http://espn.go.com/blog/AFCEast/post/_/id/14105/healthy-sanchez-key-to-jets-season FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez is clearly making major strides coming back from the minor surgery on his left knee. But pay attention to the nuances of his progress and you can see he’s got more work to do. Mark Sanchez has been rehabbing his surgically repaired left knee, but is still limited in practice. Case in point: Thursday’s OTA at the Jets’ practice facility here. Sanchez threw a nice back-shoulder 50-yard bomb that David Clowney caught after a slight adjustment. After Clowney waltzed into the end zone, Sanchez slapped his knee in frustration -- the ball should have been thrown in front of the wide-open receiver, requiring no adjustment at all. Last season, Sanchez might have made that connection perfectly. But to really understand the progress Sanchez is making, it’s important to go back one play earlier. On a quick wide receiver screen to his right, Sanchez dropped back, planted his feet and seemed to lock his left -- surgically repaired -- leg in the grass. As a result, when the ball was released, it took a nose dive -- incomplete. Quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh quickly came over to Sanchez and motioned with his throwing arm to keep the release point up to avoid having top spin on the football. The next play, Sanchez did exactly what Cavanaugh instructed and the result was the long touchdown pass to Clowney. "I’d be lying if I told you I saw that," said head coach Rex Ryan, when asked about Cavanaugh’s subtle instruction to his young QB. "That’s why we have Matt." Sanchez said it was no big deal. "They're pretty happy with my mechanics," he said. "I’m using my legs. My feet are under me. I’m driving the ball." Sanchez is still limited. Seven-on-seven drills are no problem. But team drills are still a no-no. In fact, Sanchez sneaked into a team drill last week for one hand-off to a running back, and got reprimanded by Ryan, who got an earful from team owner Woody Johnson. "Rex said, ‘Next time you do it, make sure Mr. Johnson is not out there,’" said Sanchez, who is attacking these practices with his trademark boyish bounce and grin. Sanchez said he hopes to be ready for all team activities for a three-day minicamp beginning June 14. But Ryan stressed that Sanchez has not been given clearance by the team’s medical staff. Despite the additions of some big-name veterans -- LaDanian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor and Antonio Cromartie -- Ryan knows this team will get only so far without a healthy Sanchez. That’s why he’s being careful. But so far he likes what he sees. "He really knows this offense well," Ryan said. "All that time rehabbing the injury has been a blessing, because he’s been here with the coaches all the time. He looks fantastic. Last year, you saw a lot of positive things, but you also saw a lot of negatives. Right now, he’s throwing the ball great. He’s got such a great grasp of the system and that’s so encouraging to me." "Now, I’m visualizing it," said Sanchez. "I’m seeing the concept. Audible mechanics. Route depth. Little nuances ... every day it’s feeling better." Clearly, Sanchez should be ready for training camp in Cortland, N.Y., in July. He better be. That’s when the HBO cameras will be with the team 24/7 for the next installment of the "Hard Knocks" series. The Sanchez star power certainly will be good for ratings, even though the headliner will be the media-friendly Ryan. The New York tabloids are already calling the show, "Rex in the City II," a sequel to last season's appearance in the AFC championship game in Ryan's rookie year as head coach. ------------------------------------------ Good to see Mark improving after his surgery. I think you'll see him improve in leaps and bounds in his second season. He is grasping the system much more this time around. It's funny because having the surgery may have been a blessing in disguise for him. Instead of going back to California for the offseason, he stayed in Jersey and just studied and worked with the coaches.
He was healthy last year and did so darn good! Question: Can you have a Sophmore slump even if you already had a Freshman slump?
I can't think of to many teams who's success wouldn't hinge on the health of their team. Especially their QB.
If he's healthy there's a chance they turn the ball over approximately 4 times as often as they would with say, a scarecrow behind center.
Exactly. The NFL is quarterback-driven. If your QB is healthy and plays better than the other team's QB, you're probably going to win. It's the most important position in the NFL, and arguably in all of pro sports. OP is Captain Obvious material.
Obviously what the title said - Healthy Sanchez Key to Jets' Season - is obvious. The article is really good though and it just shows how much he has really improved.
Three times zero is still zero. He was better in the playoffs, though. The question is whether or not he'll play like that all the time.
Yes. Actually, against the Bengals, he had a better game than any of those QBs have had up to this point AFAIK. 80% completion, 12.13 YPA.
