Mark Sanchez came to work yesterday fired up and ready to go. He left ticked off.
Sanchez arrived to work flush with hope and expectation, ready to rebound from the sprained right knee he suffered in the Jets’ 19-13 win over the Bills last Thursday and prepare to start Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers in Tampa.
He left work enraged by coach Rex Ryan’s decision not only to keep him out of the Buccaneers game but keep him from making the trip at all.
Ryan told Sanchez yesterday that he was starting Kellen Clemens against the Buccaneers, because he wanted Sanchez’s right knee to heal completely for the last three games of the season.
But Sanchez didn’t take the news well and later in the day spoke to reporters through clenched teeth, careful not to say anything that would incriminate him as being selfish and not about the team first.
“I’m pretty upset about it,” Sanchez said. “I understand [Ryan] wants to make the right decision for me, but it’s just a frustrating part of this game. I asked him if I could at least try to practice [today] and he said, ‘No way,’ because he said, ‘I know if you practice [today] you’re going to play, and we don’t want to run any risk of further injury.’ ”
Sanchez, who suffered a slight tear in the posterior cruciate ligament, didn’t practice yesterday, instead rehabbing by riding a stationary bike.
The news jolted Sanchez. It was the first hint of any disagreement the prized rookie quarterback has had with his coach since their marriage.
Ryan described Sanchez as “mad as a hornet,” at him.
“That sounds about right,” Sanchez said tersely.
Since Sanchez suffered the injury, Ryan, as recently as Monday, had been saying he was “optimistic” Sanchez would be able to play this week.
Asked if that was the vibe he was getting from Ryan, Sanchez said, “Sure. . . . I was planning on playing.”
Ryan said he wants to take the cautious approach.
“The more information I got from doctors I just think we’d be taking an unnecessary risk,” he said. “Sanchez is a little upset with this decision, but it’s in the best interest of him and the football team that we make this decision and do it now.”
“He’s mad as a hornet at me. But that’s good. I was mad at him [for not sliding Thursday], now he’s mad at me, so we’re even.”
Nevertheless, Ryan said his decision to sit Sanchez was not in any way a punitive measure to send a message to Sanchez for not sliding, and he believes Clemens can do the job.
“I have a lot of confidence in Kellen Clemens,” he said. “This football team has confidence in Kellen.”
Clemens, who lost the quarterback competition to Sanchez in training camp, hasn’t started a game in 23 months. He was 13-of-25 for 113 yards and a touchdown in that 13-10 overtime win over the Chiefs in the 2007 season finale.
“Yeah, I’m coming off a one-game winning streak,” Clemens said jokingly. “That seems like a long time ago.”
Clemens has made eight career starts and has completed 130 of 250 passes (52 percent) for 1,529 yards. He also has thrown five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also has a 60.9 rating.
Clemens said being told of the decision this early in the week will help him prepare better.
“It’ll make a huge difference,” he said. “There’s no substitute for getting reps. It’s nice to know this early in the week that this is the direction we’re going, for myself and for the other guys in the huddle.”
“It’s difficult to handle, but I’m excited for Kellen and I’m backing him 100 percent,” Sanchez said. “I think he’s going to do really well. I understand why [Ryan] did it this early. At first I was upset that he wouldn’t even give me a chance to practice and try and wait until the last second, but I understand that Kellen needs all the reps possible if he’s going to start this week. That’s totally fair to him.
“I understand where Rex is coming from, but that doesn’t mean I necessarily agree or am happy about it. If this was the Super Bowl I’d definitely be playing.”