Mark Sanchez has become an NFL punching bag for opponents and critics, but on Sunday against the Bills, Sanchez gets to punch back.
Sanchez can’t wait and I fully expect the Jets quarterback to land a knockout punch on the improved Bills at MetLife Stadium, even if he has to run for his life from Mario Williams.
Sanchez’s Jets’ scholarship has expired. He must come up huge because his team is not good enough to survive with mediocre play from the quarterback. He is ready for the challenge of Year 4, though he was so shocked by the Tim Tebow trade as wide receiver Santonio Holmes said yesterday.
Holmes said Sanchez was “rattled’’ by the acquisition and that Sanchez’s initial reaction to the trade was: “Wow, how did this happen?’’
Holmes said he eventually helped convince Sanchez he was still the No. 1 quarterback and the wide receiver added that Sanchez has grown to understand the Tebow trade was made to help the team in different ways.
Forget Tebow Time; this is Sanchez’s Time and it begins in earnest Sunday.
“As a rookie, he was looked at as a weakness of our football team,’’ coach Rex Ryan said. “I said there was going to be a day when he’s looked at as a strength and not a weakness and I think that day is right now.’’
When Ryan was asked if he was confident Sanchez is the quarterback to lead the Jets back to the playoffs, he was unequivocal in his support.
“Absolutely,” he said. “He’s shows it every day in the classroom with his teammates, and in the weight room.’’
Year 4 is one huge year in the life of an NFL quarterback and now Sanchez must show it in the games.
In 2007, Elite Eli Manning’s fourth year in the NFL, the Giants sprinted to a Super Bowl victory. In his fourth year, Joe Namath took the Jets to their only Super Bowl title.
For the Jets to get where they want to go, Sanchez will have to lead them.
“Going into your fourth year, that’s important to be a leader for this team, and to remind yourself that stuff is earned every day and go out and play my best each and every time,’’ Sanchez said. “You can’t have any bad work days. You can’t have any bad games.
“I’m starting to become one of the veterans here,’’ said Sanchez, who owns four playoff road victories. “So it is all the more important to do everything right to be sharp, to be so solid in my play that guys look to me as an example on how to do things right, and how to work and study and prepare.’’
Getting on teammates has been difficult for him.
“The toughest part is just ripping somebody, it just [stinks],’’ Sanchez said. “You don’t want to be a Debbie Downer out there, but at the same time, I’m going to be the one holding the football. I’m going to be the one standing at the podium talking to you guys after the game. It starts with the quarterback.’’
It sure does.
Sanchez is a better quarterback than he was a year ago at this juncture. With the everyday sideshow of Sanchez and Tebow — Sanchez’s overall improvement has been overlooked. When Sanchez was asked what he thought of owner Woody Johnson going on national TV last week and saying, “I think you can never have too much Tebow,’’ Sanchez offered a crooked smile and said, “Selling seats, man.’’
Sanchez then turned on the politically correct switch.
“Tim helps us,” he said. “He can run. He can throw. He can do it all. Hopefully we can give teams their fair share of Tebow and see what they can do. I’ve got to play the cards I’m dealt here, keep working hard and keep leading this team and doing everything I can. It’s our job to work together. That’s what we’ll do, for the betterment of the team.’’
Only winning sells seats.
For Sanchez, it is win, or else he will be asking again, “Wow, how did this happen?”