Our friend Larry asks whether Mark Sanchez is the greatest rookie Playoff quarterback of all time on his statistical blog.
So far, among rookie QBs in NFL history, Sanchez has the highest total playoff rating as well as the highest playoff rating in a single game. Although his performance against San Diego was nothing special, he did enough to win. Like Philip Rivers, his counterpart, he only really made one bad decision. In each case, they resulted in interceptions. Unlike Rivers, Sanchez has Darrelle Revis on his team, who made a fantastic play for Rivers’ other interception. We’ll see if Sanchez and the Jets can continue their success, but so far, Sanchez looks like he’s trying to make his claim to best rookie QB to start a playoff game.
To be fair there isn't a ton of competition. Not too many rookies have started Playoff games. Teams with rookie quarterbacks starting usually aren't very good. They're just trying to get a young player some experience. Clubs with a lot of talent don't want to be held back by a guy taking on the job training.
With that said, Sanchez was terrific against the Bengals. Against San Diego Larry points out he didn't do a ton. The important thing is he has looked comfortable and confident. He looked overwhelmed at times in the middle of the regular season. The Colts game seemed to be a turning point. Mark realized how good his defense and run game are. If he avoids making dumb decisions, the Jets have a great shot at winning. The Jets don't need him to do much, which makes his situation a lot easier than many rookies have.