Can Sanchez raise his game vs. Pats?

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

The dramatic comeback victory over Peyton Manning's Colts wasn't even an hour old when Mark Sanchez already was thinking ahead to what comes next.

Sanchez had just put the Jets in position to beat the Colts, 17-16, with a last-minute drive that set up Nick Folk's 32-yard field goal with no time left. It was the latest in a string of clutch performances for Sanchez, who became the first quarterback in Jets history to win three playoff games. But all he could think about was trying to win that fourth one against a team that absolutely obliterated the Jets the last time they played.

"As thrilled as I am, I know I'm going to have to play a lot better, because that kind of performance in the first half will get you beat," Sanchez said, thinking back to last month's 45-3 loss to the Patriots.

It was as if Sanchez already was playing the game in his mind. As he thought back to what happened in one of his worst games, he envisioned all the things he had to do differently in Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game at Gillette Stadium.

"I need to get completions early, get in a rhythm a lot sooner, because you can't get down against those guys," he said. "You saw what happened the last time we played them. We have a lot of respect for that team, and we'll need our best effort in a tough environment."

So forget about Rex Ryan's ploy Monday to take the pressure off his players and put it on his broad shoulders. No matter what Ryan says, this one will come down to whether Sanchez can raise his level of play against a 14-2 Patriots team with very few weaknesses.

He failed miserably in last month's stage game on a Monday night. Sanchez was 17-for-33 for 164 yards with three interceptions, and joined the rest of the Jets' players and coaches in one of the most humiliating losses in franchise history. Sanchez had only eight completions in the first half, and all three interceptions came in the second half, when the Jets tried desperately to come back from a 24-3 deficit.

The stakes are raised exponentially in the rematch, with a trip to the AFC Championship Game on the line. But Sanchez's teammates expect the second-year quarterback to elevate his game despite the daunting circumstances. They think Sanchez will be a money player once again in a big spot.

"Mark seems to forget about everything else that has happened throughout the game and play his best football at the most critical times in the game," running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. "He's very resilient."

Fullback Tony Richardson sees a different player in Sanchez this time of year.

"He seems a lot calmer," Richardson said. "A lot of it is from playing at USC. You're not playing small ball there. You're playing big-time football, regardless of whether he [started] for only a year. That atmosphere is like a pro style system. He was raised the right way, and USC always expected him to play well on the big stage. Now, coming to New York, it really doesn't faze him. It's different for a kid coming from, say, Alabama-Birmingham, whose biggest game is his first NFL game."

Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said Sanchez's performance in last year's playoffs, coupled with Saturday night's road win over the Colts, shows that the 24-year-old quarterback plays beyond his years with the season on the line.

"He's played in a lot of big games, and he knows how to respond in those situations," Cotchery said. "Last year, he did a great job in the playoffs, and he was playing well, not just being on the team. He enjoys these moments."

It doesn't guarantee that Sunday's performance against the Patriots will be any better than last month's nightmare. But given Sanchez's track record, it shouldn't surprise anyone if he at least puts the Jets in a position in which they can remain competitive.

"He's cool, calm and collected in these situations, and that's what you want to see," center Nick Mangold said of his quarterback. "He seems to enjoy these big moments."

No bigger moment than Sunday. Sanchez insists he'll be ready. No pressure, kid. It's only all up to you.