After debating both with other Jets fans and with myself over my feelings on Sanchez, I finally could just give up and let his play on the field sway my opinion. Yeah, it IS preseason, but it's still against the Ravens and it beats the hell out of 7-on-7 drills. When the most you had to fear in drills was the coach's whistle, facing a 250-pound man who was at one point accused of double homicide charging at you full speed is a slightly different animal. I mean literally animal. Does this look like someone you want to mess with?
So after one real half of play from the Golden Boy, what do we really know? Not much of anything.
He came out looking shaky. He was drilled by Ray Lewis and threw a pick on his first throw. It was taken all the way to the house for seven. By this guy. For those of you wondering, that guy is Haloti Ngata, coming in at 6-foot-4 an a svelte 345 pounds.
The resounding opinion in the
air as Sanchez walked back to the huddle his next time out was, "sure, he'll bounce back."A pass that then should have been taken back for six by Ray Lewis thankfully hit the turf and the doubters were one. But even against the Raven's D, Rex Ryan's young quarterback showed a little bit of moxie.
It wasn't quite as great as his first career snap, (I really enjoy that the kid who had such a well versed reaction to the toss had a camera on it the first time watching the game. Just chillin', watching the Jets and filming your television. No big.) but he came back and on his last snap of the day, Sanchez had a souvenir to take home other than some aches and pains. His first career touchdown pass, a 17-yarder to Leon Washington.
Now 3-of-8 for 43 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 pick will not get you in the Hall, unless your Joe Namath of course, but it wasn't as bad as that first throw might make you think. Rex Ryan may be making his decision on a starter sooner rather than later, but I might need just a wee bit more time, and really, isn't it the seldom read blogger's opinion that actually matters?
