One play into the Jets’ eventual win over Arizona, Mark Sanchez was picked off on a dying quail of a pass. Several voices in unison from somewhere in the upper deck began chanting “We want McElroy!”
“I don’t see where fans boo. I don’t get it. I don’t understand it,” running back Joe McKnight told Metro exclusively this weekend in a discussion on the growing discontent among fans. “You can quote me on that. I don’t care what the fans think. I don’t think a real fan boos his own team. I don’t think that’s what real fans do. I don’t think the real fans are out there booing us. I think they’re sticking with us and want to encourage us.”
Head coach Rex Ryan listened to the fans two quarters after the boos rained down on Sanchez, pulling him for backup Greg McElroy. The crowd cheered wildly as McElroy ran onto the field.
The Jets locker room was perhaps a bit more muted in their response.
Two players on offense, speaking off the record to Metro New York, said despite McElroy’s solid performance in pulling out a narrow win, Sanchez is still their man. The Daily News reported yesterday that owner Woody Johnson favors sticking with McElroy, while the coaching staff would prefer Sanchez started.
“Sanchez is still our guy. We have faith in Mark, we want Mark to start,” said one offensive starter. “It’s not a slam on anybody else; we believe in all the other guys. But Mark is our guy. I personally believe he gives us the best chance to win and that’s not a slam on anyone else.
“When you look at our offense, Mark gives us the best chance to win. I’m not alone on this in this locker room. And again, it isn’t a slam on any of the other quarterbacks, but Mark has won here.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
