LONG BALL: Mark Sanchez throws a touchdown pass against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday in Baltimore. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Sanchez began his professional career by replacing "rival" Kellen Clemens in the Jets’ first preseason game on August 14. In an auspicious beginning, Sanchez completed a 48-yard pass against the St. Louis Rams.
But Sanchez’s first career start did not begin as well. While seeing the rush coming from linebacker Ray Lewis, Sanchez went to check the ball down to his running back in the flat, but the pass was intercepted by defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who proceeded to truck it 25 yards for a touchdown.
Sanchez’s “welcome to the NFL” moment was capped off by getting his bell rung by Lewis.
Despite the shaky start, Sanchez played well on his final drive going 2–3 for 35 yards with a 19-yard TD pass to running back Leon Washington—the first of his career.
But not much was expected from the rookie against one of the league’s best defenses from last season.
And Sanchez saw firsthand how good the Ravens defense really is, even without Jets coach Rex Ryan dialing up the plays for them like he did last year.
“They were flying around. You practice for it and you see it on film. These guys were doing it.” Sanchez said following the game. “You’re trying to keep one eye on Ed Reed and one eye on Ray Lewis, and a D-lineman gets you.”
Competing with Sanchez for the starting QB position, Kellen Clemens took over with 2:48 left in the second quarter, which didn’t give the rookie a chance to play in the two-minute drill.
DROPPING BACK: Kellen Clemens drops back for a pass against the St. Louis Rams in the Jets preseason opener on August 14. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)
It would have been nice to see how the rookie responded in such a situation, as the NFL is a league where countless games are won and lost by a score in the waning minutes of the game.
But Clemens was given a shot and did not capitalize on his opportunity, as he too threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. But he also threw a touchdown pass of 28-yards to wide receiver David Clowney in the third quarter.
Ryan said following the game he’s not going to announce a starter on national television, but he was not discouraged by the way the rookie played.
“I’m proud of the way he responded,” Ryan said of Sanchez following the game. “It ain’t going to be perfect; sometimes you have these type of nights. You’ve got to give credit where credit is due, and most of that goes to their defense.”
Ryan has said he would name a starter for the season opener prior to the Jets’ third preseason game against the New York Giants, and it should be Sanchez.
The Defense
While the Ravens defense showed they’d be fine this year without Ryan, the Jets defense continued to show their improvement under their new head coach.
The starting defense kept Baltimore QB Joe Flacco in check. Flacco completed only 8 of 18 passes for 120 yards and no touchdowns.
Back-up Troy Smith went 4 of 9 for 84 yards with an interception.
The Jets also contained the run game holding the Ravens to just 73 yards on the ground.
And the Ravens rely heavily on their run game with a stable of good backs in Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain. They should boast one of the top ground games in the league this season.
As well as the defense played, they still have a lot of work to do to become the type of defense the Ravens have become over the past decade.
Linebacker Bart Scott, who Ryan recruited as a free agent to come with him to the Jets to help build a great defense with a Raven-like identity, knows this quite well.
“That’s a great defense over there,” said Scott. “And we’re striving to be a great defense over here.”
Matt Sugam also writes for The Daily Targum at Rutgers University.
