Let's face it, Flacco and Ryan both had bigtime running attacks last year. Sanchez is getting nothing all game long so it makes what he's doing even more impresssive. He's getting put tough situations for any QB and has answered the bell. The thing I'm liking is that he seems to always throw it to the right receiver. He may miss on a throw here or there, but generally he's not missing on a receiver. You don't see the wide open guy waving his arms in disgust becuase Sanchez didn't see him.
Every game he is less of a rookie. At this point he has taken a lot more snaps against some very tough teams than a lot of 2-nd year QBs who rode the pine their rookie year. And somehow we are 3-0. This couldn't be better. Look at Brees, one game in his rookie season. Then 3000+ yards in his second season. Rivers played in what, 3 games his first 2 seasons. Then when he started in 2006 and tore it up. Sanchez already has more experience than both these guys right before they tore it up. And he is backed by a band of lunatics. This is exciting.
I like the way he's had to throw on the run and still gets an accurate pass off. He's had many 3rd-and-longs as a result of poor YPC runs, so they're throwing the book at him on 3rd and long and he still executes. I can only imagine how effective he's going to be once we get some respect and they stop jamming the box. On Sunday, the whole key is running. We've got to run and convert and keep Brees off the field, it's the only way to win this game, IMO. Green is the spark we need on Sunday. I can see the headlines Monday morning: "Ganggreen Goes Greene!"
I know Sanchez could use a lot more help from the Running attack; however, i think we're averaging like 130 YPG, which is around 11th in the League. So it's not like there's absolutely no running game whatsoever.
Lack of a running game doesn't help him. If our running game were better, it would open things up for him more. He's being forced to throw on third and long a lot. Maybe you could argue this helps his confidence, but really, it's not good for the team.
Mark Sanchez has won games for us this year, there's no way we're 3-0 if it wasn't for his play esp on 3rd down. He's made great reads, only thrown 2 picks in 3 games (one pick was off Stuckey's hands)
Let me just say one little stats I just discovered. Matt Ryan's QB rating after 2008 = Sanchez's after 3 games.
Well, I agree with Salz in that we can't keep on making a living on 3rd and long and Sanchez has certainly had some "good experience" having done that and come out at 3-0. But let's face it. His development will only go to the next level if he has a better balance. With a running game, I can only imagine what that opens up and how much he'll improve then. I know I sound like a broken record and I apologize, but the key to sparking the running game is to insert Greene into the mix on Sunday. I'll light a fire under Jones and also the OL to try to get things moving again on the ground. I am at the point where I will be shocked if we don't bring Greene out this week. There is no better game to do it than this one. And, BTW... screw Jones if he doesn't like it. I know he's disgruntled over his contract and that's too bad. We have to do whatever we have to do to light a fire under the "Ground and Pound" game. It's the one missing ingredient that we need to fix to keep us on track for the playoffs this year.
Sanchez is doing very well given the pressure we've created by running to set up the pass (poorly) so far. He might be able to handle flipping the scheme and passing to set up the run at this point. Who'd have thought the Jet's rushing game would need an assist from the rookie QB at the quarter point of the season?
We had similar issues last season when they refused to insert Leon into some plays to create a spark. This is Schotty, IMO. He may be showing improvement, but he's also showing some stubborn areas of inflexibility. You just can't 'ground and pound' with a scatback runner and a cutback runner, only. You have to have a guy in there that will fight through tackles, and hit blitzing safeties head-on, and that's part of what we drafted Greene for. I've been highly critical of TJ, and he certainly deserves some of it, but when teams are laying the run defense on thick, you have to find something that works. Schotty hasn't. He's relied on Sanchez to make him look good. At some point, lack of experience is truly going to catch up with the rookie signal caller, and the running game needs to be effective when it happens. I have no earthly idea why they are dressing Greene to stand on the sidelines and watch the game.
If I'm Schottenheimer that's exactly what I'd be working on all week, flipping the attack scheme. Take some of those 3rd and long plays and use them on 1st downs here and there. My only criticism of Schotty is that I think we've been a little too predictable: up the middle, up the middle and now it's 3rd and 8. They're stacking and you're trying to go against that strength as opposed to taking that strength away.
I'm to the point where I'm going to be pissed if I DON'T see him on the field. There is no better game in which to introduce him. This is, of course, if he's healthy and ready to go.
I have no doubt that he's healthy. The Jets have been ultra-paranoid about listing every player that has even a minor injury on the injury report ever since the Favre nonsense happened. They haven't mentioned Greene since the Houston game.
I think it's a losing game, and you can't expect him to do this all season. As good as Stuckey and Keller have been the Jets are still somewhat thin in the passing game. They're an injury away from being at a serious disadvantage there. The running game is clearly this team's strength and needs to be fixed, ESPECIALLY when we get into December at the Meadowlands. Sanchez has sailed a few balls and his struggles with the wet weather on his grip the other day were slightly disconcerting. We need to get this Shonn Greene going if anything. -X-
I think Schotty needs to encourage Sanchez to check to pass more often when the box is stacked. He's done it at times, but we're outnumbered too often on first down to have consistent success running the ball. If Sanchez keeps catching them with there hand in the cookie jar, they'll stop selling out to stop the run.
Greene was on the field for the kneel downs apparently... I think he'll start getting playing time this week. I'd be amazed if he didn't after how poorly Jones played last week. If Jones starts off again the way he did last week, then Greene really needs to get out there and get some carries.
