Namath rips Edwards, lauds Sanchez

Former Jets quarterback Joe Namath ripped receiver Braylon Edwards over his DWI arrest earlier this week, ripped the Jets' handling of Edward's situation, and praised the play of quarterback Mark Sanchez. All this during a spirited interview earlier today on SIRIUS NFL Radio's "The Broadway Blitz with Joe Namath."

Co-host Adam Schein started things off by suggesting he "thought the Jets absolutely swung and missed in terms of the lack of discipline in his direction.” And Namath took it from there.

"That’s exactly it. Get to the bottom line, the lack of discipline.  There are no excuses, and you don’t want to hear any explanations about it.  You’re wasting time with excuses and explanations.  They need to move on and, to me, it would be a distraction even having him on the trip.  We’ve seen that there are other ballplayers, and Coach [Brian] Schottenheimer, the offensive coordinator, alluded to how versatile several players on their team are.  So you either take him and play him or leave him at home. I don’t believe in this kind of sit down for punishment a few minutes, not to start a few minutes. They’ve got problems.  Their focus has been shattered this week and they’re fighting to avoid thinking about that situation.  It’s unfortunate for Woody Johnson, the owner.  I would think that he’s going through so much, given the last week or two with the off the field stuff.  It’s a lack of discipline, no doubt.”

Namath suggested that if he were on the team, he'd be annoyed about the distraction caused by Edwards' arrest.

"I’ve never been a head coach," he said. "I’ve never had my hand on the entire situation.  Had I been a player on that team, certainly we would have talked as other players on the Jets team have talked to him.  But once it’s done all you can do is try to move forward.  Even the players, every day, every hour, they’re hearing about it, someone’s talking to them about it. It’s no doubt it’s a major distraction.”

Namath then suggested the acquisition of Edwards to begin with was questionable.

"I’d have to talk with the folks that evaluate the personnel we have because they’re not picking the sharpest folks, mentality-wise, when you consider past performances off the field as well.”

Namath on the Jets' chances of beating the Dolphins:

"Of course they can. Are you kidding me? I remember a 17-point underdog winning a game. I tell you what, the Jets defense is strong. They can make some plays and create some havoc. They can knock the ball loose. Everything you like starts with the defense of the Jets, to me, and when you have a good defense you’ve got a chance. … I’m going with the Jets. I’m going to say the Jets rise up to the occasion with the guys they have on the field.  They rally around that team of theirs, they rally around the guys in the locker room and go out there and create havoc.  Sanchez and the offense is a lot more confident with what they can do now.  I really believe one good game lifts, not just one guy, but the people around him, too.  So I feel the Jets are going to win that game and surprise most folks.”

Namath on Sanchez:

“I love to see [Sanchez] roll out of the pocket with the play action fakes because he’s got real good feet.  He’s developed a good touch on his passes.  You notice it’s not line drive all the time.  He can get the heat on it.  He can make every throw out there.  But he’s dropping some balls in there over linebackers’ heads to [Dustin] Keller, to the backs going out of the backfield as well, or down the sideline.  He’s developing into a real fine touch passer.”

More on Sanchez: "He’s gifted, there’s no doubt about it.  Lady luck has got to stay with him and ‘repetition, repetition, repetition’ is the first rule of learning.  He’s just got to see a lot of combat in the NFL to get sharp, on the field of play against an opponent, not at practice.  The speed changes on the field, the looks change on the field against a real opponent.  He needs to keep getting his games under his belt.  You’re not going to see the best of Mark Sanchez for another couple of years.”