The Ballad of Mark Sanchez

Thursday night’s game was a great start to the season, but it’s time to move on.  (Not you, Broncos fans, you keep enjoying those highlights of Peyton Manning’s 7 touch down passes).

Let’s look at the opposite of what we saw from Peyton and examine the Jets quarterback circus sideshow for a minute.  I mean, isn’t that what it is, a circus sideshow?  Remember when the Tampa Bay & Revis versus the Jets week one match-up looked like a good one?  Pfft.  

This is how I remember the unfolding of the circus tent:

The Jets had a QB, Mark Sanchez, not the best quarterback in the game, but he helped get New York to two championship games in a row.  Those two championship games coming in his first two seasons in the league.  That’s not bad.  I mean, even if Sanchez’ third season is a bust you still have your future QB, right?  Wrong.

The following season the Jets hit a bump in the road, and teammates start to hem and haw.  New York can’t handle not being in a third championship game in a row and Sanchez goes from “Sanchise” to “Goat”.  The whining from The Jets at this point was almost too much to bear.  In comes Tim Tebow.  This is the first major boneheaded move.  New York becomes “Tebow Time”, and even though he did absolutely nothing for the Jets, because he couldn't do anything for the Jets, the city is crazed.  I can’t think of a better way to make Sanchez a head case.  But it all didn’t work out, so Sanchez must be back to being the main guy, right?  Time to circle the wagons around the man and prepare for the future, right?  Wrong again.

In comes Geno Smith.  After seeing him seemingly making a puss-face about not getting drafted in the first round at Radio City made me think, “oh great, another whiner”.  Well, I guess you got to take the pick there, and now a true quarterback controversy emerges.  Geno seems like he might have the goods, and maybe this will get Sanchez to find his potential.   Okay, fine.  Preseason comes and Sanchez starts the first two games, does a meh job, tosses for two TDs and two INTs.  Smith starts the third game and looks even worse.  It doesn’t seem as if he is ready for the big time yet.  Sanchez might have the job in the bag at this point. 

Now here’s the HUGE boneheaded move.   With one quarter left in the third preseason game, the Jets decide not to let their 3^rd and 4^th string QBs battle for the depth chart.  They put Sanchez in.  Two-time championship game Sanchez.  The only guy you know, at this point, that can best get the job done this season.  They put him in during the garbage time of a preseason game, behind a patchwork offensive line, in front of a group of veteran pass rushers trying to make the Giant's roster.   Sanchez gets knocked around like a rag doll, and eventually injures his shoulder.  Well, I guess you know who your QB is right?  I don’t even know.

McElroy gets cut and the Jets bring in perennial back-up journeyman, Brady Quinn, to add more spice to a quarterback controversy that has now soured the stomachs of Jets fans for two years. The Jets are starting the season with not two, not three, but FOUR quarterbacks on their 53 man roster.  One of whom, (Quinn), has not even learned the system yet. Smith has been named the starter and Sanchez will be in the wings… for now.  Two-time championship game Sanchez.  Injured and tossed to the side Sanchez. Head case Sanchez.  Way to go Jets.