Mark Sanchez can silence skeptics with Jets win

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

Rex Ryan said it Monday, and he said it again Tuesday, and he was right both times. The Jets are better than the Giants, and have been most of the time since Ryan arrived as the Jets' coach in 2009.

"Facts are facts," he said, referring, among other things, to the Jets' 4-0 edge in playoff victories in that span and, presumably, to their slightly better record so far in 2011.

But the tale of the tape shows one particularly important position at which the Giants have a clear edge: yup, quarterback.

Ryan reminded reporters Tuesday that he called Eli Manning an "elite" quarterback early this season, and linebacker Bart Scott said he, too, considers Manning among the NFL's "elite."

Even Mark Sanchez's most avid supporters don't tend to throw that term around (although Ryan did call him that in August).

All of which makes the quarterback matchup one of the fascinating subplots of Saturday's Giants-Jets postseason death match at MetLife Stadium, and presents Sanchez with an excellent opportunity.

If the Jets win and Sanchez plays well -- especially if he outplays Manning -- he'll take another big step in winning over his many remaining skeptics.

Maybe that's unfair, given all Sanchez has done already. But such is life in the quarterback spotlight, something Manning grew up understanding but which Sanchez has had to learn on the job.

If he bombs in the quadrennial showdown and the Jets don't reach the playoffs, Sanchez will not hear the end of it until something big happens in 2012 or beyond. If he wins, well, that would be much better.

This is the life these guys have chosen.

Who does Sanchez look to for how to deal with such ups and downs in the New York sports spotlight? As Manning has before, Sanchez cited Derek Jeter as a role model.

"I think Jeter's done a great job," he said. "He's been a captain of his team, had the most amount of pressure of anybody, very similar to a quarterback. That's a great example.''

Then Sanchez added someone with whom he has more in common, and who has been on the job five years longer: Manning himself.

"I think he does a great job, off the field and on the field," Sanchez said.

Like Manning, Sanchez has proven durable, but he will go into Saturday's game with a somewhat mysterious neck ailment that landed him on the injury report. Ryan hesitated before characterizing it, looking to the Jets' public relations chief for guidance, but he downplayed any concern.

Sanchez took all but two first-team practice repetitions and refused to go into detail about what he was experiencing, insisting he feels "great."

"It has just been a little sore," he said. "I've taken some good shots but it is part of the game; you just keep going."

Sanchez left the field Sunday with his right arm hanging after a seemingly innocuous hit by the Eagles' Jason Babin. The last time he was listed with a neck injury was after the Nov. 17 loss to the Broncos; the Jets won their next three after that one.

Now they likely need a two-game winning streak to get them into the postseason for the third time in three seasons, with bonus points for probably knocking the Giants out in the process.

If they make it three wins in a row by advancing past the wild-card round again, Sanchez would have five playoff victories.

If you're scoring at home, that would be one more than Manning.