Sanchez-to-Holmes: It has a ring to it
FLORHAM PARK, N.J.
With time for only one more play and the Jets needing a touchdown to win the game, Mark Sanchez faded back in the pocket looking for an open receiver.
Under a heavy rush, he was forced to scramble outside the pocket to his left, and he saw out of the corner of his eye that Santonio Holmes was covered in the end zone.
Hoping that Holmes could quickly figure out the quarterback's intentions, Sanchez threw the ball to the corner of the end zone. Holmes read the play correctly and made a diving catch to win the game.
The two celebrated wildly, with Sanchez running over and holding out his arms like an airplane -- it's the preferred touchdown dance for the Jets' "Flight Boys" -- and Holmes adding a leaping chest bump.
OK, so the play came at the end of a practice session last week, and it was a simulation of the last play of the game on the final play of practice. But it was an important moment for Sanchez and Holmes nonetheless, an indication of the unspoken chemistry that has developed between them in the past year.
"That was a sweet catch; oh, my God," Sanchez said when I asked him about the play. "I thought it was better than the Super Bowl catch that he had a couple of years ago. I thought it was better than the Houston Texans catch [last season]. It was sick. Even guys on defense looked like, 'Man!' "
OK, so maybe it really wasn't on par with Holmes' winning catch against the Cardinals in the final minute of Super Bowl XLIII. But you get the idea. Sanchez thinks it was the clearest indication yet that his relationship with Holmes has progressed to the point that they can become one of the top quarterback-receiver threats in the league.
"I won't agree with that one," Holmes said of Sanchez calling it a better play than his Super Bowl catch, on which he somehow kept both feet in bounds while making the reception in the end zone. "But it was a pretty good catch. To have it at the end of practice in a simulated game mode against our No. 1 defense was a great play for us and a great way to start building chemistry on knowing where to be at the right time."
Sanchez-to-Holmes. It's a connection both players think will occur plenty in the months and years ahead. And why not? Even in the 12 games they've played together, the quarterback-receiver combo has shown several flashes of brilliance.
Such as the 52-yard pass that set up the Jets' overtime win over the Lions. Or the 37-yard touchdown pass to Holmes in overtime in Cleveland a week later. And the winning 6-yard TD pass from Sanchez to Holmes in a dramatic 30-27 victory over Houston a week after that.
And yes, Sanchez includes his "game-winning" scoring pass to Holmes the other day on his list of accomplishments with his favorite receiver.
"You get a guy who does that in practice, it's no surprise why he can do it on game day," Sanchez said. "There was no communication about that; that was something that just kind of happened, and the last play of the game and he makes a huge catch, so that's pretty cool."
Best pass of camp?
"Let me think,'' Sanchez said. "Maybe the one completion against Revis [previously in camp] is like a little victory. I kind of went like 1-for-50 [against Revis].''
Holmes agreed the communication with Sanchez has improved remarkably in their short time together. The play in practice was the surest indication.
"Sanchez saw the void and threw the ball by the [end zone] pylon," Holmes said. "I knew where he was going to put the ball and was able to make a good play. Sanchez put it to where only I could catch it, and we ended up winning the game.''
Sanchez-to-Holmes.
Get used to it.
