I didn't like what I saw from Mark Sanchez yesterday. I don't mean the red zone interception. I don't mean his inability to get rid of the ball in his own end zone. I mean on Darren Sharper's run back for a touchdown. Sanchez got flagged for an illegal block below the knees.
Why does this bother me? He did the exact same thing on an interception return against the Texans. I can handle fumbles and interceptions. Sanchez isn't seasoned. There are going to be times when he doesn't protect the football the way he should. This is the second time he's made a dumb penalty that had nothing to do with the outcome of the play. His block was against a blocker. Nobody else was near the area to possibly make a tackle. He just took out a defender for no reason. I expect mistakes. I don't expect mistakes that silly twice. He didn't learn his lesson from the first week.
What's the big deal? The Saints got to kick from their 45. That meant they could boot it into the stands for a touchback, and Leon Washington had no chance to get his hands on the ball and make a play. Who knows what could have happened? Maybe it ends up being a different game.
Do you think this is a bad sign, or am I making too much out of one play?