Mark Sanchez

Assessing Mark Sanchez

As an impartial Giant fan, I am torn on Mark Sanchez.

 One part of me says this:

The guy has no quality receivers, a below-average offensive line, and no running backs that inject any fear whatsoever into opposing defenses. So why don’t we give the guy a break.

Another part of me says this:

Whenever you evaluate a young quarterback and his progression over his first few seasons, besides analyzing his statistics and how he has improved the team, you look for a certain attribute in which he particularly excels. If he has one exceptional attribute, you say, “Alright, there’s something there, if he can develop some other facets of his game…he can be a good quarterback in this league.”

For example, let’s take Matthew Stafford—the first overall pick in the same 2009 draft as Sanchez. Through his first four years Stafford has displayed some palpable flaws. He only played 13 games through his first two seasons which hinted physical fragility—and when he did play, he could be wildly inconsistent and inaccurate (13 td’s and 20 int’s in his rookie season). He has since avoided injuries, but actually still displays moments of wildly inconsistency and inaccuracy. However, Stafford is also blessed with one of the strongest arms in the NFL and can throw the deep ball better than almost anyone. Although he has seemingly regressed from his breakout season last year, those two attributes ultimately keep you from dismissing his overall ability. Those are two things that he does at an elite level.

Now, back to Sanchez. Let’s ask ourselves this: What does Mark Sanchez do exceptionally well? What trait does he possess that makes you excited?

(crickets)

(more crickets)

Is he especially accurate? No. Does he have a big arm? No. Does he read defenses and put his offense in a better position to make plays? No. Does he have above-average mobility? (Infer the correct answer).

When the Jets reached back-to-back AFC Championship games, Sanchez’s above-average attribute was considered to be a knack as a “winner”. But now that the Jets are losing, and when makes throws like this with his team’s playoff hopes on the line, and this, and this, the whole “this guys is a winner” notion has disappeared. Not only has Sanchez exhibited an alarming lack of progress in four seasons as an NFL quarterback, but his body language suggests that the National Football League has defeated him, that Tim Tebow’s media circus has defeated him, that the barrage of MetLife Stadium boos has defeated him—and as of today, we have found out that Greg McElroy has defeated him for the starting quarterback job.

Maybe Mark Sanchez is David Carr. Maybe Sanchez is dealing with a team so egregious that we cannot fairly assess his ability.

More likely, I think Mark Sanchez is Alex Smith. A quarterback who is not a first round caliber talent, but was drafted there to satisfy a desperate need for a QB-starving team. In result, expectations are too high, and eventually (like Smith), we find out they are just not good enough to start in the National Football League.

Maybe some coach can get his hands on Sanchez and resurrect his career like Smith last year. Maybe the Jets fire Ryan, keep Sanchez, and a guy like Norv Turner can design a system in which Sanchez excel. Maybe in five years, when some of us had forgotten about Mark Sanchez’s existence, he will take over for a failed-Matt Barkley and will his team to one last playoff run.

The more likely scenario: Mark Sanchez’s career will ultimately be remembered for his role this upcoming Sunday…a backup quarterback.

-Chris Collins

Follow Chris @ChrisCollins127

Follow Chris and PJ @IceBathReport