New York Jets Problem: Turnover Prone Quarterback

by John B on Oct 4, 2011 4:30 PM EDT

We will now go to the weakness everybody talks about, erratic quarterback play.

The Problem: Mark Sanchez continues to improve, but he turns the ball over too much. He has eight in four games, and at least seven were primarily his fault. He is also still prone to disastrous games like Sunday where his poor play gives his team no chance to win.

Who Is to Blame? I guess Sanchez, but he is a developing quarterback. This comes with the territory. I guess you could blame Mike Tannebaum for not taking Joe Flacco in 2008 or Josh Freeman instead in 2009, but the jury is still out on whether these guys will go down as better quarterbacks.

Viable Options to Fix the Problem: The most obvious would be signing David Garrard to replace Mark, a guy who could avoid big mistakes and allow the Jets to use their defense to win games. That will not happen, though. The Jets have invested two years and a ton of money in Sanchez. It would not be the right move either. Yes, Sanchez's mistakes are bad, but he has also become a big play guy in the passing game. Pretty much every Super Bowl winner reaches a point where the quarterback needs to make plays to beat an elite opponent no matter how good its defense is. Why is the name Trent Dilfer so famous now? Dilfer was literally the one recent exception who was never really tested. The odds of another Dilfer winning the Super Bowl are relatively low. It will happen once in a decade. Sanchez is a better option to make the necessary plays to win big games. He has done it already. Fans can only hope the mistakes will lessen with experience.

Prognosis: Sanchez has become kind of like post 2001 Brett Favre. He makes some incredible throws and has some monster games. He also makes some cringe worthy throws and has some mind numblingly bad outings. He has consistently gotten better from his rookie year, and Sunday nonwithstanding has ably handled an increased role. As he gets more experience, he will continue to improve. He does seem to focus in big spots. Perhaps that will carry over to the other games.

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The Shotty Effect

An inconsistent coach leads to an inconsistent young QB. The change this year was drastic in how much we were throwing the ball and the emphasis on giving him more freedom. Shotty really isn’t helping the kid by putting him in a position to win with consistent play calling. It’s almost like he’s tinkering with a toy and never letting is sit.

My confusion is why they had to go about doing both at once. He’s really young football wise, why ask him to flip the run-pass ratio and have the added pressure of taking the reins completely off. It’s like going from a Trike to Bike without training wheels. For example, keep the red/green baby system but call a high passing ratio or gradually start throwing more but let him audible occasionally. Both at the same time just threw him into the fire, quite pointedly last week.

It’s hard to blame Sanchez for Sunday he was taking hit after hit, some legal, some not (On two INTs, in fact) and was totally cashed in the 4th. The look on his face made me feel bad for the guys and he’s a millionaire that was just in GQ. He’s probably had that, “Bad Day” song playing in his head.

I think he’ll be fine but he needs a system taylored to him not him thrown in a any old system.

by Timmaht on Oct 4, 2011 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

Exactly. Our system is not bad, but it doesn't play to sanchez's strengths. Both need to adjust until something else happens.

by jets4life24 on Oct 4, 2011 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Well said

Every time he got hit it was blindsided!!! If he was Peyton Manning someone would have gotten fired. I have never seen somebody get blindsided so many times in 1 game

by bllackkman on Oct 5, 2011 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

if he was peyton manning, he would have audibled to an appropriate play and blocking

by dar9898 on Oct 5, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions

How about we get him some pass blocking..

The god awful pass blocking sets Sanchez up to fail.

by RhodesRocks on Oct 4, 2011 5:07 PM EDT reply actions

Its time to go back to the GROUND & POUND

until further notice

by CervezaVerde on Oct 4, 2011 6:23 PM EDT reply actions

I never criticize the quality of the articles here.

But this one qualifies as the worst. Garrard? Really?
Sanchez is getting pounded because of the line. Hard to evaluate anything he does beyond that.
’My house is falling down because it was built on a broken down foundation. Stupid house!!"

Sorry, had to say it.

I only pull for the New York Jets.

by James Calvin on Oct 4, 2011 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

exactly!

Sanchez has the skills and ability to be a great QB. Just look at the game against the Patriots. He was essentially flawless.. Of course, we had Mangold and Woody on the O-Line. Give hime a better O-Line and we can get back to being that quarterback. This is his year, but we have to give him a chance.

by Rei34 on Oct 4, 2011 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Never look at a Pats D and say, "Hey we did a good job against them."

Their defense is currently last in the league I believe and they weren’t much better last year. Obviously, you are right here about the line, but even with a good line he has too limit his hiccups on reading the field.

by Timmaht on Oct 5, 2011 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions

second this ^

by dulciusXasperis on Oct 5, 2011 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions

It was the best viable option,

not the option he recommends. The fact the Garrard is the only option at QB for a “Turnover Prone Quarterback” mean there really is no option out there. If he wasn’t asking for starter money it would be a smart idea to bring him in if Sanchez gets injured as we may be better off putting Kerley in there at QB to run for his life the have father time be in there to get injured on his first pass call.

by Timmaht on Oct 5, 2011 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions