If there was any positive spin on Wednesday’s latest news out of Jets’ practice, as reported by the Daily News, that at least a dozen Jets players think backup quarterback Tim Tebow is not very good, it’s that maybe Rex Ryan will finally decide to go with just one quarterback the rest of the way.
Of course the pessimist would point out that this would just reinforce Ryan’s illogical belief that Sanchez, who currently ranks 31st out of 34 qualifiers in quarterback rating, is that quarterback.
“We never brought him in here to be the starting quarterback. We already had a starting quarterback in Mark Sanchez,” said Ryan of Tebow, according to a report on the team’s website. “But what we also were clear on is that he’s a football player and we are going to use him in different roles. We have used him in the Wildcat and those type of roles. You saw it expand a little bit last week, throwing the ball and things, and that will still be part of what we do.”
What they’ve done is lose, and though Sanchez is apparently still the starter the Jets’ seemingly halfway-solution to getting more out of the position, without having to officially bench him by bringing in Tebow for some snaps, isn’t helping either quarterback.
The quarterback, whoever it may be, needs to stay in to develop some kind of rhythm with the offense. That much has become clear. If the starter isn’t producing it’s time to bench him—not play musical quarterback chairs.
Last week was certainly a telling example as Tebow played even more snaps for an offense that failed to score one time all day.
Cameras picked up a frustrated-looking Sanchez coming off the field for a play in favor of Tebow after one of his just nine completions (in 22 attempts) Sunday in the team’s ugly loss at Seattle.
The additional use of Tebow clearly came in response to the team’s horrendous performance heading into the bye week before Seattle—a 30–9 home loss to Miami, of all teams, that had fans booing mercilessly before even the end of the first quarter.
This started before the Miami game though—this had been brewing since last season’s disappointing 8-8 season, though the blame was split between Sanchez and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. While Schottenheimer left to call the plays in St. Louis (where the Jets play this Sunday) this past offseason, the Jets married themselves to Sanchez for another few years for roughly $40 million.
Just a couple weeks later New York acquired the popular Tebow after the Broncos signed four-time MVP Peyton Manning with the belief that Sanchez would come in for some “Wildcat” formations and force the opposing defense prepare for something else.
If defenses have had to prepare any extra for Tebow they must not be spending any time worrying about Sanchez though as the results have been disastrous.
First there was the exhibition season where the tandem combined for zero touchdown drives through three games. Third-string quarterback Greg McElroy finally found end zone in the team’s final game.
After an impressive 48-point performance against Buffalo in Week 1, Sanchez became the first quarterback in over a dozen years to miss over half his pass attempts four straight games. After an impressive performance against New England’s less-than-stellar secondary though Sanchez and the offense have done little in losses to Miami and Seattle.
Sanchez may not be the answer as full-time quarterback, but clearly the two-quarterback system is only making matters worse.
