Sanchez Impressive In Thursday Practice

Jets' Sanchez Caps Impressive Practice With 2 TDs


Aug 20, 6:59 PM (ET)

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.

CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) -Mark Sanchez scrambled behind the line of scrimmage, his eyes locked in on the end zone.

The New York Jets rookie quarterback reared back, zipped a pass into Brad Smith's hands for a touchdown and celebrated as if he'd just won a game. Sanchez did it again on his next pass a few minutes later, capping another solid training camp practice Thursday.

"The last play of the game, you've got to have it, win or lose," coach Rex Ryan said. "He had to scramble on both of them. Found an open guy, showed good vision downfield and then threaded the needle."

Sanchez, competing with Kellen Clemens for the starting job, was having a good practice until kicking it up a notch with his last two tosses. He finished 7 for 14 in 11-on-11 drills, while Clemens was 4 for 7 with two interceptions on the day before the team wraps up camp at SUNY Cortland.

"In all fairness to Kellen, he's been around here a long time and if I'm going to play, I need to earn it," Sanchez said. "That's the right thing to do. I thought that was the right thing for the organization to do. That's what I've done, just competing like crazy to give Coach a reason to put me on the field, and when I get my opportunities, try and make the most of it."

He certainly has done so. Despite a mostly mediocre week that followed a sizzling debut against St. Louis last Friday, Sanchez appears to hold a slight edge over Clemens in the competition.

"We've had fun through this whole camp," Sanchez said. "I want to peak at the right time and finish this camp strong and have fun with it and hopefully run away."

Ryan said early in camp that he'd like to select a starter by the third preseason game against the Giants on Aug. 29. He has softened on that, saying he doesn't want a set deadline. But if Sanchez sparkles in his first NFL start at Baltimore on Monday night, the rookie could all but lock things up.

"This is a big-time Monday night game," Sanchez said. "It's as close to a real game as possible. I'm so excited to try and build on last week. I think that's the main focus. That doesn't necessarily mean I have to throw the ball deep every first play I get in."

Sanchez, who came in after Clemens started against the Rams, threw a 48-yard strike to David Clowney on his first NFL pass. So, any plans to come out throwing again against Baltimore?

"I can't tell you," Sanchez said, laughing. "Ed Reed's watching."

And so is Ryan and the rest of the Jets organization.

"If Coach is looking to make a decision, then we're coming down it," Clemens said. "We have a few practices possibly and the one game left. I don't think that the coach's decision on who is going to start is going to come out of the one game."

Clemens has had a solid week of practices after going 4 for 4 for 24 yards against St. Louis. He also was 4 for 4 working with the second-team offense Thursday until he was picked off by Rashad Barksdale and Drew Coleman on consecutive passes, the second coming in red-zone drills.

"It was the last play of the game," said Clemens, who has 12 interceptions to Sanchez's five. "You've got to throw it somewhere. Drew Coleman actually came off his guy on the outside and came in to make a great play. You never want a pick, but there are some situations where it is less hurtful than others."

Ryan was complimentary of both quarterbacks after practice, saying Clemens' grasp of the offense is "ridiculous."

"He knows where it all goes with the motions, the shifts," Ryan said, "and can get everybody lined up."

He then went on to rave about the rookie.

"Sanchez knows what he's doing," Ryan said. "He knows the routes. He knows all that. I'm not so sure he knows the blocking patterns. I would say (Clemens) is way ahead there. He gives himself a chance to be physical. In other words, let his physical talents and abilities show because he knows what he's doing."

If Clemens earns the starting role, Ryan said he wouldn't be wary of pulling him - or anyone else - if they struggle.

"If Kellen wins the job, then obviously we think at that time he's the right guy for the job," Ryan said. "You treat him like any other starting quarterback in the league. I'm not a guy who says, 'Well, you're a starter, that's it. I'm not going to yank you out of a game.' That's not true. I can yank a defensive tackle out of a game, yank a corner out of the game. It would be just like any other position."

NOTES: DT Sione Pouha, working with the first team while Kris Jenkins (left calf) returns to full strength, rolled an ankle. Ryan said it wasn't serious. ... CB Darrelle Revis (left hamstring) took part in some team drills, clearing himself to practice, before Ryan pulled the Pro Bowl player. "We've just got to be smart," Ryan said. "We can't have a foolish setback."