Mark Sanchez Must Step Up for Jets to Win

Mark Sanchez threw no interceptions in the opener. How many people would have signed on for that had it been offered a week ago? The problem is he made absolutely no plays. Sanchez said the following in a press conference this week:

 It was tight.  We didn’t want to try and take a shot and mess something up.  Why do that, when you can play into a win, hopefully, without any mistakes?  (If) you play mistake free, you can run away with that game, and hats off to Baltimore for playing so smart. 

I'm not sure Sanchez actually believes that. Doing absolutely nothing in the passing game gives a team no shot of running away with the game and every chance of losing. It is not an either/or matter. A team needs to both eliminate mistakes and make plays. Making plays means taking chances.

The Pats are going to do everything they can to take away the run based on what they saw Monday. They flashed 4 man lines of players over 295 pounds last week against the Bengals.  One of them is Vince Wilfork, who will keep Nick Mangold occupied. The Pats also have a pair of big linebackers adept at playing the run, Brandon Spikes and Jerrod Mayo. They also can drop a safety into the box if the Jets play conservatively.

The Pats will dare the Jets to throw it. Unless Sanchez steps up and does not simply look to avoid mistakes, it is difficult to see Gang Green coming out on top.