensive lineman who isn’t doing well or a tight end or a receiver? No, the best man plays no matter what. I’m not saying Tim was better than Mark, but he wasn’t given even a look last year. I think they had to release him just to be rid of the negativity. Mark knew that no matter how bad he was, Tebow wasn’t going to play over him. If his last name was Davis or Jones or Smith and not Tebow, would he then have had a shot?”

Even with the release of Tebow, the Jets still have five quarterbacks on their roster. Sanchez and McElroy return and the team signed veteran quarterback David Garrard this offseason as a free agent. They also drafted West Virginia’s Geno Smith in the second round last week and brought in Matt Simms to compete for a role as well.

“We have five quarterbacks on our roster; we’ll let them compete. We got a rookie minicamp coming up so we’ll be able to see a few of them throw and then we’ll take it day-to-day,” Idzik said on the call. “We’ll see how it goes going forward. We probably won’t be able to take five to camp but again we’ll let it play out.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.

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The year-long experiment is finally over.

The Jets have released backup quarterback Tim Tebow. The New York Post reports Tebow was told by general manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan Monday morning at the team facility.

“We have a great deal of respect for Tim Tebow,” head coach Rex Ryan said in a statement. “Unfortunately, things did not work out the way we all had hoped. Tim is an extremely hard worker, evident by the shape he came back in this offseason. We wish him the best moving forward.”

Tebow’s release brings to an end a trade which never made much sense in the first place. Tebow was acquired from Denver in March 2012 for a fourth-round draft pick and a swap of sixth- and seventh-round picks. Almost right away the move incited controversy on both sides. Tebow had gained fame in Denver for bursting onto the scene and leading the Broncos to a playoff win.

The evangelical Christian already developed a cult following in his time at the University of Florida, where he won two national titles and a Heisman trophy.

But his NFL abilities were questioned from the start. Denver head coach Josh McDaniels staked his future on drafting Tebow in the first round at 25th overall in 2010. But when former great John Elway took over as team president, he never seemed enamored with the quarterback’s unique skillset and pulled the trade with the Jets despite the successful 2011 season.

From the start in New York his role was hazy. The team held a solo news conference to introduce Tebow, but when camp opened in the fall the coaching staff consistently reiterated Mark Sanchez, who had received a contract extension weeks before the trade, would be the starter.

The team, including new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, said it would use Tebow extensively in Wildcat packages and in the red zone.

When the season began, none of that materialized. And even when Sanchez sputtered late in the season, Greg McElroy got the start when Sanchez was benched. It was speculated the trade was championed by owner Woody Johnson while the coaching staff never wanted the addition.

Idzik would never outright say the team was looking to trade Tebow, but it was widely reported. He did not include Tebow in the quarterback competition in a press conference prior to the draft. With Jacksonville — Tebow’s hometown, where he enjoys massive popularity — saying it had no interest in Tebow, the market seemed all but nonexistent.

The NFL Draft ended on Saturday, and with the selection of West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith in the second round, Tebow was released.

Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports.

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It is the end of the “Sanchise.”

After using both of their first-round picks Thursday night on the defensive side of the ball, the Jets addressed their most pressing need by going after offense, taking quarterback Geno Smith with the No. 39 overall selection. It likely spells the beginning of the end for incumbent starter Mark Sanchez, who was taken in the first round four years ago and was supposed to be the face of the franchise.

Smith joins free agent signee David Garrard not to mention Tim Tebow and Greg McElroy as quarterbacks on the roster.

Smith was a popular Top-10 pick in most mock drafts but fell out of the first round as teams were uncertain about his ability to consistently make throws along with questions about his technique.

“I’m going to come in with the right mentality. I’m going to come in and work,” Smith said. “I’m going to make sure that I put my best foot forward. I’m going to be dedicated and try to come in and be a leader and help my team win games.”

What the move does is likely begin the death knell for Sanchez, who the Jets took No. 5 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. Sanchez led the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship games his first two years in the league but the Jets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.

Smith will now be the face of the franchise and in all likelihood will be anointed the Jets’ latest savior.

During his senior season at West Virginia, Smith completed 369-of-518 passes for 4,205 yards with 42 touchdowns and six interceptions. But it wasn’t all pretty. After a 5-0 start, the Mountaineers fell apart, losing five of their last seven games and then were badly beaten by Syracuse at the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

The Jets had the No. 30 total offense last season, averaging just 299.2 yards per game under Sanchez. They struggled in the passing game and with offseason losses tight end Dustin Keller and running back Shonn Greene, the team Smith joins will be lacking star power and playmakers, at least this season.

In early April, Smith met with the Jets over a two-day period but he said he had no idea he would be taken in the second round. He sees himself as a franchise quarterback.

“I do believe so, for a number of reasons. The main thing is that I’m going to come into practice; I’m going to come into work. I’m going to compete daily. I’m going to also do my best to better teammates in order for us to win a Super Bowl,” Smith said.

“It’s not about qualities. I think it’s up to me to continue to improve daily. My game is not based on one single thing, but I think it is based on a number of things. As long as I continue to improve and progress, I think I’ll be fine.”

Winters goes in third round

It wasn’t the franchise-shaking move the Jets made with Smith, but third-round pick Brian Winters of Kent State could be a very solid addition to the team.

The theme of the second day of the draft for the Jets was offense, taking their quarterback of the future in the second round and then adding a guard in Winters with the No. 72 pick, a move that solidifies their offensive line. Winters started 49 games for the Golden Flashes all as a tackle. Winters isn’t viewed as a lineman with great technique, but instead as a physical mauler. He is projected to move to guard.

In all likelihood, Winters will step right into a starting position with the Jets, who lost starters Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson this offseason. CBSSports.com had him as a second-round grade and the No. 5 guard in the draft.

“I couldn’t ask to step into a better situation,” Winters said in a conference call with the media.

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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This much is certain: Tim Tebow is still on the Jets roster. But he may or may not be a part of the quarterback competition moving forward.

Tebow remains the most intriguing piece on the Jets’ roster despite his rare appearances on the field last season. Acquired last March in a trade with Denver, Tebow failed to live up to the hype and ended up on the outside of the Jets’ lackluster quarterback competition.

It looks like little has changed in that regard, per general manager John Idzik, who refused to include Tebow among those challenging Mark Sanchez for the starting job.

“I’m not saying he is, I’m not saying he isn’t. I’m just saying let’s let things play out,” Idzik said yesterday.

Idzik said “we have to let things play out and develop” with regard to Tebow’s future with the team. Reports have the Jets looking to trade Tebow before the NFL Draft.

“He’s a New York Jet, it shouldn’t be surprising. He’s a Jet and we’ve gone through some change here,” Idzik said. “That’s what I mean by letting things play out.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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It appears Geno is a no-go for the Jets.

Speaking to Metro New York on the condition of anonymity, one source familiar with the Jets’ draft preparations said he would be “surprised and shocked” if the team selected West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith with the No. 9 overall pick. Smith, a Heisman candidate early last season, visited the Jets for two days last week during their predraft meetings with prospects.

“He isn’t as high on their board as some people might think,” the source told Metro. “If he fell to them at the right spot, say in the middle of the round, maybe he could be used by them then. But right now at No. 9, he doesn’t appear to currently be their top priority. That all could change as picks ahead of them go in different directions, but don’t look for Geno to be a Jet.”

Jets fans and draft prognosticators have gotten excited over Smith, in large part due to his gaudy numbers last year. During his senior season, Smith completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 4,205 yards with 42 touchdowns and six interceptions.

But as prolific as those numbers were, the source said he isn’t the best fit for the Jets.

“Jets fans are excited because Geno Smith isn’t Mark Sanchez. So he automatically is better in their eyes. If the Jets had the Sanchez from 2010 or 2011 — the one who managed games and made plays — then they wouldn’t want Smith,” the source said. “He’s the best quarterback in a very average, if not below average, quarterback draft. If he came out last year when there was [Andrew] Luck, [Robert] Griffin then he would have been a second-round pick at best in my eyes. He benefited from that offense at West Virginia. I don’t think it translates and the Jets can’t risk that right now. This pick has to be a success.”

One name gaining traction on several draft boards around the league is Zac Dysert. As initially broken by Metro in March, Dysert has been gaining interest from the Jets. He visited with the Jets last week and could be a possible mid-round selection.

“He played on a Miami (Ohio) team that wasn’t very good, just 4-8 I think. They couldn’t run and didn’t have playmakers,” the source said. “But he has good intangibles and he’s accurate, something [Jets offensive coordinator] Marty Mornhinweg would like in that West Coast offense. He might emerge as the Jets quarterback this draft.

“Don’t let his numbers fool you, I think he could be the steal at quarterback in this draft.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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If Mark Sanchez doesn’t get fired up, he might just get fired.

Sanchez spoke on a conference call with the media yesterday as the Jets kick-started organized team activities, hoping to rebound from a bad year and potentially save head coach Rex Ryan’s job.

During his call, Sanchez said he is “fired up about this year” — even as the Jets brought in veteran quarterback David Garrard this offseason for competition.

“I totally respect that, as far as I am concerned, I am preparing to play well for this team and do the best I can,” Sanchez said. “I am preparing for my role and am doing everything in my control to be the best quarterback on the roster.”
It may not be his job anymore as new general manager John Idzik has made it clear no one on the roster is going to be handed a starting position, not even Sanchez.

Sanchez will compete with Garrard as well as Greg McElroy and Tim Tebow for the starting job.

He was even rumored to be part of a trade package with Tampa Bay in a deal that would have sent cornerback Darrelle Revis to the Buccaneers. A team source told Metro earlier this week that there was no validity to the trade rumors involving Sanchez.

Sanchez said on the call that he hasn’t spoken with team management about the trade rumor and he didn’t seem ready to justify the talk.

“That is more of an upstairs question,” Sanchez said. “I’m not worried about that.”

Sanchez said on the call he hasn’t spoken with team management about the trade rumor and he didn’t seem ready to justify the talk. He was focused on competing and perhaps justifying his starting role.

“I know Mr. Idzik and Rex are big on competition and that was really the theme heading into this year. I completely understand that,” Sanchez said. “I think it will bring out the best in everybody on the team and everybody has to compete for their spot, so I totally respect that. I’m just concerned with preparing to play well for this team and doing everything that I possibly can, everything in my control, to be the best quarterback on the roster and go play well.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.

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Rumors and reports this weekend that had Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez at the center of trade talks with the Buccaneers have no validity, says a league source speaking to Metro New York. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he cannot comment on player personnel decisions, said “Mark is currently not on the trading block.”

The talk that Sanchez might be unloaded from the Jets roster in a deal involving Darrelle Revis was called “laughable” by the source.

“The Jets are not trying to package Mark and Darrelle in some sort of a package deal. If they talked about it, sure, that comes up. But it was nothing serious. Call that due diligence if you will,” the source said. “The idea that the Buccaneers would take on Sanchez’s contract for just one year to bring on Darrelle? That’s laughable. The Jets don’t hold that much leverage to force that, especially not with the knee injury Revis had last year. Sanchez is not on Tampa Bay’s plans.”

In his fourth year in the league last year, Sanchez threw for just 2,883 yards and had more interceptions (18) than touchdowns (13). Last offseason, the Jets signed him to a five-year contract extension.

Tampa Bay has emerged as the team in the lead to land Revis, especially since recent reports claim they are willing to part with the No. 13 pick in a package deal to acquire the NFL’s top lockdown cornerback. The Buccaneers are thin in the secondary, especially since they traded Aqib Talib to the Patriots last season and netted a fourth-round pick in return.

Revis can opt out of his contract after this season and new Jets general manager John Idzik has shown a willingness to cut ties with the team’s established players, including cutting veterans such as linebackers Calvin Pace and Bart Scott, as well as safety Eric Smith. In addition, the Jets notably chose not to resign starting tight end Dustin Keller or running back Shonn Greene, refusing to overpay for minimal returns.

“Tampa has the picks and the need to bring in Revis. He makes them automatic contenders,” the source said. “You combine those factors and you have a team willing to pay the price. It is the ideal trading partner for the Jets right now. And the Jets finally get it that Revis is a flight risk after this year. Better to rebuild now with a flurry of picks and free up that cap space down the road. Tampa has a high enough first round pick to warrant trading Revis.”

But the Jets seem to be doing more than just looking to get rid of players.

Recent reports from ESPN New York have linked Saints running Chris Ivory as a possible trade target of the Jets. An unrestricted free agent, Ivory could be a possible target of the Jets in a sign-and-trade. Though he enters his fourth year in the league without a complete NFL season on his resume, Ivory could be an ideal power running back since the Jets opted not to pursue re-signing Greene.

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.

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The last time the Jets unveiled a quarterback, the organization drew criticism for holding a press conference for Tim Tebow. This time around, the Jets went the quiet route with David Garrard, introducing the quarterback via conference call with the media despite what might be a far more prominent role.

Last March, the Jets made it clear early on that Tebow was brought in as a backup and a gimmick on offense and that he wasn’t going to challenge for the starting job. Garrard, on the other hand, was brought in to compete and possibly start.

“I didn’t have a problem with going somewhere and possibly being a backup if that was the role that a team wanted me to be in, but when I saw the opportunity to be able to compete for a job, I saw that was good for me and my family,” Garrard said.

Garrard, who is entering his 10th NFL season, hasn’t played since 2010 due to injuries. But when he’s healthy, the 35-year-old quarterback could pose a threat to incumbent quarterback Mark Sanchez. Last season, in his fourth year in the league, Sanchez was pinpointed as a major reason why the Jets finished 6-10 and missed the playoffs for a second straight year.

On Monday in a conference call with the New York media, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Sanchez has a “leg up” in the current quarterback competition. Garrard isn’t buying that.

“Honestly, they just told me that I have the chance to compete for the starting job. That’s what was told to me. They all seemed to be very genuine with it. They didn’t seem to [think], ‘Let’s just say this to him, so we can get him here and slot him into [a reserve role].’ I didn’t feel that. That’s how it was presented to me and that’s how I still feel. Then, also, your game will show everybody what your deal is,” Garrard said. “The way that I go out and perform, the way that I handle myself in the locker room, the way that I interact with the other players [and] with the coaches, I would feel like all those things for any player would put them in whatever position the coaches see fit.”

Jets notes …

» According to reports, the Jets have agreed to restructure the deal of wide receiver Santonio Holmes to give them more room under the salary cap.

» Other reports have indicated that nose tackle Sione Pouha will be cut from the Jets. At least one source said the Jets would like to retain the nose tackle at a lesser salary.

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer to stay up-to-date with the team during free agency.

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Mark Sanchez, you have competition. Sort of.

The Jets officially signed veteran David Garrard to a free agent contract on Monday afternoon, bringing in another quarterback following the well-documented struggles of Sanchez this past season. The 35-year-old Garrard is a native of East Orange, N.J. and was a fourth-round pick of the Jaguars in 2002 after a stellar career at East Carolina.

Garrard has been plagued by injuries the past two years, including a herniated disk, and hasn’t thrown a pass since 2010. Last season he was signed by the Dolphins in the offseason but was cut in preseason following a knee injury and subsequent surgery.

Arguably his best season came in 2007 when in just 12 games he threw for 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns with just 3 interceptions. He followed that up two years later when he threw for 3,597 yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

It may be a longshot for Garrard to wrestle the starting job away from Sanchez, who has never faced true competition at the position and was handed the starting job four years ago as a rookie after a mediocre preseason.

Garrard posted a photo of him on Twitter signing his contract, just to make it official:

Here’s me signing my contract!!! Happy to be a Jet!!!! twitter.com/davidgarrard9/…

— David Garrard (@davidgarrard9) March 12, 2013

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.

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There will be competition for the Jets starting quarterback spot, even if the much-maligned incumbent starter Mark Sanchez seems to have the inside track.

Speaking to the media for the first time since their mid-January hiring, the Jets made their three new coordinators available to the media on Monday via a conference call. But it was offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg who stole the show. The former Eagles coordinator now inherits an offense devoid of playmakers at receiver, has no true No. 1 running back and might be losing two starters on the offensive line.

And arguably the worst starter in the league returns under center.

“Certainly, you like to have competition at every position, including the quarterback spot,” Mornhinweg said. “Mark will probably have just a little bit of a leg up, it would appear. But I’d like to have competition at that position as well as all the positions.”

Figuring out Sanchez’s strengths is going to be a severe challenge.

“Offensively, I’ll play to a player’s strength. Mark has many strengths, everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Just talking in general about a player, try to play to a player’s strength and trying to get the weaknesses a little better,” Mornhinweg said. “Certainly put him in a position where his strengths will show. I do that in all positions but certainly the quarterback spot.”

It was once thought that Sanchez would develop into a star player in the NFL, especially after leading the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship games in his first two seasons in the league. But last year, the Jets finished 6-10 due in large part to their quarterback’s play.

Sanchez’s 18 interceptions and just 13 touchdowns certainly brings to question what his future in New York might look like, despite being the No. 5 selection in the 2009 NFL Draft.

“I’m not sure that that’s a term that he needs to be ‘fixed.’ Mark’s got a lot of strengths, he’s played at a high level and it’s our job to get him to play at a high level on a consistent basis,” Mornhinweg said. “Certainly competition at all spots and certainly at that spot. Competition makes everyone better.”

Jets notes

» Mornhinweg and the little-used Tim Tebow have spoken since his hiring.

“I’ve talked to Tim and he’s part of this football team. I’m excited to coach all of our players, including Tim. We had a long discussion and some thoughts there. I would like to keep those conversations between a player and coach sort of private. We certainly had a discussion,” Mornhinweg said. “He got my thoughts on the situation and he has some thoughts as well. If he’s on this football team, which he is right now, then I would do it a certain way and try to utilize all of our players that can help us win a football game.”

» Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman was also on the call and said he is uncertain if he will be calling the defense or if that will remain the job of head coach Rex Ryan.

“It doesn’t really matter to me who calls it. If Rex wants to call it, that’s fine. I will have my input, whose got the call isn’t important. It is how we execute the call out on the field — those things are important to me. If that’s what Rex wants, that’s what it’s going to be,” Thurman said.

Previously, Thurman had served as the Jets secondary coach and is seen as a “player’s coach.” He has never before served as a defensive coordinator.

» Currently, the Jets’ 3-4 scheme has only one returning starter at linebacker and Thurman isn’t sure if the numbers will necessitate a switch to the 4-3. He said the decision “will always be personnel based.” The only returning starter at linebacker right now for the Jets is David Harris.

“In terms of where we’re at right now, we can’t really answer that. We have to go through the free agency period; we have to go through the draft,” Thurman said. “We’ll let our personnel dictate.”

» Thurman also didn’t know much about the status of Darrelle Revis, the star cornerback who is at the center of trade talks. “I don’t really have a comment. I think our GM, our head coach, people above me are going to make that decision,” Thurman said.

» Special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica replaces the legendary coach Mike Westhoff this year but still plans on staying in communication with the man who was at one point his boss and mentor. Whether free agent kicker Nick Folk returns to the Jets, remains to be seen.

“Nick’s done a lot of great things for us,” Kotwica said. “I don’t know how things are going to shake out in the future.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.

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It’s a tale of two cities and, more aptly, a tale of two quarterbacks.

Earlier this week, the Patriots made a very Patriots-like move, re-signing Tom Brady to a deal that not only ensures the greatest quarterback of his generation will retire in New England, but a deal that also frees up cap space to keep a nucleus in place around him. Down in New York, reports surfaced out of the NFL Combine that Jets receiver Santonio Holmes would not consider restructuring his own long-term deal to help create cap space.

Inexplicably, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was given a contract extension last March, just a couple weeks prior to the team trading for Tim Tebow. The deal was given by then general manager Mike Tannenbaum even though Sanchez was coming off a season of regression and had two years left on his rookie deal.

Metro looks at the ugly details:

» Original salary (2013):
Brady: $21.8 million
Sanchez: $12.8 million

» Restructured salary (2013):
Brady: $13.8 million
Sanchez: $12.8 million

» TDs/INTs (2012):
Brady: 34/13
Sanchez: 18/8

» Wins (2012)
Brady: 12
Sanchez: 6

» AFC East titles (career)
Brady: 10
Sanchez: 0

» Super Bowl titles (career)
Brady: 3
Sanchez: 0

» Butt fumbles (2012):
Brady: 0
Sanchez: 1

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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The deadweight that is Mark Sanchez and his long-term contract continues to haunt Mike Tannenbaum, even six weeks after he was fired as the Jets general manager.

Tannenbaum was a guest on NFL Network’s “NFL AM” show on Thursday morning where he answered questions from host Steve Wyche and fellow guest Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports. The majority of questions centered on Tannanbaum and his seven years as the Jets’ general manager. Most notably, he was grilled on the three-year contract extension he gave Sanchez last March when the quarterback still had two years left on his original rookie deal.

In 2012, Sanchez regressed in nearly every category, including throwing more interceptions (18) than touchdowns (13) for the second time in his four-year NFL career.

“I don’t think I would have signed a quarterback to an extension if I had known he’d have 26 turnovers,” Tannenbaum said. “That might be one of the reasons I’m sitting here with you guys.”

Most of Tannenbaum’s defense of Sanchez, which included a sidebar on how “innately competitive” the former first-round pick is in the locker room, centered on the success the Jets enjoyed in Sanchez’s first two years with the team. Those seasons saw the Jets make consecutive AFC Championship games behind a strong defense and a run-heavy offense where Sanchez merely had to manage the games.

The team won games but individually it was far from a resume that would warrant a long-term deal, especial like the $40.5 million extension that Sanchez was inexplicably given by Tannenbaum last offseason.

Tannenbaum was also on the defensive on the show in attempting to justify his trade for Tim Tebow just weeks after inking Sanchez to that albatross of a deal. Tebow didn’t work out for the Jets and played sparingly in the Wildcat offense and on special teams, never playing a single snap in the traditional offense’s setting.

The trade for Tebow was made, according to Tannenbaum, to help replicate the production lost when wide receiver and Wildcat quarterback Brad Smith signed with the Bills in 2011. Tannenbaum wasn’t ready to write-off Tebow as an NFL caliber quarterback, despite him being misused by the Jets last season.

“I could never say that. This is a guy that was successful in high school, won championships in college. He’s the type of person who is either going to be successful as a pro quarterback or die trying. He’s highly competitive,” Tannenbaum said. “Obviously there’s some skills he needs to work on. He has to be a more consistent thrower from the pocket, the accuracy.”

There were no sour grapes or hard feelings from Tannenbaum on being fired from the team he worked for over a 16-year period. Last month, Jets owner Woody Johnson named John Idzik as Tannenbaum’s replacement.

After being within one game of the Super Bowl in 2009 and again in 2010, the Jets were a combined 14-18 the past two seasons and failed to miss the playoffs. During an injury-riddled season in 2012, they showed a lack of depth and difference makers on the roster.

“I would pride myself and our decision making process in terms of bringing everyone into the room,” Tannenbaum said. “But ultimately I had final say and as leader of the team, when we fell short, Mr. Johnson made the decision and I understand it.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news on Gang Green.

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Late Friday night they announced they had given quarterback Mark Sanchez a five-year contract extension. Then, on Monday morning, nose tackle and resident good-guy Sione Pouha re-upped with the team when he inked a three-year deal — a move he proudly said will make him “a Jet for life.”

Like Sanchez, Pouha was named by head coach Rex Ryan as a captain last year and he started all 16 games. There were rumors of the team placing the franchise tag on him, but instead the two sides were able to work out a deal prior to the start of free agency on Tuesday. Pouha acknowledged that there was a chance he wouldn’t return to the Jets, where he has played all six NFL seasons, but testing free agency and his value on the open market was never his aim.

“There’s always a possibility, but in my mind I always wanted to stay with the Jets — always wanted to be with the Jets,” Pouha said. “Me and my agents had an understanding that I wanted to be with the Jets and I’m glad it worked out that way.”

At 33 years old, Pouha has taken less of a beating than most players, due to starting his collegiate career two years after high school. Pouha participated in a Mormon mission following high school, then went on to play college football at Utah. He is entering just his seventh year in the league and last year was the first time in his career he started 16 games.

“If you look at it statistically, whether you look at it [with] snap counts or what have you … I’m younger than 33,” Pouha said. “I like to think that I’m 23 and I act like I’m 23, but I do feel like I’m a young 33.”

While the Pouha deal doesn’t come as a surprise, the Sanchez extension on Friday night certainly did. After recent reports citing teammates who wanted the Jets to land free agent Peyton Manning as quarterback, it was curious to wonder how the locker room would respond to the five-year deal given to Sanchez. He was the whipping boy of many fans who blamed him for the team’s rather ordinary offense last year, despite a plethora of big name playmakers around him.

Pouha left no doubt about which camp he stands in.

“Mark has always been a guy that I’ve looked up to, even though I’m a little bit older than he is, but he’s a guy I’ve always respected the way he works, respected the way he prepares. [He is] a guy who I love to call a teammate and a close friend and brother of mine. I was ecstatic and real excited when I heard he was going to get the extension” Pouha said.

“He got that extension, it was well well-deserved and he’s a guy that I hold the utmost respect for.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for breaking news on free agent signings.

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The team re-upped quarterback Mark Sanchez to a new contract late Friday evening. General manager Mike Tannenbaum announced the move in a conference call to reporters. The deal is for three years, in addition to the two years he has remaining. Those three additional years are for $40.5 million, bringing the five year total to $58.25 million ($20.5 million guaranteed).

“I’m really excited to announce we reached in principle a contract agreement with Mark Sanchez,” Tannenbaum said.

“We have been in negotiations with Mark and his representatives now for several weeks. Once the season had ended we talked about it internally. We feel really good about Mark as our starter. He’s done a lot of good things for us [as he is] 31-22 as a starter. Like all players there’s definitely areas to be improved upon. But with that said, with a three-year body of work we felt good about the direction of Mark and [head coach] Rex [Ryan] as a quarterback-coach combination.”

Sanchez signed a five-year, $44.5 million deal after being drafted three years ago, but rumors persisted that the team was interested in ditching the young building block for the future Hall of Famer Manning.

“Honestly I completely understand it especially after being in in the NFL [for three years] that this is a business and the team has its obligation to consider all its options,” Sanchez said.

“I’m excited that the Jets believed in me and that I was the guy they wanted to move forward with in the future. I really didn’t think too much into it.”

Reports on Thursday indicated that the Jets contacted Manning’s representatives about a possible signing. Tannenbaum admitted they contacted them, but said Sanchez’s negotiations had been going on “for weeks” as well.

“We looked into that possibility [of signing Manning] as someone to add to our team. We looked at it; we had discussions internally. We monitored the situation,” Tannenbaum said.

“But as events continued to unfold, we pushed the negotiations with Mark.”

Sanchez had a career-high in touchdown passes last season, but also struggled with inconsistency and turnovers. The team missed the playoffs and devolved to name-calling at the end of the season.

“He’s a young player and like any young player there’s inconsistencies,” Tannenbaum said. “We think it will get better, more consistent.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer and keep tabs on all happenings in New York sports with @MetroNYSports.

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Joe Namath, legendary winner of Super Bowl III, wants the team to stick with the guy who was compared to Broadway Joe when he was drafted.

“These guys — the Jets — thought Sanchez was a championship quarterback. Has that suddenly changed now?” Namath told Metro New York. “I haven’t heard
that. Let them come out and say it. I haven’t heard that and I don’t
think they should.”

Namath can’t understand how a team that traded up to take Sanchez in the
2009 NFL Draft can now suddenly consider bringing in another
quarterback, even a perennial Pro Bowl player such as Manning.

“Mark’s going to be around awhile. His demeanor was angry last year with
all the things going on behind the scenes. His feelings were clearly
hurt,” Namath said. “I hope they work through all that because I’m
rooting for him. But I don’t see Peyton coming to the Jets.

Despite Sanchez posting career highs in touchdowns, yardage and completion percentage this past year, he also was sacked a career-high 39 times and his 18 interceptions were more than his second year in the league. All too often Sanchez became the scapegoat for the offensive’s struggles as he suffered from inadequate pass protection and a ground game that was sporadic at best.

Over the past 24 hours, as the speculation about Manning joining the Jets has crested, reports have surfaced about several unnamed Jets players being quoted as welcoming the former Colts quarterback to the team. This despite the fact that Sanchez has shown gradual improvement and boasts an impressive 4-2 record in the postseason. Namath looks at the total record of the young quarterback and thinks it is time to start treating Sanchez more like a veteran.

Namath has grown tired of hearing Sanchez’s teammates bash him anonymously in the papers.

“Sanchez is a grown man now; he’s not a boy. He’s played his first few years and I know myself, I’d be tired of being called ‘kid’ or ‘rookie’ or whatever,” Namath said.

“Hell, he deserved more respect then he got last year. Let me rephrase that — he deserved more respect from his teammates than he got. There was some bad vibes between him and his receivers, but Mark handled it like a true soldier. You could see though that he was emotionally hurt, but he deserves better than all that.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Sanchez, who has become increasingly frosty and guarded towards the media the past three months, used the word “we” 57 times to answer the 27 questions thrown at him. “Better” was used 10 times and “improve” another seven times, but there was a shocking lack of accountability from a quarterback three years removed from being the top-5 pick in the NFL Draft. There was only one thing Sanchez, who showed marginal improvement at best this season over his past two years, was certain of — he’s getting better.

“I know I’m steadily improving. I’m not a stat guy, but to have the wins that we’ve had together as an organization, 30-whatever in our first couple of years together, that’s a great accomplishment, but it’s also something as a competitor I just don’t hang my hat on that,” Sanchez said. “I think I’ve steadily improved numbers-wise, but I still feel like I have a long way to go. I have plenty of things to work on, plenty of areas where I can be better and that’s what the offseason is about.”

And that has been the message from Sanchez heading into the past two offseason programs. It was understood that in 2009, as a rookie, he overachieved in leading the Jets to the AFC Championship Game. Last year he made some limited strides in a season of constant upheaval and distraction, once again taking the Jets to within a game of the Super Bowl.

This year, much was expected of a player nicknamed “The Sanchise.” His touchdowns were up and he threw more completions, but his completion percentage remains mired in the mid-50s and his yards per completion were at a three-year low. Sacks and fumbles lost were at a career high and his 18 interceptions was a significant jump from the year before.

In other words, Sanchez remains a very average NFL quarterback at best, despite the talent around him. Rather than embrace responsibility fully for an offense that was eighth worst in the league this past season, Sanchez instead opined that all 11 players on the field were at fault for their woes. While this is true, only one player was consistently throwing the ball into double-coverage. His use of “I” when addressing the struggles of the offense this year was sparse.

“We’re not consistent,” Sanchez said. “We all have jobs to do on each and every play. When 11 guys do it right, that’s when you get those drives that move down the field, those 13-play drives and stuff.  When you don’t, you’re hurting yourself with turnovers or penalties. That’s kind of the world we lived in this season.”

Jets fans were willing to look past Sanchez’s flaws and lack of big-time numbers because he was a winner and led them to consecutive AFC Championship Games for the first time in franchise history. But after an 8-8 season, and no playoffs, he isn’t a winner and he’s still not wowing anyone with his skill set.

Sanchez acknowledges that his first job is to get the Jets back in the playoffs and that the pressure is on him to step up.

“Obviously, I expect to be in the playoffs. That’s all I’ve known here. It was funny, I was talking to [Nick] Mangold last night. He said, “Man, this is your first time not even being in the playoffs,” and I said, ‘I know.  I haven’t finished a season on January 1st since college.’ I know it’s just a couple of years ago, but to me, it seems like a lifetime ago,” Sanchez said. “It’s a weird feeling. I have a lot of expectations this next year.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

The post Analysis: Mark Sanchez needs to take accountability appeared first on Metro.us.

But don’t expect that to last.

It is a curious phenomenon. Mark Sanchez is ripped to shreds one minute and exonerated the next, often with barely a play separating jeers from cheers – and back to jeers again. It has gotten to the point where this past Sunday, Sanchez was booed during pregame introductions by the fans, leading to safety Jim Leonhard lashing out during a radio interview earlier this week for what he saw as over the top criticism.

Unlike in Denver where Tim Tebow is built up like a deity, Jets fans build up their quarterback only to tear him down.

“I think until he wins the whole thing, he’s going to be criticized just like I’m going to be criticized until we win it,” head coach Rex Ryan said. “That’s fine. It comes with the territory.”

The Week 12 win underscores this issue as Sanchez threw four touchdowns, setting a new career high. Anyone who dared to bring up that he completed just 17 of his 35 passes in the game was quickly shunned. For two weeks leading up to the game against the Bills, Sanchez was vilified for poor performances in losses to New England and Denver.

Now, after a comeback win and a personal best in touchdown passes, Sanchez is again elevated.

Part of it is the fact that he is a quarterback in the pressure cooker that is New York, but he is also a former first-round pick and a top-five selection at that. Pressure comes with that type of status. Sanchez was instantly made the face of the franchise. Because his numbers are rather middling, the Jets and Ryan are always quick to point to Sanchez’s winning record and his 4-2 mark in the playoffs to offset questions about his development.

“Still, I love how Sanchez is. When you look at it, I always say ‘Judge quarterbacks on wins.’ But if you’re also going to break it down further than that, look at how many guys and how they play in the fourth quarter. Our quarterback plays extremely well,” Ryan said. “Still over the last two years, [he] has as many fourth-quarter comebacks as any quarterback in the league. I’ll take his four road playoff wins, as well. Mark Sanchez is not our problem. He’s one of the strengths of our team.”
 
Though he wins games and is still a young quarterback, Jets fans eager for their first Super Bowl appearance in over four decades are not only ready to anoint Sanchez their savior, they’re also ready to crucify him at the slightest slip up. Sports psychologist Dr. John Murray sees this willingness of Jets fans to build Sanchez up only to knock him down as emblematic of our society.

“I think this goes beyond the fans. The fans learn from the media how to act. Media loves controversy because it sells. Fans are exposed to that and find the contrasts both fascinating and disturbing. It gives everyone something to talk about like gossip,” Dr. Murray said. “The wilder it is the more people tune in. It also makes the fans feel that their heroes are more real, so they can be related to easier on a human level. It’s almost as if fan says ‘Yes, my hero was a great coach but he or she is now understood to be flawed like the rest of us’ and now [their] problems in life don’t seem so bad by comparison.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Sanchez’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes late in the fourth quarter gave the Jets yet another improbable win when they looked down and out.

Few Jets fans saw the second-half performance coming from Sanchez, especially after a brutal first half where the quarterback was far from adequate.

“It wasn’t the best first half, but we knew if we kept hanging in there. We have complete faith in Mark. He’s done it before,” head coach Rex Ryan said. “I think he’s had more over the last two years  — fourth-quarter comebacks — than any quarterback in the league. I think that speaks enough about Mark.”

The up and down performance by Sanchez underscored the Jekyll and Hyde trademark of the third-year quarterback. On the Jets’ opening two drives, Sanchez failed to complete a pass in his first four attempts. He rebounded to lead a 10-play, 78 yard touchdown scoring drive on their next possession, including a three-yard pass to tight end Dustin Keller. But as if that was all a tease, Sanchez threw an interception into double coverage on the next drive.

Down 24-21 midway through the fourth quarter, Sanchez orchestrated the 12-play drive that gave the Jets the lead, weaving the offense down the field 82 yards and then coolly and masterfully finding Holmes for the go-ahead touchdown.

“It felt good. We’ve been in that situation before; we rep it all the time in practice,” Sanchez said. “Game’s on the line, we had to win and we made plays to do it.”

But Sanchez hasn’t done “it” much this season and that’s part of the problem.

Earlier this week, Ryan gave roughly a half-dozen snaps in practice with the first team to backup quarterback Mark Brunell, a player who has thrown less than a handful of meaningful passes in meaningful games during his two years with the Jets. Ryan admitted it was a gimmick designed to get Sanchez “hot under the collar,” but the young quarterback took exception to the stunt. After the interception today and some poor passes in the third quarter, the boos rained down on him from the Jets faithful at MetLife Stadium.

“This is a lot bigger than that. That’s a motivational tool Rex uses; you have to take it all in stride,” Sanchez said. “This game and this season is a lot bigger than that.”

While it is impressive that Sanchez turned in a solid performance in the win — going 9-of-15 for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the second half — at some point he has to put in a complete four quarters for his team. The Jets are giving him adequate protection and the ground game, led by Shonn Greene averaging six yards a carry, is giving him the balance on offense that is needed.

Ryan called Sanchez a “stud” and the “Sanchise” after the game in his press conference, but for Sanchez to live up to those names he has to start playing that way every game, all-game. For now, the 6-5 Jets can revel in the second half display by their quarterback.

“That second half, Mark was poised back there, made some huge plays,” Ryan said. “It was big time. That’s what we always said about Mark, that he’s at his best in big moments and certainly today you can’t get a bigger moment than what we had.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

The post Mark Sanchez rollercoaster ride continues appeared first on Metro.us.

Former Rutgers head coach Terry Shea, who recently served as the quarterback coach in St. Louis, Miami and Kansas City, says that the fact that Sanchez was rushed into the starting role in 2009 during his rookie season without the benefit of being groomed hurt his development.

“I believe there’s real value in a quarterback learning, working his way through things. That’s something Mark never had the opportunity to do. There is a tremendous learning curve for quarterbacks and I don’t think fans appreciate that,” Shea said. “Aaron Rodgers had that opportunity with Green Bay and he’s now the consummate professional because of that time learning.”

Shea, who has personally trained Matt Stafford, Sam Bradford and Josh Freeman and wrote the book “Eyes Up” on quarterback development, doesn’t see the glass as half empty with regards to Sanchez.

He sees the success of the Jets over the past two years as partially to blame for these high expectations on such a young quarterback. The numbers he’s put up may not make him a hot selection in fantasy leagues, but Sanchez during his first two years was a winning quarterback.

His performances weren’t always pretty, but they were always effective. As a starter, he accumulated a 19-12 mark during that stretch, including the infamous stat of 4-2 in the playoffs and led the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship Games for the first time in franchise history.

Now, with rather plebian stats and a mundane 5-5 record, Sanchez’s limited progression has drawn perhaps greater scrutiny than it should.

“I think that’s what the general fan and football people do is they revert to the carryover, which in this case is his playoff performance last year. But I think you look at it, his defense was giving him the ball in good places and he was able to benefit from that. He was able to develop that rhythm and I think Mark is that kind of a quarterback,” Shea said. “I believe there are quarterbacks thrown out there at the NFL level, some prospects like Bradford, who have early success and have those big wins, then look at this year, things are tougher. It’s tough to judge a quarterback so early. The old adage of it takes five years to tell where a quarterback is might not be exact science, but three years is too early to judge.”

It’s a point worth noting that, despite this year’s split record through 10 games, Sanchez does have a penchant for clutch performances and winning games. He’s orchestrated seven game-winning drives in his career, including twice this year, and his playoff record speaks for itself. When stacked among other NFL quarterbacks, Sanchez’s early success is nearly unrivaled.

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees held a 21-21 record when he was with San Diego, before turning into one of the most dominant quarterbacks in the NFL. But Sanchez came into a 9-7 team that traded up in the 2009 NFL Draft to select him with the No. 5 overall pick. Unlike most quarterbacks selected that high draft, Sanchez had good pieces surrounding him.

“Going off what I’ve observed from TV, it appears to me he’s a much more productive quarterback when all the parts around him were functioning at a high level,” Shea said. “The complements around him — the protection, the play-calling — doesn’t seem to be there [right now]. The rhythm isn’t there and he’s the one who is suffering.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

The post Sanchez’s development still continuing appeared first on Metro.us.

It was “Baghdad Bob,” the Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, who drew worldwide laughs during Operation Iraqi Freedom as he assured the population the coalition army was being turned back. Days later, statues of dictator Saddan Hussein were being toppled in the capital city.

Ryan’s defense of quarterback Mark Sanchez is now so over the top following another subpar performance in Thursday night’s 17-13 loss at Denver that it has become chuckle worthy. Ryan’s talk doesn’t jive with Sanchez’s play so far this season.

“We’ll go out there and play tomorrow. That’s how I feel about Mark,” Ryan said on Friday. “This is our quarterback, he’s going to be our quarterback for as long as I’m here, which I hope is a long, long time.”

It is part ego-protection by Ryan and part unwillingness to criticize a player who will dictate the final six games of the season.

Five times this season, Sanchez has thrown at least as many interceptions in a game as touchdowns.

“He can make all the throws. He’s a competitive guy. Has it been perfect? No, absolutely, but it hasn’t been perfect for our entire team,” Ryan said. “We know we have the right guy and we just have to get a little bit better.”

Ryan is right that it isn’t all the fault of his quarterback, but it also isn’t as clear-cut as the Jets head coach makes it.

“It absolutely doesn’t belong on Mark’s shoulders. He’s just a player. He’s a big piece of the puzzle, but it wasn’t all on Mark Sanchez. I know he takes it. That’s the kind of young man he is. He would be the first one to admit that he has to be more consistent,” Ryan said. “We need to cut down on some errors and things, as does the rest of the team, myself included and every other coach. We’ll all take this collectively, but he doesn’t need to put it on his shoulders.”

A poorly thrown, third-quarter pick six tied the game at 10-10 and changed the direction of a game that seemed to be tipping toward the Jets at that point. It was typical Sanchez, who locked-in on wide receiver Plaxico Burress and threw the third-down pass without seeing cornerback Andre Goodman just underneath in coverage. The error was the same one he was making in Week 1 this season, and was making last year.

“I shouldn’t have thrown it. It’s an embarrassing play on my part,” Sanchez said. “I hurt the team and lost the game.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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A shout came down from someone in the upper deck: “Sanchise? Ha! You got to be kidding me!”

Such is the state of affairs for Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, once affectionately known as the “Sanchise” due to his importance to the franchise. The honeymoon is over for the third-year quarterback as errors and mistakes continue to plague him and the 5-4 Jets. It isn’t easy for Sanchez — who unfairly carries more than his fair share of the burden — to assess his progress, or lack thereof, so far this season.

“At this point we’re 5-4. So, that’s how I grade myself,” Sanchez said. “I think, if anything, everybody in this locker room, we’re all just a little frustrated, and a little upset at this last loss, because we thought we could’ve put ourselves in a good position, but I grade myself at 5-4 and we’ll see how this season turns out.”

For the Jets, Sanchez’s worth is measured in how he performs come playoff time, a winning track record head coach Rex Ryan quickly points to when asked about the play of his quarterback. It is an effective answer that falls short of fully answering his worth to the team.

“Well, I think Mark is an outstanding quarterback, and again, I like the guys that win,” Ryan said. “And I think Mark is a winner — we’ve won a lot of games.”

The Jets realize that their best bet is still their mistake prone quarterback. With all his errors and faults, he represents their best chance at making the playoffs and a return trip to a third consecutive AFC Championship Game.

“Have we won the big one yet? No. We haven’t won the big one yet. I think if we do, then maybe everybody will look at Mark in a different light. But I think he’s a terrific quarterback,” Ryan said. “The thing that you’re excited about is that when you get that right, when you draft the right guy to lead your franchise, that usually is a good sign for you for 10 years. And I think we have the right guy.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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The Jets were on the sixth play of their late second quarter drive and down 6-2 when quarterback Mark Sanchez found tight end Dustin Keller for eight yards to get the ball down to the New England two-yard line. With 1:24 left on the clock and nearly 20 seconds still on the play clock, there was plenty of time for Sanchez to get the third down play off.

Instead, Sanchez called a timeout and, on the next play, scrambled two yards — not exactly the kind of intricate play that might warrant the use of a timeout. It also left New England with plenty of time on the clock and two timeouts. The Patriots drove 80 yards in just six plays, using just 1:11 off the clock and took a 13-6 lead into the locker room. They would never lose the lead again.

“A poor timeout. Time management was critical right there,” head coach Rex Ryan said. “It’s my responsibility.”

That seems to be the party line from the Jets as Sanchez told reporters after the game that he heard on the headset in his helmet that they were thinking about taking the timeout. But nowhere during his press conference did Ryan talk about the confusion or if Sanchez could have been told by a coordinator to potentially take a timeout. Sanchez, however, clearly says that he thought a timeout was coming, but never explained why he rushed to take one so quickly.

“They were just talking about take a timeout here, talk about the play. So as soon as I heard that I walked over to the ref and said ‘timeout,’” Sanchez said. “You can’t do that; you’ve got a running clock. That’s poor clock management on my part.”

NBC’s Michelle Tafoya reported that Ryan told her it was “the stupidest thing in football history.” The Jets could have run the clock down another 20 seconds before Sanchez’s designed quarterback keeper. But what ended up happening resulted in the Patriots having enough time to take a strike into the end zone and gain momentum before halftime.

“As soon as I did, I walked over and Rex is like ‘Why did you call timeout?’ I was like ‘Ohh.’ It was a horrible mistake,” Sanchez said. “Can’t make mistakes like that.”

As Ryan frequently does, he took the blame for Sanchez’s error. It was a subpar night from Sanchez, who was 20-for-39 for 309 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He took a beating on the night — five sacks total — in large part due to holding onto the ball too long in the pocket.

Despite the fact that Sanchez took the timeout apparently without any confirmation from the sidelines, Ryan wouldn’t blame him for the costly timeout.

“It’s my responsibility,” Ryan said. “I’m responsible for everything that happens with this football team.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Now fast forward a few games. The Jets have won two in a row and are coming off a bye week, yet there is still an air of discontent from Holmes. Over the last two games, Holmes has just five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown, a decline in production for the most expensive wide receiver on their roster.

Holmes got testy with the media when asked yesterday about his declining numbers.

“We’re winning ball games; we’re 4-3 right now. That’s really all I can ask for at this point. What, four touchdowns on the season I think? I think that’s a pretty good ratio — 22 catches for four touchdowns,” Holmes said. “That fits pretty well in my book right now.”

Pro-rated over the course of the next nine regular season games, Holmes would make 50 catches at his current rate during the 16-game regular season. That is $180,000 per catch for a player supposed to be a game-breaker. “Tone Time” may in fact be banker’s hours.

“In all actuality now, we’re here to win ball games. The numbers speak for themselves come the end of the day, whether you had three catches for one touchdown or four catches for three touchdowns. The numbers speak for themselves at the end of the day and all we can do is hope that we continue winning ball games,” Holmes said. “We can’t worry about how many catches and yards and touchdowns we put up in each game. We just know what we have to do week in, week out to help this team continue stacking wins.”

Somewhat backhandedly, Holmes talked about Sanchez needing to be calmed down emotionally at times throughout the season and then referred to his “young quarterback” and his maturation.

“He’s our general; he calms us; he keeps us under control. We have to control him a little bit when he loses his cool. He’s one of those guys always tapping us on the back, I got you next time, I got you this time,” Holmes said. “Just keeping us all spirited, high spirited. I think that’s a big key of being a young quarterback. Knowing you have two veteran guys who have been there, done that. We will complain a little bit about the ball but as far as the things he has to control right now, there’s a lot on his plate and he’s doing a real good job with it.”

This “I got you next time, I got you this time” mentality may explain why Sanchez sometimes seems locked in on his first read.

Sanchez denied that this was part of the Jets philosophy.

“We’re not in the business of keeping people smiling; we’re in the business of winning,” Sanchez said. “Whether it’s rushing it 100 times a game, is that the quarterback’s favorite game? No, probably not, but we win.

“I don’t think anybody is upset about it or anything like that.”

When asked about reports that he wasn’t happy with how much of the ball he is seeing, Holmes bristled.

“Never heard that one; next question,” Holmes said. “I didn’t talk to anyone about it, never heard about it.”

Holmes was then asked if he’s happy with his current role. Rather than answer directly one way or another, he brushed aside the question, which will surely lead to similar questions in the future.

“We’re here winning ball games right now,” Holmes said.

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Sanchez answered this criticism on the Petros & Money Show on FoxSports Radio on Wednesday night, in part, responding to criticism from Joe Namath and blaming the media for an up and down love affair with him.

“[Namath] still cares a lot about the team. I know that. Some of that stuff may be taken out of context and the other stuff he just wants us to do well, so he is critical of anybody,” Sanchez said on the show. “When you are playing well and like I tell people all the time you beat the Patriots in the divisional game last year and you are wise beyond your years. Your footwork is the best. You are making the best reads in the world and you are going to be one of the best quarterbacks ever and then you lose a couple of games in a row and it’s like ‘Man this guy isn’t maturing at the right rate. He’s making bad decisions and his footwork sucks.’ That’s the way it goes and especially in New York.”

It’s not only “the way it goes” in New York, that’s the way it goes when you’re a top pick in the NFL Draft. Sanchez should know better than to pick on New York for those high expectations. After all, those were expectations he placed on himself and he needs to soon start living up to them soon. There isn’t criticism of Sanchez because it is New York; there is criticism because of his play.

His 12 touchdowns stacked against six interceptions are projected over the rest of the season to be the best of his young career. And while Sanchez has been victimized by his offensive line to the tune of 16 sacks through just 12 games, it should also be noted that his four fumbles lost are already a career high for a season. Some of the numbers from this season are not encouraging for someone who should be learning from his erratic performances the past two regular seasons.

Part of the problem is Sanchez himself and an organization that had heralded him as their savior before his first professional snap.

Nicknamed the “Sanchise,” part surname-part franchise, Sanchez accepted a leadership role on the team from the get-go. Now a team captain in his third year in the league, Sanchez has organized the “Jets West” camp for the team’s skill position players at his California home every offseason since his rookie season. And in June, he was the mastermind behind the team’s unofficial mini-camp in north Jersey during the lockout.

Sanchez has put himself out there like none of his teammates have. He has been a frequent face at Broadway shows, done numerous television interviews and been in magazine spreads. Perhaps if the criticism is bad, “especially in New York,” Sanchez needs to focus more on his playbook than the playbill at the theater. Less tight, white pants in GQ and more time improving his football IQ.

It is probably unfair to say that Sanchez should be further along in his development than he is right now. Progress has been made every year and as a player, he’s made tremendous strides in taking the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances. But to say that the pressure in this town is worse is naïve. It is pressure he wanted, and criticism comes with the turf.

Truth be told, the criticism was warranted during the Jets’ recent three-game losing streak.

Sanchez has embraced the role as a leader and put himself out there as the face of the franchise. He’s never shied away from the responsibility of being the “Sanchise” and he accepted the position as captain. The weight of that job, Sanchez knew and understood fully, and now he must live with it.

Follow Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Burress hauled in three touchdowns in Sunday afternoon’s 27-21 win over San Diego, lifting the Jets to a comeback win at MetLife Stadium. All three of his touchdowns came in the red zone, the combined distance totaling just 10 yards. All told, Burress had four catches for 25 yards, but it was those three tosses from quarterback Mark Sanchez into the end zone that made the difference. It is a rise in form for Burress, who had just one catch in the Monday night win over Miami.

“Every morning that you wake up on Sunday, you want to be great. Some of the situations that were happening, I would just say to myself ‘Just let the game come to me’ — just trying to be patient,” Burress said. “I was forcing it a little bit. The coaches have been calling the plays and I hadn’t been getting the results for them.”

Coming into Sunday, Burress had just 14 catches through six games and only two touchdowns. A towering presence at 6-foot-5, he was a risky addition to the Jets. He struggled with an ankle injury during preseason and has never seemed to acclimate to the offense. But Sunday afternoon he showed the big play ability that Burress possesses.

“Just working hard in practice and seeing the results in practice, I said ‘Hey, there is going to come a time in the game where these things are going to click,’” Burress said. “And today, we just had a great day.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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The stat line is less than inspiring — just 14 catches and 218 receiving yards with two touchdowns this season — Burress has become the new whipping boy for an offense that remains decidedly average. Brought in to replace the effective Braylon Edwards, Burress has yet to integrate himself into the Jets offense. Making the process even harder is that Burress hasn’t played football since Nov. 2008 when he was with the Giants.

Burress was reinstated to the NFL this past summer, having served two years in prison for criminal possession of a weapon, but his game still remains in lockdown.

“I’m not worried as far as me catching up to anybody. I’m working hard at just getting better every day. I don’t look at myself and say, ‘I want to be where he is.’ I know what I can do in this league, I’ve done it before, there’s just some work ahead of me,” Burress said. “I go in each week and as the weeks go further and further by, the more comfortable I get, more comfortable with the offense, where I need to be. When the season first started, during the games I was coming out of the huddle going the wrong way.”

It’s all the right words, but the Jets are hoping that it will all work out for them. Much like he did with Eli Manning while with the Giants, Burress was supposed to be a big target receiver who could provide the Jets help in the red zone and on third downs. He has just two catches in the red zone this season, one of which was a touchdown, and has failed to show the separation that previously made him one of the league’s most dangerous receivers.

Now 34 years old and three years removed from his last NFL games, Burress is having to adjust and acclimate to the league once again. He’s older and maybe wiser, but the Jets have yet to emerge from the honeymoon stage of this marriage.

“I think part of it is going to be how teams are playing us. When our running game improves, I can see us getting more of the eight-man spacing, if you will, single-high coverage-type things than we’re facing. It might not be this week [against San Diego],” Ryan said. “They’re a big zone team. Almost 80 percent of the time they’re in zone defense. There are ways of getting him the football. I believe we will get Plaxico the football more, but a lot of times your coverage dictates who gets the ball thrown to them.”

It didn’t seem to be an issue last year for Edwards, who had 53 receptions for 904 yards and seven touchdowns. Edwards signed for just a half million dollars more with the 49ers than Burress did with the Jets, meaning that the Jets bypassed a younger, proven player who already knew their offense.

“You know what, it’s so easy to say, ‘Would you do this? Would you do that?’ We’re happy that Plaxico decided to come here — that he chose us,” Ryan said. “There were a lot of different opportunities for him, and he chose to play for the Jets, and we couldn’t have been more happy about that.”

Burress hasn’t had a touchdown since Week 3 and had just one catch on Monday night in the 24-6 win over the Dolphins. His quarterback insists that progress is being made, although the numbers say otherwise. At some points, the Jets will need to get a return on investment from Burress after taking an awfully big leap of faith when they signed him.

Time is still on their side right now, but maybe not for long.

“It’s one of those things where that kind of stuff doesn’t happen overnight. You see quarterbacks and receivers that really click, they’ve been together for a while,” Sanchez said. “They’ve missed a lot more throws than they’ve hit and then they start to equal those numbers up. It’s a process.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer. And to stay up-to-date with all that’s going on in New York sports follow @MetroNYSports for extended and exclusive articles.

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