Dec 10th, 2009 | 8:55 am |
By Travis Duncan
New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has not had a quiet rookie season. Early in the 2009 season Sanchez was thrust into the spotlight as the next Broadway Joe and he delivered beating the New England Patriots in Week 2 and starting the season off 3-0.
Since losing to New Orleans in week 4, Sanchez has looked more like a rookie. Now in Week 13 he is dealing with a right knee injury he suffered in last Thursday’s game against Buffalo. A knee injury severe enough to prompt Jets coach Rex Ryan to name backup quarterback Kellen Clemens the starter for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I asked (Ryan) if I could at least try to practice, ” Sanchez said. “And he said, `No way, because I know if you practice tomorrow, then you’re going to play and we don’t want to run any risk of further injury.’”
“I think it’s in the best interest of him and in the best interest of our football team that we make this decision and that we do it now,” Ryan said. “Mark’s progressing nicely. I don’t we’ve seen anybody as dedicated to the rehab and really everything that’s been asked of him. He wants to play in the worst way. He’s going to play. It’s just not going to be this week.”
Clemens hasn’t started since the final game of the 2007 season, and only attempted five passes in 2008. Clemens and Sanchez battled for the starters job through training camp, before Sanchez was named the starter on Aug. 26.
“It’s obviously a four-game season to get a fifth. We have to go down to Tampa and handle business,” Clemens said. “Manage the game, control the football, and with the way that our offensive line is playing, the way that our defense is playing, I just have to do my job.
The Jets, Baltimore, Miami and Pittsburgh are tied with a 6-6 record in the AFC but still would not make the playoffs if the season started today.
