Report: Jets players rip "lazy" Sanchez
Playing quarterback in the bright lights of New York City is never easy (unless your last name is Namath). But if the anonymous sources in a Daily News article are any indication, the lights may be just too much for Jets QB Mark Sanchez.
Sanchez struggled mightily down the stretch as the Jets lost three straight to end the season, failing to make the playoffs. But apparently the issues run much deeper than just the quarterback's play on the field. The Daily News cites both players and "team sources" who paint an unflattering portrait of the three-year pro.
A sampling of the criticisms:
- "He's lazy and content because he knows he's not going to be benched," said one player.
- "How can we when he's not improving at all?" another teammate said. "He thinks he is, but he's not. He has shown us what he's capable of."
- "So many games, he looked defeated before he ever took the field. He didn't have much confidence in what he was about to go do. ...He never felt comfortable with some of the things we were doing. It was too much for him," said a team source.
- "He just doesn't have the mental toughness to be great... especially in New York," added another source.
Ouch.
Considering the Jets' late-season collapse (which prompted the departure of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer on Tuesday), some of the criticism is warranted. Indeed, Sanchez was wildly inconsistent: He set a career-high with 26 touchdown passes - but he also turned the ball over as many times (18 picks and 8 lost fumbles) - including 9 turnovers during the Jets' three-game losing streak to end the season. As the Daily News notes, the young QB also failed to improve over his first two seasons. He finished 29th, 29th and 27th in completion percentage in his first three seasons while his passer-rating rankings were 28th, 27th and 23rd.
According to the story, several players and team sources said they hoped the Jets would make a play for Peyton Manning - who may be available if the Indianapolis Colts draft QB Andrew Luck in the draft. One possible incentive? The Jets brought in Tom Moore, the former Colts offensive guru, as a consultant this year, and he and Manning have a long history together.
But don't count on it. One team member told the Daily News that it was highly unlikely that the MVP would want to come to the Meadowlands: "I don't think that he'll come here. We have to change the perception of our organization. We're not the organization that players said they wanted to play for a year or two ago... We're out of control. There's no discipline. It's a mess right now."
It's a mess that no one - especially Mark Sanchez - seems capable of cleaning up.