Mark Sanchez

Former Jet Kris Jenkins Flames Mark Sanchez

by Josh Dhani on January 5, 2012

It’s playoff time in the NFL and it seems the New York Jets are stealing all the headlines. First it was their ugly ouster from playoff contention, followed by backup Greg McElroy saying the locker room was corrupt and Erik Ainge’s reply. Don’t forget Bart Scott was fined $10,000 for flipping off a cameraman. All Jets all the time.

Retired player Kris Jenkins was a member of the Jets during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, which were Mark Sanchez’s first two years in the league. He also had an opinion about the McElroy comments which ended up with Jenkins blasting Sanchez.

“The No. 1 quarterback should have said that a long time ago,” Jenkins said. “It would have been all part of the process of him growing a pair and standing up and being a man. But the thing is, he lost his because he got caught up in the wash that is New York, the spotlight, taking pictures in the magazines and doing all that stuff. That’s just what everybody has seen with Mark Sanchez, they got tired of it.”

“Mark wants to be a leader but there’s a difference between wanting it and taking it,” Jenkins said. “He’s always trying to be a crowd pleaser. He’s always trying to be nice. He wants to be a leader but he won’t take it.”


Sounds like the Jets have another Joe Namath on their hands. I know, Namath did win a Super Bowl and is a Hall of Famer. But his stats weren’t that great. Remember Namath was known in New York for his “good looks” and being in the New York limelight.

Sanchez is no ‘Broadway Joe’, but the off field parallels are the same.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ YouTube 

NFL Week 12 Recap

by Josh Reichman on December 1, 2011

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Mark Sanchez and the Jets snapped a two game losing streak and are now back in the playoff
hunt after deaf-eating the Bills. Sanchez threw for a career high four touchdowns in the win.

This week’s record: 14-2
Overall record: 123-53

Packers vs. Lions: 27-15 Packers
Packers Player of the Week: Aaron Rodgers- 304 pass yards, 2 touchdowns, 116.6 passer rating
Lions Player of the Week: Maurice Morris- 39 rush yards, 81 receiving yards

The Packers advanced to 11-0 after easily defeating the Lions on Thanksgiving day. Aaron Rodgers had another flawless game, throwing for more than 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Dolphins vs. Cowboys: 20-19 Cowboys
Dolphins Player of the Week: Brandon Marshall- 5 receptions, 103 receiving yards, touchdown
Cowboys Player of the Week: Laurent Robinson – 7 receptions, 79 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns

The Cowboys defeated the Dolphins on a game winning field goal as time expired. The Cowboys are now the sole leaders of the NFC East. The Dolphins still played well as Matt Moore had a passer rating of 99.5, but it wasn’t enough to get the win.

Niners vs. Ravens: 16-6
Niners Player of the Week: Michael Crabtree- 6 receptions, 54 receiving yards
Ravens Player of the Week: Joe Flacco- 161 pass yards, touchdown, 100.1 passer rating

Jon, the older of the two Harbaugh brothers, won the first “Harbowl” between the two coaches. It was a defensive minded game as Jim and the 49′ers battled against Jon and the Ravens. No touchdowns in the game were scored until the fourth quarter, when Joe Flacco found Dennis Pitka in the back of the endzone.

Vikings vs. Falcons: 24-14 Falcons
Vikings Player of the Week: Percy Harvin- 8 receptions, 95 receiving yards, touchdown
Falcons Player of the Week: Roddy White- 10 receptions, 120 receiving yards, touchdown

The Falcons scorched the Vikings, who were missing star running back Adrian Peterson. Matt Ryan had an incredible game for Atlanta, throwing for 262 yards and three touchdowns. The Saints may look impressive, but the Falcons are right behind them in the NFC South.

Browns vs. Bengals: 23-20 Bengals
Browns Player of the Week: Jordan Norwood- 4 receptions, 69 receiving yards, touchdown
Bengals Player of the Week: Cedric Benson- 106 rush yards, touchdown

The Bengals spoiled Peyton Hillis’ return to the Browns after kicking a game winning field goal with under a minute to play. In his return, Hillis rushed 65 yards on 19 carries, and also caught two passes.

Bucs vs. Titans: 23-17 Titans
Bucs Player of the Week: Mike Williams- 6 receptions, 84 receiving yards, touchdown
Titans Player of the Week: Chris Johnson- 190 rush yards

CJ2K had another impressive game, and the Titans got another win, after defeating the Buccaneers 23-17. Johnson rushed for a season high 190 yards on 23 carries. The Bucs led 17-10 going into the fourth quarter, but gave up 14 unanswered points and got the loss.

Panthers vs. Colts: 27-19 Panthers
Panthers Player of the Week: DeAngelo Williams- 69 rush yards, 2 touchdowns
Colts Player of the Week: Reggie Wayne- 5 receptions, 122 receiving yards, touchdown

The two worst teams in football faced off Sunday as Cam Newton and the Panthers took on the Colts. Cam didn’t throw any touchdowns, but did score on a 14 yard run to give the Panthers a 10-0 lead. The Colts fought back, but the Panthers would win the game, 27-19.

Cardinals vs. Rams: 23-20 Cardinals
Cardinals Player of the Week: Beanie Wells- 226 rush yards, touchdown
Rams Player of the Week: Brandon Lloyd- 5 receptions, 74 receiving yards, touchdown

The Cardinals bounced back from a bad loss to the Niners, and defeated the Rams by three. Rookie Patrick Peterson returned another punt for a touchdown, this time for 80 yards. Beanie Wells also rushed for a career high 226 yards in the win.

Bills vs. Jets: 28-24 Jets
Bills Player of the Week: Ryan Fitzpatrick- 264 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 111.5 passer rating
Jets Player of the Week: Mark Sanchez- 180 pass yards, 4 touchdowns,  90.2

The Jets avoided another slip thanks to a dropped Stevie Johnson catch, and are now 6-5. Johnson, who earlier in the game drew a flag for an excessive celebration, was also fined by the league for mocking Plaxico Burress.

Texans vs. Jaguars: 20-13 Texans
Texans Player of the Week: Arian Foster- 65 rush yards, touchdown
Jaguars Player of the Week: Maurice Jones- Drew- 99 rush yards, 69 receiving yards.

In their first game without Matt Schaub, the Texans defeated the Jaguars 20-13. With the win, also came a season ending injury to backup quarterback Matt Leinart. After losing their eight game of the season, the Jaguars fired long time head coach, Jack Del Rio, and also sold ownership of the team over to Shahid Khan.

Bears vs. Raiders: 25-20 Raiders
Bears Player of the Week: Johnny Knox- 4 receptions, 145 receiving yards, touchdown
Raiders Player of the Week: Sebastian Janikowski- 6-6 FG, 1-1 XP

Sebastian Janikowski and the Raiders kicked the Bears’ butts, and are now 7-4. Both teams were missing their starting quarterbacks, but Carson Palmer out-dueled Caleb Hanie, who threw three interceptions.

Redskins vs. Seahawks: 23-20 Redskins
Redskins Player of the Week: Roy Helu- 108 rush yards, touchdown
Seahawks Player of the Week: Marshawn Lynch- 111 rush yards, 20 receiving yards, touchdown

The Redskins picked up their first win in six weeks, after defeating the Seahawks 23-20. Rookie Roy Helu led the way, rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown.

Patriots vs. Eagles: 38-20 Patriots
Patriots Player of the Week: Tom Brady- 361 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 134.6 passer rating
Eagles Player of the Week: Jason Avant- 8 receptions, 110 receiving yards, touchdown

The Patriots smoked the Eagles, officially ruining their playoff hopes. Michael Vick was out again with a rib injury. The Patriots offense had an impressive showing, combining for almost 500 yards, and five touchdowns.

Broncos vs. Chargers: 16-13 Broncos
Broncos Player of the Week: Tim Tebow- 143 pass yards, 67 rush yards, touchdown, 95.4 passer rating
Chargers Player of the Week: Ryan Mathews- 137 rush yards

TEEEEEBBOOOWWWWWWW! The man did it again, giving the Broncos their fourth straight win, and fifth win in six games. The Broncos forced OT after kicking a field goal to tie the game up, and went on to score the game winning field goal with just under a minute to play. With the Vikings up next week, can the Tebow make it five straight?

Steelers vs. Chiefs: 13-9 Steelers
Steelers Player of the Week: Ryan Mundy- 11 tackles, interceptions, filled in for injured Troy Polamalu
Chiefs Player of the Week: Dexter McCluster- 28 rush yards, 11 receiving yards

The Steelers made it interesting on Sunday night, but ended up with the win after Tyler Palko threw his third interception of the game.  The Chiefs really need to get their offense going, and will likely get some action out of Kyle Orton next week.

Giants vs. Saints: 49-24 Saints
Giants Player of the Week: Victor Cruz- 9 receptions, 157 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Saints Player of the Week: Drew Brees- 363 pass yards, 4 touchdowns, 129.6 passer rating

Nobody beats the Saints in the Superdome, literally. The Saints are 5-0 in New Orleans after beating the Giants on Monday Night. Drew Brees had his best game of the season (unless you count the blowout win vs. a mediocre Colts team). The Giants have blown their NFC East lead, but to their defense, have faced one of the hardest schedules in football these last few weeks. Unfortunately it doesn’t get easier for the Giants who face the Packers next week.

Josh Reichman covers various sports topics for FootBasket and is also a great young writer. Follow more of Josh at his blog, Hall of Fame Sports.

Twitter 

Mark Sanchez!!! Championship QuarterBack? – NFL Football – JRSportBrief

by JRSportBrief on November 28, 2011

http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.3349662.1322427314!/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.JPG

Win or lose, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez can’t seem to catch a break! Do you think he can lead the Jets to a Super Bowl title in the future?

JRSportBrief covers the latest sports news, game highlights, and athletes of professional sports. JR gives his opinions on all sports: Basketball, Baseball, Football, Hockey, Boxing, MMA and all the major leagues. Whether it’s the NBA Finals, the MLB World Series, or the NFL Superbowl, JRʼs got his own opinions and he wants to hear yours! New Episodes all week long.

Facebook Twitter Google+ YouTube 

NFL Week 12 Picks: Desperate Teams That Will Get Much-Needed Wins

by Josh Dhani on November 27, 2011

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/461/905/133851428_crop_650x440.jpg?1322413423

No team in the NFL needs a win as bad as the San Diego Chargers, who have lost five consecutive games after starting the season 4-1.

The Bolts are hosting the Fighting Tebows in Week 12 in sunny Southern California. The winner will pull one game closer behind AFC West leader Oakland. Expect the Chargers to be that team on Sunday afternoon.

Here are three desperate teams that will claim a much-needed win to stay in the playoff picture in Week 12:

San Diego Chargers (4-6)

Despite San Diego’s 4-6 record, they are a solid home team, having won three of five in 2011. Tebow has been a road assassin, however, and the Chargers’ losing streak won’t end easily.

Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense is still much too potent for the Denver defense to contain all day long while Tebow struggles to sustain drives. The Broncos will be game for yet another week on the road, but San Diego outlasts them to send both teams to 5-6 on the year.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)

The Eagles looked great last week despite Vince Young’s three interceptions. Their defense may be on to something after Sunday night’s dominant effort at New York.

Ah, but the Patriots present a new set of concerns for the surging Eagles this week, as Tom Brady and the New England offense hit the road to take on Philly at the Link. Brady will struggle this week, though, considering the relentless pass rush the Eagles are bringing nowadays.

Vince Young is a winner under center, and he’ll avoid killer turnovers against a retched Pats’ secondary.

New York Jets (5-5)

The Buffalo Bills have been getting blown out as of late. What happened? Three-straight losses meets two-straight losses when the Bills visit the Jets at MetLife Stadium this Sunday.

Both AFC East teams are falling farther and farther behind the Pats and desperately need to win out to maintain any hope of a wild card berth in the AFC.

The Jets don’t mess around at home, though. They are 4-1 there and will blank the Bills in Week 12. Buffalo is out of sorts to say the least, and New York can’t get Tebowed this time around.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ YouTube 

NFL Picks Week 9: Slow Starters That Will Explode on the Road

by Josh Dhani on November 5, 2011

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/430/813/130192462_crop_650x440.jpg?1320519278

Wake up!

It’s Week 9 NFL slow starters, and it’s time to get the act together if the playoffs are in the future.

There are plenty of notable and surprising slow starters this season in the NFL—the Philadelphia Eagles almost immediately come to mind.

Philly started out 1-4 before winning its last two to acquire a respectable record at the midway point of 2011.

The Eagles are at home in Week 9, though, so it will be up to these three slow starters to break out on the road this weekend:

New York Jets Over the Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are for real. At 5-2, they are leading the AFC East and in prime position to make the playoffs for the first time since I’ve been watching professional football.

Still, the New York Jets have too much talent to be sitting at 4-4 halfway through the season. I like the Jets in this game, as they will re-establish their running game and Plaxico Burress just long enough to keep Bills running back Fred Jackson on the sideline.

I’m not confident about this pick, but I’ve been waiting for the Jets to blast off, and this has got to be the week it finally happens.

Atlanta Falcons Over the Indianapolis Colts

In what will certainly be the cakewalk of the century, the 4-3 Falcons visit the winless Indianapolis Colts to potentially drop Jim Caldwell and company to 0-9 for the year—Ouch.

There is arguably no worse team in the league than the Colts right now, so how can Matt Ryan and the Dirty Birds fail on Sunday?

A win is almost a guarantee, and an explosion is definitely in the cards.

Chicago Bears Over the Philadelphia Eagles

Both teams are slow starters in this Week 9 Monday night matchup. Although the Eagles are on a roll as of late, expect the Bears to be ready to play.

Remember that last November Chicago roughed up Vick and forced him into countless turnovers at Soldier Field in a game the Bears 31-26.

With so much pressure on Philadelphia to play mistake-free for virtually the rest of the season if they hope to make the playoffs, watch for the Bears to play loose and well, beating the Eagles on their home field on their way to a 5-3 midseason record.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ YouTube 

Are the New York Jets Overrated?! – London on Deck for JRSportBrief

by JRSportBrief on October 5, 2011

http://weblogs.wpix.com/sports/thehuddle/sanchez%20sacked222.JPG

The New York Jets have started the 2011 NFL season 2-2 with ugly losses in both Oakland and Baltimore. Are the New York Jets underrated or are they Super Bowl contenders?

JRSportBrief covers the latest sports news, game highlights, and athletes of professional sports. JR gives his opinions on all sports: Basketball, Baseball, Football, Hockey, Boxing, MMA and all the major leagues. Whether it’s the NBA Finals, the MLB World Series, or the NFL Superbowl, JRʼs got his own opinions and he wants to hear yours! New Episodes all week long.

Facebook Twitter Google+ YouTube 

Sanchez’s Role as Leader Shines Brightly on Broadway

by Jonathan Mathis on August 21, 2011

There’s a magazine out there of Mark Sanchez. You’ve probably seen it — the latest issue for GQ Magazine’s September Style Issue, on stands August 23, a public outrage leaving New Yorkers rambling over his overblown portraits that feature several photos of the Jets’ starting quarterback.

And so when headlines swirled two weeks ago about Sanchez posing for photos to reveal his pretty boy persona, it significantly hatched a national disturbance as local tabloids ridiculed the Jets star. It’s at best conveniently to discover that he has the penchant for flaunting in photos and, even larger than ever, he’s the magnet on Broadway, the blossoming athlete everybody adores in the Big Apple.

He spent most of the offseason modeling for magazines — especially having seen Sanchez in photos posing, a sexy quarterback known for his sex appeal more than his leadership. That’s not to mention the frequent photo shots of Sanchez featuring with model Hilary Rhonda in the June issue of GQ magazine in 2009 and inducing a distraction to prompt a media circus.

That’s not to mention that he appears to be gorgeous as girls are madly attractive and in love with the celebrity who can produce his own reality TV show and bait viewers. The point is that — even if he is taking too much heed to his sex-appeal and can be boastful in parading his body — Sanchez masters his role and understands the expectations are immense in a town where a spate of the modern media has a large influence on how players perform.

There is no credibility issue here. There is an exaggerated issue here, as some are tense and curious to know if Sanchez is fully capable of engineering the Jets. The problem is that he draws disruptions with his absurdity, vanity, self-loving and self-importance and often underachieves in postseason games because, well, he is seen on the front cover of tabloids or magazine issues.

It’s no telling whether the overexposed celebrity status affects his performance on the field. It’s no telling whether the notability drives Sanchez to play with much intensity and a full-driven mindset that motivates the 24-year-old quarterback, who enters his third season taking on the responsibility, to perform flawlessly on a franchise in position of a Super Bowl win.

The most interesting figures, like Sanchez, could be a remedy entirely in a town entertained by celebrities or even athletes. Sometimes it seems as if people’s stance on the matter is hypocritical, as often happens in New York, in which subjects in relations to sports are rhetorical. Then, suddenly, if Sanchez is publicly seen in a photo, the world glances at the comical, compelling portrait.

And there have been many times, as of recently of course, when Sanchez has absorbed much attention, not only on the football field but off the field as well becoming a supermodel in a town known for its fashion. Meanwhile, in question is his leadership and ability to be effective in the quarterback role for a franchise that demands prosperity.

His leadership, though, reached an all-time high a season ago when he led the Jets to the postseason and almost carried his teammates and bombastic head coach Rex Ryan to the Super Bowl, only to fall short after coming all so close. The comical, abnormal and captivating images — a player clearly comfortable being the face of a demanding franchise and playing with scads of pressure is incredible.

If he is finally accepting the role as leader to keep the Jets in contention, this happened decisively and rapidly, a youngster who has mellowed into a valuable piece in New York just as much as Sanchez has become an iconic darling for the ladies gazing at his stylish appearance. He’s the turning point and, by himself, has developed a culture as the Jets are Super Bowl contenders and brainwashes the gentlemen, many of whom watches football every Sunday, that Sanchez is a franchise quarterback.

But after all, no one has put in more time and effort than Sanchez, by working out early in the morning, by devoting much of his life to improve his consistency and by working on his throwing motion. So, it turns out, he’s already poised inside the pocket and has nifty footwork to elude the pass rushes or blitzes.

The city adores Sanchez, not for only wearing white pants and a black tank top for the GQ magazine spread but also for the photos he appeared in, his mobility, his work ethic and his potential, proving to be part of the Jets’ plans in the future. His presence is felt, his long-term future as quarterback under the Jets is certain as long as he can stay healthy and perform efficiently, leading New York to a pair of Super Bowls in his tenure with the team that brought in Sanchez and believe he can handle the obligations of playing for a high-marketed team.

So here is Sanchez, with an aura just as spectacular as his sex appeal. It was bound to happen, probably sooner before later. The population was overly fascinated with Sanchez’s photographs, reacting in a surprised manner, not realizing that he is a quarterback in the shadows of Joe Namath. This isn’t the time to wonder if Sanchez is a more effective model than quarterback, or whether the Jets may soon struggle with him calling the snaps.

This is the time to assume that Sanchez has matured and accepted a challenging task at the toughest position in football, ready mentally and physically to embark on a journey. He could be an actor on Broadway, and have the charm and humor to jokingly bring smiles and laughter. That being said, he also has the arm strength and mobility of a gunslinger and has become proficient in the pro-style offense.

He’s a Southern California dude, a Hispanic representing his heritage at a position where he stands alone in the NFL. But now, he is waving and smiling at New Yorkers, loved by strangers and elated to be the starting quarterback in a community where he was welcomed. Shortly before the 2009 NFL Draft, he desired to land with the Jets, begging the organization to pick him. And the Jets traded up to 12 spots for a franchise quarterback, stealing Sanchez with the fifth pick in the draft that granted him his wish, landing on a franchise where the stakes are usually high.

It was a place he wanted to be and he had no problem begging to land in an environment of such scrutiny and pressure. Sanchez, a native from Irvine, is a firefighter’s son, a quarterback raised on the importance of hard work and dedication. The well-known quarterback can walk down the busy streets in Manhattan and run through Central Park to shake hands with strangers, more noticeable than Ryan, his buffoonish coach who has become the media’s best friend by his absurd antics during postgame interviews.

Where Ryan no longer is — Sanchez is the promising star leading an elite fraternity of a fundamentally sound team with a potent roster defensively and offensively. What are the odds the Jets win the Super Bowl?? It’s feasible given the two prolific receivers with Santonio Holmes and the addition of Plaxico Burress.

Maybe it’s now best Ryan guarantees a Super Bowl win. If so, it would mark the first Super Bowl title for the first time since Richard Nixon took office. Any team can shimmer and win it all — particularly the Jets.

If the Jets win the Super Bowl anytime soon, thank Sanchez.

An aspiring sports journalist, a sports columnist for FootBasket, Gridiron Grit, Hardcourt Mayhem, and more. Sports Judge is all sports.

Facebook Twitter 

Mark Sanchez Leads Jets, Gets Even With Patriots: This Sends a Statement

by Josh Dhani on September 20, 2010


For a moment, the world laughed at the New York Jets, one of the most appealing franchises in the NFL labeled as the most overrated franchise, based on its abysmal and humiliating performance in a prime-time meeting with the Baltimore Ravens.

One day soon, the team in the Meadowlands is likely to blossom as an unstoppable force and escape the inept times to end derision that religiously ridiculed the Jets, a team over the summer that bothered us greatly with its cockiness and smart ass guarantees in winning the Super Bowl.

Maybe it wasn’t the time and place for prematurely forecasting an appearance on football’s grandest stage, but as a confident unit, maybe it had some truth.

As the most talented franchise in the NFL, the Jets are the type of team that seek our attention with nonsensical publicity and we love to acknowledge an efficient core, especially when it brings fun to the game populace enjoys in America.

The latest noteworthy win, after convincingly pummeling its foes the New England Patriots, might redefine a sense of belief the rest of the way as the Jets are still on pace to prove worthy of testing its wills in the Super Bowl.

It gives antagonist Tom Brady all the reason to despise the enemies of their division more than ever, weeks removed from his bitter statement when he was asked if he watches the HBO show “Hard Knocks” and said that he hates the Jets.

And something significant always happens when the Patriots and Jets encounter each other on the same turf, raged over the ridiculous trash talk and hard blows in every meeting.

Given the history of antipathy, a critical win may have been enough to settle the score and avenge a heartbreaking letdown last season.

They were sluggish and too complacent in the first half, fatigued and had trouble slowing down the Patriots efficient running plays as Jets head coach Rex Ryan called a sequence of unforeseen schemes, but were incapable tactics and allowed the Pats to gain positive yardage.

They were bullied and outran by an undersized receiving core, and the secondary played like kids who stepped onto the turf for the first time.

But in context of strengthening as a competitive force in football, the Jets challenged came ever quickly and finally happened when Mark Sanchez led New York to a 28-14 win over the Patriots to make a significant statement.

For once, we all understand what Ryan meant when he boldly described the Jets as a Super Bowl team. It wasn’t amazingly, as it seemed, all about the offense but a tenacious defensive unit, which set a tone during the second-half and harassed Brady and his bunch.

It was almost time to panic, and fans had begun to maintain their collective breaths nervous and frightened over the possibility of witnessing a huge disappointment.


With much buzz surrounding the Jets for what is supposed to be a remarkable season amid a pursuit, after many of whom credited the Jets as a trendy pick to win the division, Sanchez matured and completed 21-of-30 passes for 220 yards with a career-high three touchdown passes.

LaDainian Tomlinson, a classy veteran with blistering speed, flashed back to his record-setting days and intensified the rambunctious crowd in the stands on a 31-yard run and ensured a scoring drive without center Nick Mangold.

It’s no longer accurate to refer to Sanchez as a hapless passer who appeared to be confused and frustrated in his incompetent performance. This time, his body language defined him as a franchise quarterback, and he surely was the difference in the Jets recovery.

The assumption that the Jets have invested much hope in Sanchez ever since bringing a modest leader to the organization to rid the flustering era of worthless failures is benefiting the team aiming for headline performances and relevancy.

Seemingly, of course, the Jets were resilient in the aftermath of a devastating rout to the Ravens, and the lost of defensive leader Kris Jenkins after suffering a knee injury.

The adversity has brought the Jets together as a cohesive core, now a team with enough heart and fortitude to assemble a nice pursuit and punch a ticket to the Super Bowl.

From the luxurious suites, owner Woody Johnson watched elated with the sudden progress and growth of Sanchez. Filled with much pressure, he plays with the Super Bowl expectations and a franchise that resides in a territory where the media is very critical if a player under-performs.

In a town where tabloids and fans ridicule useless athletes, Sanchez played a key role in a must-needed win to avoid a 0-2 skid and defied the odds in dazzling performance.


He played with a determined desire and displayed a skilled throwing motion at the New Meadowland Stadium on Sunday afternoon, and fired up the energetic crowd with the ability to translate his mobility and tremendous energy on the pro level. If you haven’t notice, the Jets are blessed to have an elite quarterback.

The frightening turn-of-events happened moments after Randy Moss’ jaw-dropping one-handed touchdown late in the second quarter, and without prolific cornerback Darrelle Revis, the Jets were still potent and physical by raising the intensity level.

It was a huge loss that Revis grabbed his left hamstring and didn’t return. By halftime, they trailed, they seemed victimized and they seemed doomed.

But the Jets survived in desperation and sent a statement to the NFL, becoming a modest favorite to rise to the occasion on Feb. 6.

There were times when Ryan’s team relied on the Patriots clumsiness and took advantage of two pass interference calls to take a commanding lead.

At one point, the Jets effortlessly picked off Brady’s intended pass to Moss on a sterling defensive play. In an instance, the ball was tipped by the Patriots wide receiver and then bounced off of Antonio Cromarite’s helmet and into the arms of Brodney Pool.

In the end, Sanchez was surrounded by a swarm of photographers and reporters. A legion of fans gathered collectively outside the tunnel and applauded him for overcoming a shaky and awful performance. It couldn’t have come at a better time against the Jets’ arch rivals on a day they were limited and lost Revis to a hamstring injury.

It couldn’t have come at a better time that the ageless Tomlinson finished with 102 all-purpose yards. It couldn’t have come at a better time that Braylon Edwards amazingly caught five passes, and converted on the two-point conversion.

It couldn’t have come at a better time that tight end Dustin Keller caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.

As the Jets get the last laugh against the Spy-gate criminals, Sanchez made it all possible and stopped the devious Bill Belichick and his partner in crime Brady.

“This is just the beginning,” Sanchez said.

Indeed.

It could be the beginning to a wonderful ending.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ YouTube 

Patriots-Jets: A Bitter War Sends a Reality Check to Lackluster Jets

by Josh Dhani on September 19, 2010

It doesn’t take long, just unforeseen drivel and everlasting trash talk, before a long-awaited Sunday sends each team into a bitter clash and lures television viewers, as the game of the weekend is Patriots vs. Jets, a pair of teams set to meet on a collision course in a late afternoon war.

So now, it’s a traditional birthright to anoint a couple of teams that have fueled a hated rivalry and allured fans all over the world, magnetizing our minds and hearts as loyalists wait to be entertained by a resentful feud in an emotional contest. If there’s anybody more whimsical and comical, it’s New York Jets’ head coach Rex Ryan, the funniest man who tells jokes about his own belly during news conferences and becomes famous in a community, where local tabloids tease the next comedian to make Broadway laugh.

If there’s a villain everyone despises greatly, it’s Bill Belichick, of course: the Spygate criminal and arrogant mastermind who really wasn’t a modest genius, but a devious con artist for ruining the aspects of football with his slick demeanor. Now, suddenly, we are witnessing an unfriendly tale in football and a competitive symphony between the Jets and Patriots.


By now, it is known that the Jets disclosed the truth and accused the Patriots of cheating, shockingly disgracing and embarrassing Belichick as three of their Super Bowl rings were called into uncertainty and tainted. The full-blown history of animosity comes as no surprise, and it was exactly not surprising a few weeks ago when Tom Brady was asked if he watches “Hard Knocks,” the Jets reality show and said bitterly that he loathes the Jets.

“I hate the Jets, so I refuse to support that show.”

This was a harsh statement for the Jets, who are now fiery and ready to take on the enemies of the AFC East division. It was a modest assessment that those were retaliation words, more than senseless words, and could easily force the Jets to be meaner, disciplined, and more violent. Maybe this is a wake up call entering the second week of the regular season, currently 0-1 in the standings.

Maybe this cures any thoughts of another meltdown as the Jets take on their foes in a critical matchup early in the unpredictable season. Seen as darlings and a rebirth in football, the overexposed show on HBO has advertised the Jets as primary contenders in an unsettled division. As recently, the team wearing green in New York is overrated, unprepared, and incapable of riding to the Super Bowl.


But with plenty of talent and reinforcements, the Jets are capable of punching a ticket to Dallas. As it is, no one expected the Jets to begin the season 0-1, but at the New Meadowlands Stadium, particularly with a feel of desperation to avoid an 0-2 skid, the Jets will enter the game with a stronger, urgent mentality and partly because of its opponent. In many instances, the Jets seem very vulnerable and have to withstand the pressure as doubt becomes immense for a team which embodied much fluidity.

For now, of course, the Jets are a respectable pick to win the division, despite the slow start that can suddenly transform into a credible streak. But with all the adversity, New York is suddenly facing hard times. And ever since they collapsed on Monday Night Football in their season opener against Baltimore and accounted for the most penalty yards in 22 years, learned defensive star Kris Jenkins will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, and lastly, were accused by a female reporter who filed a harassment complaint against players and coaches, the Jets hit a downside.


In a way, this is a huge advantage for the Patriots. This is supposed to be an ecstatic game in the most intense atmosphere. The Pats will treat it as if they are contending for a playoff berth or like this is a postseason matchup, still upset over the revelations of Spygate. Back in the day, Jets owner Woody Johnson hired Eric Mangini from Belichick’s staff. From there, it sparked an ugly feud, and Belichick refused to talk to him as he clearly was viewed as a traitor for accepting the coaching gig in New York and converting to green attire. He simply broke NFL rules for spying on teams, publicly creating a fuss once the Jets exposed evidence of his secretive tapes. That explains why THE BRADY BUNCH hates the Jets, as well as BELICHEAT, right?

Exactly, end of discussion.

By working underneath the so-called mastermind, Mangini obviously knew all of Belichick’s secrets and infected schemes. Ever since then, the Pats disliked the Jets. Ever since then, the Jets disliked the Pats. So, it’s a mutual feeling of hate and bitterness, no doubt. And publicly announcing that a player strongly dislikes a team builds rivalries, and the Pats and Jets have become the biggest, most appealing rivals in the NFL. This isn’t just another game. This is a violent game with lots of implications.

The Pats and Jets are expected to collide with powerful blows and brutal contact, to spill blood all over the turf. How interesting we are gazing at yet another rivalry happening before our very eyes, more fun and exciting than the Lakers-Celtics, Yankees-Red Sox, North Carolina-Duke, or Candiens-Bruins. All that matters is a bitter rivalry on opposite sides. As it turns out, Ryan is bombastic and silly, but more than ever, he’s a flawless defensive specialist with innovative tactics to inhibit Brady’s passing display, another way to make his task miserable.


The problem is, of course, the Jets offense and Mark Sanchez’s miserable performance. In comparison, he’s a pretty boy as was Joe Namath, who recently tweeted “conservative play calling style,” referring to the Jets’ struggling offense.

Sanchez has the intangibles to be the best quarterback in the league, but as of now, his body language reveals frustration and paranoia terrified to hurl downfield passes and worried about throwing interceptions for an encore season, tossing a mere 22 picks last season, and pitifully lost 31-14 to the Patriots last November.

He badly tossed four interceptions, and New England’s top receiver Wes Welker caught 15 passes for 192 yards. But this time around, Sanchez is looking to rebound and get even with the demons standing in their way, just as the Pats are looking to maintain an edge over the Jets.

So here we go, ready to watch the Jets-Pats war.

Let the fight begin.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ YouTube 

Not Ready for Takeoff: Why the Overrated and Overhyped New York Jets Will Disappoint in 2010

by Josh Dhani on August 17, 2010

It seems that some in the media as well as many others throughout the blogosphere feel the New York Jets are the favorite to win the AFC East, if not the AFC itself. Some even feel they could be a top contender to win the Super Bowl.

There’s been quite a bit of hype about them lately, and if you ask me, it’s beginning to get annoying.

Am I the only one not buying into the New York Jets’ hype?

I don’t see them even making the playoffs, let alone dominating the AFC East, the AFC as a whole, or the entire NFL. Instead, I feel the Jets will fail their fans miserably, and will be a huge disappointment this upcoming 2010 season.

First, the Jets struggled to even make the playoffs last season. Now, how they did last year isn’t always a good indicator for how they’ll perform this year, but it does give you a starting point, as you have to look at why they struggled, and whether those areas have been addressed.

The Jets, even with a stacked defense and a solid offense struggled last year mainly because Mark Sanchez was just terrible. The defense was stacked with characters like Bart Scott and Darrelle Revis, and yet, the Jets still were lucky to get to 9-7 on the year largely because of Sanchez’ inability to lead his team.

Entering Week 16 of last year’s regular season, the Jets played their starters against the resting 14-0 Colts. In my view they got lucky with that win, as Indianapolis pretty much handed it to them. The same thing pretty much happened in Cincinnati. The Jets could have just as easily finished the season 7-9, and it was a surprise to me when they didn’t.

Largely overhyped by the New York media, Sanchez was lucky he had the luxury of an impressive defense, and even more fortunate he had such a solid rushing offense. Without those two elements, his flaws would likely have been even more exposed than they actually were.

However, Thomas Jones carried most of the load of that great rushing attack, and was the true leader on offense for the Jets. He’s now gone, and Jets fans deluded belief that Shonn Greene and/or LaDanian Tomlinson are going to easily shoulder that load are in for a rude awakening.

Even with an incredible offensive line, the Jets struggled last year at times, and with the departure of Thomas Jones, I see those struggles continuing. I just don’t see Mark Sanchez leading them to the Promised Land. I believe Jets fans are likely to see another year where his interceptions outpace his touchdowns.

New York has added some decent components, such as the aforementioned LT, as well as Santonio Holmes and Laverneous Coles on offense, and Antonio Cromartie and Jason Taylor on defense. However, I don’t see them being enough to improve this Jets squad from last year, and with their losses in personnel, I believe they could be worse unless Sanchez improves dramatically.

Laverneous Coles and LT are role players at best on this team, both of them well past their best days. LT has lost much of his speed, and won’t be juking-out any defenders or pulling out any flashy moves like he did in San Diego. Those days are gone forever. I give him one or two years before he finally hangs up his cleats.

Holmes is a good option, but those Jets fans who think he’s the equal of say…Fitzgerald or Moss are in for a big surprise. He’s nowhere near that talented. He’s strictly a possession receiver, and with Sanchez throwing to him rather than Ben Roethlisberger, I see his production dropping dramatically. Not to mention, Jets fans won’t even be seeing any action from him until Week Five.

When they do, they better keep their fingers crossed that he can help.

On the defensive side, they do have Kris Jenkins returning, and the addition of Jason Taylor will help a little, but I believe he’ll be nothing but a role player on this Jets squad, and won’t be anywhere near what he used to be.

Cromartie, on the other hand, will disappoint badly. I believe he’s highly overrated. He’s only had one good year so far in his career in my view, and that’s just not enough to believe he’s going to be a foundation for the Jets secondary. Couple that with the fact Revis might hold out because of rough contract negotiations, possibly not even playing this year, and the Jets would be screwed in the secondary.

In summary, I can’t really understand why people are hyping the Jets so much. To me, they’re overhyped and overrated. They have a tough AFC East to traverse this season, and are likely going to lose more games than they win against those division foes.

The New England Patriots are still there, with a now healthy Tom Brady. The Miami Dolphins are a dark horse in the division everyone should keep their eyes on, and Buffalo, while not the greatest team in the AFC, will probably steal a win against New York simply because they’re division rivals, and that’s how it goes down most times.

I have New York finishing third in the AFC East. Sorry, Jets fans, but I’m not buying into the hype.

Josh has been writing since January 2009 and founded FootBasket in April 2009. He also owns the websites, Hardcourt Mayhem and Gridiron Mayhem. For a full bio, check out JoshDhani.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshDhani

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ YouTube 

← Previous Entries