I'd say he was in the 10-15 range his 2nd year. Statistics aside. He's regressed like crazy since then though. Team just couldn't build off that momentum, made plenty of dumb decisions ending with the Tebow acquisition.
Well sure statistics aside you can say he was top 5 if you want, but if you use the common statistics to gauge a QB by he was bottom 5.
Wins are more important than common statistics. Mark was crucial in getting us to the AFCCG that year. Weeks 2 through 4, weeks 8-10. 7 out of 11 wins behind the arm of Mark Sanchez. Against the Patriots in the playoffs, he was flawless. He hasn't been the same player since the AFCCG in Pittsburgh
Sanchez, in 2010, threw the deep ball at a decent rate, but connected at a very low percentage. You can't compare Sanchez and Flacco, especially in terms of the deep ball. Tanny made mistakes, but there seems to be some real revisionist history going on in terms of the Edwards situation. Many NFL pundits, during that short off season (which was also a contributing factor), said that the Jets could/should lock up only one receiver. A case was made for both; one can argue that the majority thought keeping Holmes made more sense (that also includes the fans). Braylon also wanted a bigger contract than what he deserved at the time. This was clearly evident when many teams passed up on signing him; thus forcing him to sign with the 49ers for less than what he was previously asking for.
Edwards dropped a bunch of bombs in 2009. Maybe, he had one big drop in 2010, but I remember him being much more sure handed. The problem with letting Edwards walk is who did they replace him with? Burress, had no speed going deep so airing it out there was pretty pointless, unless you just wanted to turn the ball over or have 20% chance of completing at best. We had zero deep threat in 2011. Partly because we had no one who could get deep and partly because we couldn't protect the qb long enough for play to develop. Before, Sanchez confidence was shattered in 2011 he was serviceable QB just like Flacco. IMO Flacco has the confidence now and he was developed accordingly. I still don't think Flacco is a great QB though and I definitely don't think he is elite. He is a dumber, slower less accurate Roethlisburger. Stone Statue with a great running game in Rice and a cannon for an arm.
Flacco, statistically, has pretty much always been better than Sanchez. In terms of deep passing efficiency, I wasn't trying to highlight Edwards' drops, which as you said in 2010 wasn't an issue, I was trying to point out that Sanchez himself was generally inaccurate with the deep ball. Sure I agree that Plaxico wasn't a suitable replacement, but that's how free agency in the NFL is a good percentage of the time. There isn't always going to be a suitable replacement for a player.
Flacco has an organization who knows how to build around him to help him succeed. It is as simple as that. He cleaned up, was given playmakers, and a defense. OH shap, SB won!!!111!!!111
There are so many factors I would include in this. One, Sanchez i believe has been less focused, especially in 2011. Seems like the kid was banging every piece of pussy he saw where in 2009 they said he was a "gym rat". 2) major protection issues, especially on the right side of the line. 3) That road trip Oakland, Balt and New england (sanchez never came back from that) there are so many more things to say like bringing in Tebow, the lack of offensive weapons and even the New York media loving the Jets like no other team in sports history. we are soo loveable The biggest glaring difference from when we were a winning football team to now is the lack of a dominant running game. GET BACK TO THE BASICS, FORGET ABOUT THIS WCO BULLSHIT, PLAY DEFENSE, RUN THE FOOTBALL AND BOOTLEG PLAY ACTION PASS. also, in the NFL, your offense has to be able to execute a HB screen. it is absolutely amazing that we cannot achieve this simple, essential and basic pop warner play.
We are not worthy!:beer: Great post-I was never a huge fan because I never felt he was real comfortable in the pocket but they guy has a very live arm, stands tall and steps up in the pocket and can make the long throws with very little effort. In order to win against the best you have to do more than manage the game you have to be able to make tight throws and get the ball down field without being perfectly set. Flacco managed the games and made great throws because he has that ability and arm. You saw it and put it in writing. Nicely done.
And let's credit Eli and Flacco for improving year to year. They easily could have stalled and never improved with the help. It's not a one sided thing equation. If it was so easy to develop somebody into a QB then there wouldn't be half the league searching for these QBs.
I think the decline in O line play, in 2011 is overstated. Granted, Wayne Hunter was bad, but over the course of the season, the line wasn't anywhere close to the worst in the league. The references to the Ravens game as Sanchez's demise is an excuse. Do you remember the Giants and Bears game in 2010, where Cutler was sacked 9 times in the first half alone. It was so bad he had to be taken out at the end of the half and replaced by his backup (who also got abused and subsequently taken out). Even with the worst pass protection in the league that year, Cutler still put up better numbers than Sanchez ever did; they even made it to the NFC Championship. I'm not saying that having a good oline isn't necessary. I'm just pointing out that Sanchez's failures fall more on Sanchez than anything else.
You live in a world where the Jets haven't won shit in 44 years. You live in a world where a top 10 QB pick's most memorable moment is a buttfumble in front of the entire nation on Thanksgiving nite. You live in a world where your HC has a tattoo of his dysfunctional Qb's jersey covering his naked wife.. You're really surprised? Seriously?
Just goes to show also how much success is down to luck - if the niners hadn't been hit with that illegal formation play on their first drive or the offside that led to the Ravens getting another shot on 3rd down that led to their first TD then 99% likely the Niners would've won that game and no-one would be talking about Flacco today.
