The non-stop spin from the Jets continued yesterday, just a day after one of quarterback Mark Sanchez’s worst performances in his four years in the league.
Sanchez was at the center of many of the Jets’ problems on Sunday afternoon in Seattle during a 28-7 loss. Sanchez went 9-of-22 for 124 yards with an interception and three sacks. His 40.9 completion percentage was the fifth time this season he was under 50 percent and his completion percentage of 52 percent on the season is last in the NFL by three percentage points. His QB?rating is second-to-last in the league.
Yet the Jets are sticking with Sanchez despite the alternative offered by Tim Tebow.
“Each week you look at what is the best thing for our football team. Mark is our starting quarterback. I believe in our offense. I know we haven’t looked great, haven’t put up the numbers we hoped to, wanted to,” head coach Rex Ryan said yesterday. “But again, if you’re making some positive steps — which I think we are — you have to believe and hope you keep getting better in areas and turn it around.”
Sanchez is just 11-14 over the past two seasons and has a more disappointing 3-9 in his last dozen games. Ryan still plans to use Tebow out of the Wildcat, but would not guarantee more snaps.
“I believe in all our players and things, but again, if there’s any player in particular that we feel could help our football team then we’ll look at it. Maybe it’s a role in this or that. When we put Tim in, it’s because we think he can help,” Ryan said. “There’s some things we thought we could do with Tim back there that would give us the opportunity to be successful. That’s why we put him in several times in a game. And it’s not just to run it but there’s some opportunities it presents from a coverage perspective that can help you.”
There isn’t panic from Ryan to switch to a quarterback with a proven track record — Tebow took the Broncos to the postseason and won a game last season — despite the 3-6 Jets being longshots at best for the playoffs.
“If it was just one position, that’s where the entire focus would be, but there are a lot of things. Are we getting separation on our routes? Are we catching the football on a consistent bases? How’s about the protection?” Ryan said. “There’s a lot of things going into evaluating a quarterback. If it was just one guy it’s easy to do — you just focus on this. Collectively, we have to get better.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
