This past Friday the New York Jets officially did what many of us thought they would do and released Quarterback (QB) Mark Sanchez in order to make room to sign veteran QB Michael Vick.
Mark Sanchez was a great New York Jet.
I know what you’re thinking here. Phil must have been recording all night and has temporarily lost his mind. Maybe you’re thinking he’s been day drinking or spent too much time in the sun hitting tennis balls with his students or maybe he’s finally demonstrating that he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. Surely Phil must have seen the “butt fumble” that made Sanchez a laughing stock on Youtube and Social media?
I saw this and I saw all the interceptions and bad decisions that seemed to plaque this former 1st round draft choice in his less than spectacular 2011-2012 NFL seasons. I saw the interceptions and bad decisions but I also saw a team with zero receivers and a horrendous offensive line. I won’t make excuses for him but it is what it is.
I was one of his worst critics during that time and rightly so. He was awful. He did make bad decisions; some based on bad personnel and others based on immaturity. Sanchez was an easy target with his on the field miscues and his off the field romances. Playing in the media fish bowl of New York certainly didn’t help him either.
You know what I won’t forget? Mark Sanchez led my New York Jets to the AFC Championship his first two seasons in the League. He was the first rookie to win his first three starts and third on the list of All-Time post season road victories (4) tying him with Jake Delhomme, Len Dawson and Roger Staubach. Sanchez is also tied with Joe Flacco for most playoff wins by a rookie (2) and tied with Ben Roethlisberger for most consecutive conference games appeared in his first two seasons (2). He also holds or shares numerous New York Jets records as well including most career post season wins by a QB (4), longest TD pass in a playoff game (80 in 2009), most passing yards in a single season by a rookie QB (2,444), most game winning drives by a QB in a single season (6 in 2010) and tied with Ken O’Brien most wins in a single 16 game season by a starting QB (11 in 2010).
For me what will always stand out are those four playoff victories. Its one thing to win playoff games but to accomplish this in the unfriendly climate of post season road stadiums in your first two seasons in the League is remarkable and shouldn’t and probably won’t be forgotten by Jets fans.
I know I won’t.
On today’s Phil Naessens Show we took a closer look at the top running backs of this seasons NFL Draft, talked San Antonio Spurs basketball and much more. You can listen below or download the program to your portable listening device by right clicking the image below.
[audio http://media.blubrry.com/philnaessensshow/archive.org/download/ThePhilNaessensShow3-26-2014/Pns3-26-2014.mp3]
