Sanchez ready to step on the pedal

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Picture a chromed-out, fully loaded Maserati or a plush Bentley sitting on 22-inch rims, complete with the best interior options money can buy.

Imagine someone tossing the keys in your direction and telling you the ride is all yours - but by the way, there are some limitations on exactly what you can do while seated behind the wheel of this immaculate automobile.

That was the way things were for Mark Sanchez as a rookie last season.

"I feel like last year, they give you the keys to this car, but they kind of taped over some of the special buttons, you know what I mean?" the quarterback told Newsday. "This year, it's important for me to understand when it's time to hit the boosters, hit the hydraulics or whatever.

"That analogy suits it so well because it was a pretty sweet machine last year, and this thing has so many gadgets. It's about knowing when to use those as your tools. So it's important to show that I can handle that freedom and thrive under that added pressure."

Sanchez transformed toward the end of his rookie season, tightening his game just as the Jets were embarking on their postseason push. His 12-touchdown, 20-interception showing in a 9-7 regular season gave way to a four-touchdown, two-interception performance in three postseason contests for the Jets, who reached the AFC Championship Game.

With the way he came on during the postseason coupled with his first pro offseason, Sanchez's Jets teammates expect a big year from their franchise player, a campaign they think can be very fruitful.

"Yeah, it's really scary because a lot of people remember the playoff run, so they know what potential he has," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "But as far as the regular season, man, I think they are really going to be shocked from the big jump they'll see from him in the regular season. I'm excited. I'm excited for him."

The training wheels have been removed and cast aside, something the 23-year-old Southern California native couldn't wait for.

The coaching staff - offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh - has given Sanchez a checklist of things to look for and to do.

His newfound freedom includes the option of changing more plays at the line of scrimmage - trifecta checks as he calls them - and he can go with an audible if he believes it's warranted.

"We could call two runs last year, and I got pretty good at that," Sanchez said. "But sometimes that second run isn't the best and there's something even better. If they come with the knife, you've got to bring a gun. That's the way it goes. So that's the kind of level we are graduating to."

Jets center Nick Mangold said Sanchez's grasp of the offense, which was aided by all the study time he put in while rehabbing his left knee after February surgery, is "night and day. He's doing a great job of learning everything."

That's what needed to be done in order to take that next leap and become more consistent than he was during his first 15 regular-season games, when his play yo-yoed so much that the Jets reeled him in with a color-coded system.

"We think that's going to level out," coach Rex Ryan said. "We think he is going to play consistently this year. I think you are going to see a few more highs, but you're not going to see the lows he had last year. I think the five-interception days are behind him."

Maybe not, though, if you ask Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.

"All we have to do is look at the film," Lewis said. "He struggles a lot when he has to throw the ball a lot. That's just not his forte."

Neither is wearing a poker face and not allowing the opposition to see his roller-coaster range of emotions. Sanchez knows he has to start acting more as though he's sporting tinted shades while sitting at a poker table.

He's working on holding his head high and looking up high into the stands after mistakes, not to mention looking people squarely in the eyes as he discusses his miscues - all things Cavanaugh is drilling into his head.

"He brings up really good points," Sanchez said. "You just have to be a card dealer in Vegas. You can't show anything. There's nothing wrong with a little bit of that, but in excess either good or bad, it's not good for the team.

"Everybody makes these mistakes, but at the same time, you've got to be tough about it."