Sanchez: Jets can't afford loss to Jaguars
Mark Sanchez #6 of the New York Jets stands on the field before a pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. (Sept. 1, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- They won their first game of the season in dramatic fashion, placing the Jets among the 16 teams that won't have to start the season climbing out of a hole.
They're about to welcome in a team that resides in the AFC South, not one of their three AFC East rivals, games that Rex Ryan believes count for a game and a half in the standings. Yet Mark Sanchez is adamant the Jets have to win Sunday against the Jaguars at MetLife Stadium, all because it could have huge implications when December rolls around.
"Just an AFC opponent, it carries weight," Sanchez said Wednesday. "Our AFC record is what put us over the hump last year and got us that Buffalo game at home at the end, that whether we won or lost that game it wouldn't have mattered. So we had a chance to rest some of our starters.
"We want to be in a similar situation. We want to win our division, of course, but these AFC games are big if it comes down to crunch time and you're tied with someone in your division."
Good thing he'll be available to play. Sanchez was banged around in the season opener against the Cowboys, getting sacked on four occasions and taking six more hits. The training staff had Sanchez do some baseline tests after the game, but everything checked out fine.
"I feel good, felt like we just had a physical game and the training staff just wanted to be extra cautious and make sure I'm doing well," Sanchez said, "especially at the beginning of the season. So I can make it through the long haul."
Plaxico Burress was impressed by the bounce-back ability of his third-year quarterback.
"You wouldn't think a GQ cover guy would be as tough as he is," the wideout cracked. "But he's a tough guy. He'll battle through. It's not like sitting in the chair getting makeup brushed on, but he's a tough guy."
Here's something that's been equally tough for the Jets: scoring a touchdown during the first quarter. Including the postseason, the Jets haven't done that in their last 16 games.
"Something's got to change," Sanchez said. "Maybe it's our attitude. I think the playcalling's fine. We just need to convert on third down. Whether it's me throwing a more accurate ball or not getting sacked on the first play, that kind of stuff.''
Receiver Derrick Mason agreed.
"You never want to get in the habit of having to play catch-up, in any game," Mason said. "Dallas is a very good team, and lucky for us we caught a couple breaks toward the end of the game and stayed in it. We don't want to be known as the team that can't start fast.''
They also don't want to get lost in a mirage, thinking everything is all good just because the offense finally got into gear late.
"It's huge to win at all costs,'' Sanchez said, "and the way we won was dramatic and soap opera-ish with the Ryan Bowl, Sept. 11 and Nick Folk kicking the game-winner. But it can't get lost that we need to get sharper on offense. I can't be the reason that we turn the ball over two times. Whether it's the no-huddle or whatever, we just need to start faster and sustain a couple of more drives and be better in the red zone.
"That stuff [can] get lost in, 'Hey, we won and we're all smiling,' and it doesn't."
