Mark Sanchez was off Wednesday.
Oh, he showed up for work, went to meetings and practiced for Sunday’s game against the Rams in St. Louis.
But, for one day, the Jets beleaguered quarterback was off the hook, not the target of media and angered Jets fans.
Thanks to a report that quoted anonymous Jets players and team “officials’’ ripping Tim Tebow, the negative attention that has been glued to Sanchez because of his poor recent performances and spotty season was eclipsed.
Coach Rex Ryan spoke for 25 minutes and fielded 15 questions from reporters and not one of them had to do with Sanchez, his struggles or whether he should remain the starting quarterback.
The Tebow bashing stole the negative glare from Sanchez, who felt for his backup, having gone though something similar at the end of last season, when anonymous teammates were quoted ripping him.
“I feel for Tim. That sucks. It just sucks. It’s not professional,’’ Sanchez said, standing in front of his locker wearing a T-shirt with the message, “We Will Persist,’’ written across the chest.
“It can’t feel good, but at same time I’ve been there. I can tell you I’ve been in those shoes. If anyone knows what it feels like, it’s me. He’s mentally tough enough to handle that. He’s a grown-up, a man. He’s smart and he’s strong mentally and physically.’’
Sanchez said the subject hadn’t “come up’’ during the day Wednesday, but he was “willing to talk to’’ Tebow about it “when the time is right if he wants to. I don’t want to bug him about it.’’
Asked if he viewed the report ripping Tebow as support for him, Sanchez said, “I don’t think it’s a backhanded compliment. Guys know that I’m working hard and trying to fix my mistakes and that we’re all in this thing together.
“I think guys know that I’m the starter. That’s nothing new. The team has said that, other players have said that. But at the same time you don’t have to go overboard and blast the guy, he works his butt off,’’ Sanchez added. “Tim is doing his best every time he gets in there. He runs hard, practices hard.’’
Sanchez lamented the same thing that irritated him about the anonymous report about him last season, saying, “Nobody put their name on it. I said it was a cowardly thing last year, said I don’t think it’s professional, and my feelings haven’t really changed on it. Whether it’s me or anyone else, it’s just not cool.’’
Sanchez said now the focus must be forward, not backward, for his 3-6 team, which is mired in a three-game losing streak.
“We’ve just got to go win a damn game and this whole thing turns,’’ Sanchez said. “I’m telling you, it’s contagious. You win a game you remember what it’s like, you feel good about a game, feel good about your preparation, go out and have some fun, complete some passes and get a win. I have faith that these guys can turn it around. We’ve got to keep fighting.’’
Not with each other, of course.