SACKED, NOT AXED: Mark Sanchez goes down as he’s hit by the Seahawks’ Richard Sherman, but he won’t go to the bench, Rex Ryan says. (
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When Mark Sanchez has struggled statistically in his career, the Jets have been fond of saying the only stat that matters for a quarterback is wins.
Well, Sanchez is 3-9 in his last 12 games, 6-10 over his last 16 and has struggled since the 2010 playoffs when it looked like he was ready to join the upper half of quarterbacks in the league. Over the past two years, Sanchez has 39 turnovers.
Despite all of this, Jets coach Rex Ryan is sticking with Sanchez over Tim Tebow.
“Mark’s our starting quarterback,” Ryan said. “I believe in our offense. I know it hasn’t looked great. We haven’t put up the numbers we hoped to and want to, but, again, if you’re making some positive steps then you have to believe it. You just hope that you keep getting better in areas and be able to turn around.”
The Jets offense is 30th in the NFL, better than only the Cardinals and Jaguars. The offense was completely inept in a 28-7 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, getting shut out. The team’s only points came on a defensive touchdown.
Sanchez was pathetic in the game, completing 9-of-22 passes for 124 yards with a red-zone interception and a late fumble. It was the second straight dismal game for Sanchez, who in his fourth year looks like he has regressed to a rookie.
Despite the mounting evidence that his future could come holding a clipboard, Sanchez said he still believes he is the guy to turn the 3-6 Jets around.
“I know I’ve played better than I have [Sunday] and those last few games,” Sanchez said. “I know there’s a lot of improvement to make for all of us, but I think we can do it. I think the team knows that they have faith in me that I can make the throws, make the reads and make the right decision with the football.”
Surely Sanchez hears the constant chatter of whether Tebow is the answer. But he is ignoring it.
“I’m just not a self-doubter,” Sanchez said. “I have more confidence than really anybody. That’s the way you’ve got to play this position. When you go through tough times like this you can’t doubt. You can’t second-guess yourself. You’ve got to just keep playing and try to improve and know that you’re the best guy.”
Sanchez normally does not speak to the media on Mondays, but he said he thought it was important for him to answer questions about the offense’s struggles and his own.
Ryan again said the team’s problem is not Sanchez. He lamented the team has committed too many “self-inflicted wounds,” which has become a popular phrase around the Jets.
Ryan vowed to turn this team around.
“We’re going to get this done or die trying,” Ryan said.
Ryan, whose team is three games under .500 for the first time in his tenure, said he is not afraid sticking with Sanchez could cost him his job.
“I’m never going to waver,” Ryan said. “I’m not going to make a decision one way or the other to try to save my job. I’m trying to win games. I understand our record is 3-6, and that’s not good. That’s not anywhere close to where this team wants to be. I’m not sitting back concentrating on ‘How do I save my job?’ I’m concentrating on ‘How do we win?’ I’m confident that I’ll be the coach because I think we’ll find a way to win.”
brian.costello@nypost.com