Mark Sanchez gave his input to the media on his benching after his anemic performance against the Cardinals. Sanchez had the following words to say:
"I think [Ryan] was more or less sending a message.It's well received. I know. I got it. It was probably the worst and best experience of my life. Hopefully you learn from it and move on and never look back."
Well Mark ... simply put... no s**t coach is trying to send a message. The whole organization and fan base have tried numerous times to send a message to Sanchez. If this was his wake up call, he answered it a little late.
Sanchez has been heckled and booed all season for his lackluster play. The Thanksgiving Day debacle was perhaps the lowest of all lows. Fans invested money on a holiday to see their beloved team play. They took time away from family events and traditions to see a quality game be played. All that will be remembered is the horrible performance (from the whole team, not just Sanchez) of the Jets that resulted in a Patriots win.
Sanchez will be remembered for the "butt fumble"... a play that summarizes his season to date... pretty much "ass" awful. No quarterback, wether it be a rookie or veteran find themselves in that kind of scenario. It was a botched play, and Sanchez tried to salvage something...knowing his skill set and line he should have just gone down. One should be surprised if that national mockery wasn't a wake up call.
Sanchez should've taken the Tebow acquisition as a wake up call. He should not have felt threatened by Tebow's capability. He wasn't going to lose his starting job. What should have occurred was a time that Sanchez should have been assertive and declared himself as the sole leader of the team. He should have denounced any quarterback controversy and earned locker room respect. Sanchez often avoids sticking up for himself (many of the times he has no real excuse), but he should have been more assertive this summer. If he did take a stand it could have defused any controversy to date.
One can argue that Sanchez lacks the talent he had in the past. It's valid, however it's just an excuse. A good quarterback can help develop talent and manage games. Sanchez does not need to have gaudy numbers to win. He needs to be a tactician and utilize what is available to him. Some situations are personnel issues... however bone head plays, lame duck throws, improper footwork, and decision making are not. That is a sign of regression that can't be pinpointed to weak talent.
It could be said that this whole season is a wake up call for Sanchez. He needs to question himself and ask what does he want to be remembered for. He never had complete fan affection, but he had respect. Sanchez has potential and is coachable. Perhaps coaching changes have effected his play, but Sanchez needs to soul search and ask what --if any-- kind of leader he wants to be.
Facts and numbers don't lie. Sanchez most likely will be in New York next year, and probably will start. His contract is tying him down, but it should motivate him to play for the value of it. He has post season numbers, which probably effected Ryan's decision to start him. Sanchez's wake up call was dialed many times this season. He needs to answer it and prove that it worked.



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