NY Jets 2013 QB Overview

With Tim Tebow no longer a New York Jet we can now get an idea of where the jets stand, as far as their QB's are concerned. Where better to start than with Mark Sanchez. Saying that Mark Sanchez has had a roller coaster career with Gang Green is a major understatement. From a rough rookie season and back to back AFC Championship appearances (both losses) to back to back seasons without a playoff birth and the infamous Tim Tebow circus act, Sanchez finds himself in a tough situation. He practically remained a Jet because of the $8 million of guaranteed money and the Jets backed that inference up by drafting QB Geno Smith. It is easy to point the finger at Sanchez and blame him for their performance the past 2 seasons but the honest truth is he remains their best option at QB. Geno Smith is a rookie who needs to sit on the sidelines and watch and learn before he starts. New York is not the friendliest place to play, especially now because their patience has pretty much run out. New York demands a playoff birth and a championship, they don't want to suffer through 2-3 seasons of rebuilding. Sanchez is an experienced veteran and he knows how to win games. He is an excellent playoff QB and his performance in January games speak for themselves. If the Jets were to throw Geno Smith into the fire right now, he will not have a chance in New York because the expectations are too high. Now had the Jets won a Superbowl recently maybe the fans and the organization could accept a few seasons of rebuilding but that is not the scenario right now. With Tebow out of the picture Sanchez can begin to build his mental toughness. He does need to stay a few steps ahead of Geno Smith but that is still a better scenario than the one he was in last season. The real problem for the Jets are the Wide Receivers. They have Santonio Holmes who has been inconsistent as of late and a very solid slot receiver, Jeremy Kerley. They are in desperate need of a reliable #2 WR who can get separation from man coverage. Last season, no one was able to create space and get open from man coverage. The QB's had no one to throw to, there wasn't a deep threat on the roster, and more importantly there were multiple injuries throughout the entire season. The running game is another area of concern. With Mike Goodson and Chris Ivory in the backfield, the Jets are taking a gamble because these players haven't proved themselves yet. They have the potential to become great players but who knows if that potential will shine through this season. The bottom line is that there are many question marks on this team. Question marks like Kellen Winslow, Geno Smith, Chris Ivory, and Mark Sanchez. There are a little too many of them for the comfort of Jets fans but the good thing is if these players can play well this season and rebound from last season, there is a realistic chance here that the Jets can make the playoffs.