NFL

Sanchez blames himself for Jets loss

DENVER — Mark Sanchez couldn’t beat Tim Tebow last night.

And that’s about all you really need to know about the Jets quarterback.

Blame him for the loss.

He said so himself.

“It’s just an embarrassing day for me,” Sanchez said after the Jets’ 17-13 loss to the Broncos last night.

What galled him the most, and galled Jets Nation the most, was his third pick-six of the season, a 26-yard return by Andre’ Goodman on a telegraphed throw in the right flat for Plaxico Burress that tied the game at 10-10.

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“I gave them a touchdown,” Sanchez said. “Gave them a free play. The guy made a pretty good play on it, but the pass wasn’t open. I shouldn’t have thrown it. It’s an embarrassing play on my part. … I hurt the team and lost the game.”

The Jets are 5-5 and on the brink of disaster.

“We’re digging ourselves a hole, that’s for sure,” Sanchez said. “We’re not making things easy on ourselves. If anybody knows how to do it, we know how to come back and take the hard road to the playoffs.

“We can do it, I know we can. … We have the ability to play better than this, we just haven’t and I haven’t.

“It starts with me; we have a long weekend to take a good, long look at yourself in the mirror and figure out the player you want to be the rest of the season and move on, but it starts with me and winning these games you feel a lot better.”

He is right, it starts with him. The Jets will go nowhere if he doesn’t make better decisions and more accurate throws.

“I know what kind of team we have,” Sanchez said. “I know it’s a resilient bunch and I know it’s a team that can win games like this. I have to play better, but I know these guys will bounce back.

“Coach said it best, the playoffs really start with Buffalo, these are all must wins.”

Sanchez has been at his best in the playoffs. If he isn’t at his best soon, he won’t be in the playoffs this season.