Is Sanchez A Marked Man?

Mark Sanchez's "New York Minute" may be up. The Jets' 29-14 loss to the Giants Christmas Eve wasn't any old loss. It was an embarrassment coming against, of all teams, their fellow MetLife Stadium tenants. And this coming just days after coach Rex Ryan said his guys were the better team over the last two years. He was right on that point. But that story turned out to be as worthless as a "Jets 2010 Super Bowl Champs" tee shirt. The game wasn't anywhere near as close as the score. Sanchez completed 30 passes on a career-high 59 attempts but put up only 258 yards and was picked twice. The Jets were also 4 for 21 on third-down conversions. No ground just pound, like in pounding headache. Rex, Sanchez' biggest supporter, was forced to eat a big helpin' of humble pie. "They were the better team today, and they're the better team this year. Clearly, I was wrong." Never a good idea to make your boss look like a clown.

"Give Him Time"

Yeah, this season we've all heard all kinds of theories about why Sanchez stinks: he's only in his third year and he needs more time; it's his lousy offensive line decimated by retirement and bad draft picks; it's dopey play calling by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Or just maybe Jets fans' agita began two years ago when Sanchez was caught wolfing down a hot dog on the sideline in Oakland with the Jets up by 38.

But let's be real. Sanchez didn't take the Jets to the AFC Championship Game the past two seasons. He managed them there. He held his own in the wins against Cincinnati, San Diego, New England and Indianapolis. No great numbers but no disastrous interceptions or safety's either. His effort was like having lunch at KFC - filling. No health benefits but no food poisoning either. A full belly until a few hours later when the more-important dinner would be served. The problem this time is that it looks like players and fans alike will have to hibernate until next fall when dinner, or more precisely another chance at a Super Bowl will be served. According to Las Vegas odds makers the Jets have a 6% chance of making the playoffs Sunday. They'll have to win in Miami while the Bengals, Raiders and Titans all lose. In other words, "forgettaboutit!"

A Real Pain In The Neck

The turning point in the Jets' season came in mid-November. After it looked like they got back on track with a 27-11 win against Buffalo, they were exposed at home 37-16 by the Patriots in front of a national tv audience. If a challenge by the Jets on an end zone catch by tight end Rob Gronkowski failed, he would've had three td's and Rex's halftime one liner thrown at a Pats fan might've cost him even more than $75,000. Sanchez came up small in that one also finishing with one touchdown,  two interceptions and a qb rating of 64.7 (Brady with 3 td's, no picks and a 118.4 rating).

But Jets faithful stayed the course. After all Denver was up next  just four days later. Surely Sanchez could out play Tim Tebow, the hyped-up chosen one who couldn't hit the ocean with a pass from 20 yards. Nope. Sanchez couldn't even shine in that one. A claymation battle to the death between Richard Simmons and Tommy Tune would've been more manly.

  

Sure enough neither threw a touchdown pass, but in the third quarter Broncos cornerback Andre Goodman picked off an ill-advised Sanchez pass and ran it back 26 yards for a game-tying td. Tebow's 20 yard touchdown run with :58 left gave Denver a 17-13 win and dropped the Jets to 5-5. Sanchez also suffered a pinched nerve in his neck which may or may not be the reason he's been flatter than a day-old egg cream ever since.

From that point on it's been all downhill. Sanchez has regressed on down field passes this season, completing only 34.9 percent of his throws traveling 15 or more yards. In 2010, his mark was 41.7 percent. According to ESPN, Sanchez has really struggled over his last 6 games, completing only 17 percent of throws on such distances, the worst rate in the league.

Looking At The Big Picture

It really comes down to whether or not Mark Sanchez has the ability to become an elite NFL quarterback. The kind opposing players say they have to stop to beat the Jets. So far he hasn't. Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady aren't "game managers". If he does have those tools he sure hasn't showed them to this point.Rifle arm? No. Namath-quick release? Again no. Roethlisberger ability to stay on his feet? Sheech! All that adds up to the sobering conclusion that Sunday's regular season finale in Miami could mean his New York Minute has come to an end.

And On Sunday God Told Tim Tebow To Rest

     It was the highest rated NFL game of the season and the second highest in the last 14 years. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. Brady, the three-time Super Bowl Champ against Tebow, the guy who can't throw but who was 7-1 since taking over for the late (in Broncosville) Kyle Orton.

     Yes, on this Sunday for awhile it looked like God was indeed comfy on his favorite cloud once again infusing his favorite football son with ungodly football prowess.

Tebow's nine-yard run (and missed two-point conversion, oops!) gave the Broncos a 6-0 lead. The Patriots came back to take a 7-6 lead on a 33-yard td to Chad Ochocinco but Lance Ball's 32 yard run regained the lead 13-7. Matt Prater's field goal stretched it to  16-7.


TV Preacher Gets Really Pissed Off

Evanagelist Pat Robertson had to be in heaven at this point especially after blowing his lid over a Saturday Night Live skit the night before. In the skit, Jesus appears in the Denver Broncos' locker room and asks Tebow to tone down the praise and pick up his game a little bit. Jesus then leaves saying,  "Mormonism? All true. Every word. All right, peace."

But that damn devil was back working his evil as the Patriots regained the lead and then some with two touchdown's and a pair of field goals.

A Lucifer-inspired Danny Woodhead 10 yard run in the third made it 34-16. And he breathed Hooter's Three-Mile Island hot wings-fire letting BenJarvus Green-Ellis jam a one yard run right down the poor throats of the angelic Broncos closing it out at 41-23.

What Conclusions Can We Come Up With?

A whole bunch. At the top of the pile would be this one: Tom Brady is a thousand times better than Tim Tebow and the Patriots are ten times better than the Broncos. Nah, that's logical. Based on rational thought. No good. Hey, we could say God took the day off! After all Sunday is His day. Or maybe He was watching the Green Bay-Kansas City game and decided to give the poor Chiefs something to be happy about by helping interim coach Romeo Crennel get a win in his first game. Or even better yet, perhaps He tuned into the Indy - Tennessee game (assuming it wasn't blacked out in Heaven) and decided it was time to punish the Titans for firing former offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger shortly after he found out he had terminal cancer. Hmmm. Maybe it was simply just a case of Tim Tebow not going into his prayer stance enough during his win against the Bears the week before.

And Speaking Of This Prayer Stance

Imagine your at work and Julie, one cubicle over, pulls out pictures of her kids and insists on showing them to you every time she does something good. "Nice job on that Nurmlinger file Julie," bellows the boss. And you say to yourself, "Damn it here she comes again."
"Let me show you pictures of my kids Caleb, Jonah and Mary," says a proud and determined Julie.

I know what I would say to Julie. After being polite the first time, I'd say something like, "Julie, don't bother me. They're wonderful but leave me alone." Same thing with Tebow. You love God Tim? Great. I'm not paying $125 for a ticket on my day off to see you pray. I don't care what you believe. Just throw the damn ball. Hopefully to a guy on the other team.