Mark Sanchez: 'No doubt' I won Jets' QB competition

If you ask Mark Sanchez, the only reason Geno Smith is lining up behind center against the Patriots Thursday night is because of Sanchez’s injured shoulder.

The New York Jets quarterback told NFL Network's Rich Eisen on the Gillette Stadium field Thursday that "I won the competition. There’s no doubt."

According to Eisen, Sanchez told him he is eager to be there for Smith, but is disappointed about not starting the regular season since he thought he won the job until he was injured Aug. 24 in a preseason game against the Giants.

He has a separated shoulder and also reportedly has a partially torn labrum. But Sanchez would not confirm that to Eisen.

"I really can’t get into that part," Sanchez said.

Sanchez said the doctors who examined his shoulder are "pleasantly surprised" by his "progress."

Contrary to some reports, last year's Jets starter stated that his plan is to rehab the shoulder — instead of undergoing surgery — and get back on the field. After incorrect reports surfaced Thursday that Sanchez was out for the season, it's interesting to hear him now try to get out in front of the story. He's making it clear that he doesn't want the Jets to end his season. Sanchez said he's not angry with the Jets, but he believes he earned the right to play with a better August performance than the rookie quarterback.

Rex Ryan must be happy to hear that.

Bucs' Lavonte David fined $7,800 for late hit on Geno Smith

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David left Sunday's game at MetLife Stadium with a heavy heart, but now he's a little lighter in his wallet.

The up-and-coming player — who seems primed for a breakout season — not only suffered through the emotional aftermath of his late-hit on Jets QB Geno Smith, but also got fined for the controversial play, according to an NFL league source.

Adding insult to injury, the NFL office fined David $7,875 for the bone-headed transgression. David reportedly plans to appeal the fine.

David's unnecessary roughness penalty set up the Jets comeback win, giving them a field goal chance with seven seconds left to beat the Bucs, 18-17. The linebacker took the loss hard, accepting blame for his mistake but saying he thought the quarterback was going to stay in bounds.

With the Bucs starting the season 0-1 and facing a revamped Saints team this week. Bucs head coach Greg Schiano is already under fire in the locker room, and Tampa's season could be reaching a crossroads much sooner than most would expect.

Jets owner blames Sanchez for getting hurt because 'you got to protect yourself'

You would think that Woody Johnson might have learned by now how to pick and choose what to say and when to say it.  For Gang Green sakes, even Rex Ryan has turned down the rhetoric and now keeps his words to a minimum —maybe too much so.

Either way, on Wednesday, the Jets owner spoke with such cringe worthy carelessness that it revealed just how much the Jets have distanced themselves from Mark Sanchez.

According to the N.Y. Daily News, the Jets owner stood on the corner of 57th St. and Fifth Ave. and delivered a bizarre take on Ryan's ill-advised decision to put in Sanchez in the fourth quarter of the third preseason game against the Giants less than two weeks ago. After being thrown to the wolves, Sanchez suffered a shoulder injury which led to the Jets’ announcement that Geno Smith will be the Week 1 starter against the Buccaneers on Sunday.

"I don’t have any regrets," Johnson said. "He’s an experienced guy. I wish he hadn’t gotten hurt, but you got to protect yourself, too."

Say what?! To suggest that Sanchez, who rolled out of the pocket behind a third-string offensive line before getting leveled, could have protected himself better on the play was naive. It just goes to show Johnson’s complete lack of understanding of the game and, mostly, his desire to move on from the organization’s one-time starter and new whipping boy.

The organization’s recent handling of Sanchez over the past couple of weeks has been disturbing — to say the least

And where does the outspoken Ryan stand on Johnson's embarrassing remarks about his former No.1 draft pick and favorite tattoo design?

"It’s 100% injury rate in the league," Ryan said. "It’s unfortunate that it happened. But these things do happen. And we’ve moved on."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement from the suddenly neutered head coach.

"He’s a very, very good quarterback," Johnson said. "Franchise quarterback is something . . . I think you can debate the term."

Seven hours after Johnson’s inane remarks — and two hours after Ryan tiptoed around questions about them — the owner delivered a seemingly forced clarification after a team spokesman got wind of his boss' remarks.

"I may have said or I’ve been accused of saying that Sanchez’s injury was his fault," Johnson said. "That was not my intent at all. Of course, it wasn’t his fault. He was trying to make a play."

So glad he cleared things up.

Jets give players 'Media Bridges' cards with phrases to use with reporters

The New York Jets organization gave its players handy laminated cards titled "Media Bridges" complete with phrases to use with reporters. It's chock full of polite responses which help divert answers in a civil tone of conversation.

"Let me answer you by saying that" and "That’s not my area of expertise, but I think your audience would be interested to knowing that," are a couple examples of a kinder, gentler Gang Green locker room.

Manish Mehta of the N.Y. Daily News posted photos of the front and back of the cards which will hopefully bridge the gap between the Jets players and the media.

ICYMI: Jets gave players "Media Bridges" card: Phrases to use w/reporters #nyj Front: pic.twitter.com/T73EGZ9aDe Back: pic.twitter.com/ljdBJZm51h
— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) August 21, 2013

Not surprisingly, there is nothing on either side that says anything like "When it comes to Mark Sanchez" or "John Idzik says." I guess they'll cross that bridge when they get to it.

Jets' Sanchez to start Saturday vs. Jaguars; Smith may not play

After wavering back-and-forth over the past few days, Rex Ryan got brutally assertive this morning and announced that Mark Sanchez will start Saturday's exhibition game against the Jaguars at MetLife Stadium.

Originally, it was believed rookie Geno Smith would start this game after Sanchez started the team's first preseason game. But Smith suffered a sprained ankle against the Lions last Friday and has not looked good this week in practice, flatlining with a four-interception practice Wednesday.

After the "brutal" 11-on-11 scrimmage, Ryan called Smith's performance, "Geno's worst day."

The head coach said it is even possible that Smith won't play Saturday.

Ryan will address the media at 3 p.m Thursday to answer questions like: If Smith is hurting, what is he doing on the practice field?

The Jets are still playing under The Big Top.

Rex Ryan on Mark Sanchez pick-six: 'I never saw it'

The view from the hot seats just got a little toastier for Rex Ryan after the New York Jets head coach claimed he never saw Mark Sanchez's pick-six toss until it was captured on tape.

The Jets quarterback competition between Sanchez and Geno Smith got off to a wobbly start on Friday night when Sanchez tossed a pick-six to Detroit Lions first-round defensive end Ziggy Ansahon the team's fourth offensive play of the preseason.

Ryan —along with GM John Idzik — will be involved in selecting the team's starting quarterback this season. After the game, he was asked about Sanchez's interception and the coach — who is depending on their pick to save his own job — admitted he didn't see it happen live.

"I think, obviously, the interception, I never saw it, I just caught the tail end of it, when the kid was running in for a touchdown," he said.

"I had my own issues on the other side, so I never really focused a whole lot while he was in there," Ryan said. "We'll see it on tape. You probably saw more plays than I did."

Considering how anything involving the Jets immediately affects his future, Ryan's admission last night has raised some eyebrows on Saturday morning.

Ryan did catch the rest of Sanchez's night, which saw the 2009 first-round pick rebound and complete 10-of-13 pass attempts for 125 yards and a 26-yard touchdown to tight end Jeff Cumberland before turning it over to Smith.

"Obviously, we can’t have that," Ryan said of the interception. "But yeah, he made some nice throws, he made some throws under pressure, which was good to see. We could have done without the pressure, but the fact that he stood in there, made some nice throws, and then led our team down the field, scored a touchdown. I think that was encouraging about Sanchez."

And you thought those $50 nosebleeds at MetLife Stadium were bad.

Cromartie: Fans booing Sanchez is 'bullcrap'

It's sort of ironic that Antonio Cromartie — the player who picked off Mark Sanchez's boo-inciting pass Saturday— is the same guy who came to the quarterback's defense when the venomous chorus from the stands wouldn't let up on the maligned QB.

Though he made the pick, Cromartie was not too happy with the crowd’s reaction.

“I think that’s bullcrap,” Cromartie said. “My thing is, if you’re going to be a fan, be a fan. You don’t come out here and boo anybody.”

Sanchez seemed to take it in stride, perhaps having gotten used to being the target of such disdain over the past couple of seasons.

“Oh, shoot, I don’t care,” he said. “That’s the way it goes.”

The boos started before Sanchez tossed the pick. Earlier in the game, the fifth-year incumbent, trying to fight off a challenge from rookie Geno Smith for the starting job, tripped over his own feet and fell smack on his butt for the easiest sack of Dawan Landry’s career. You might want to label it the Buttsack — little brother of the infamous Buttfumble of last season.

For Sanchez’s sake, at least it was his own rear end that took the brunt of the impact (rather than Brandon Moore’s) and he was able to hang on to the football.

Though Smith reportedly looked like the better quarterback throughout the majority of the scrimmage Saturday, Sanchez finished with a big play —a 57-yard touchdown to Stephen Hill — which wiped out any remnants of the aforementioned Buttsack.

Sanchez completed six of 11 attempts for 93 yards, with a touchdown, interception and two sacks.

Smith, who took the majority of the reps with the first team because it was his turn in the rotation, was 9-for-16 for 77 yards and a sack.

Look for Friday night’s preseason opener against the Lions as an opportunity for either Sanchez or Smith to solidify their chances for the starting job.

“Again, guys, it’s just one opportunity to come out and compete,” said head coach Rex Ryan. “Certainly, this is really the beginning stages of the competition, and I think it will be interesting when we go to Detroit and start playing some live preseason games.”

Good thing Cromartie is there as the Jets' peacekeeper.

Sanchez: I'll 'absolutely' win Jets QB competition

In between water balloon toss and big dinners with his wide receivers during workouts at his old high school in Southern California, Mark Sanchez sounded more than confident that he will win the New York Jets quarterback competition against rookie Geno Smith. So sure in fact, Sanchez said he'll "absolutely" win the job.

 "When it comes down to a competition, I just put my money on myself," Sanchez told The New York Daily News after Friday's workout. "And bet on myself and go play and go win the job. So if that’s what it’s going to be like it’s been clear that’s what it is, alright let’s go."

Sanchez will be fighting for his quarterback life when he heads to camp with the rookies July 22 in Florham Park before heading to Cortland. But said he holds no grudge against Smith for skipping his annual Jets West passing camp in his hometown.

“I don’t hold it against any of the guys that can’t make it,” Sanchez said Friday after workouts on his old field of glory.

 “I probably should have said that right away. There are no hard feelings about anything like that. Greg (McElroy’s) not here. (Matt) Simms isn’t here. Guys are on vacation. Some guys are going and getting married. They’re doing stuff. There’s plenty of other things that they could be doing.”
 
Sanchez invited all of the offensive skill position players, including Smith, to participate — as he has done for the past few summers.

Smith was strangely vague and non-committal about joining Sanchez the rest of the players.
 
"If they can make the sacrifice and be here, awesome," Sanchez said. "If they can’t, (it’s) totally fine. And I would never hold a grudge against anybody who’s not here. But we’ve (Tim) Tebow here. We’ve had (Mark) Brunell here. We’ve had (Kevin) O’connell. So it’s not like I don’t invite those guys. They’re more than welcome to come and we’ll invite them every year."
 
Smith opted to work out in Florida rather than make the trip to California and take part in weight lifting, playbook review and on-field sessions with 12 other teammates that included running back Chris Ivory, tight ends Kellen Winslow Jr, Jeff Cumberland and Konrad Reuland and receivers Jeremy Kerley, Stephen Hill, Jordan White, Clyde Gates, Vidal Hazelton, Thomas Mayo and Ryan Spadola.

Two other quarterbacks — McElroy and Simms — also skipped the voluntary workouts.
 
"It just doesn’t look like he’s going to come," Sanchez said about whether Smith made it clear to him that he wouldn’t attend. "I don’t want to make it bigger than it is. It’s really not a big deal. If he’s not going to make it, he’s not going to make it."
 
Smith’s absence won’t necessarily put him behind in the competition, but it couldn't hurt. It’s clear that the players in attendance believe there’s a tangible benefit to spending the time to build a relationship with his new teammates in a low-key atmosphere.

 
"He just couldn’t make it," Hill said. "That’s what I’ve heard. I didn’t actually get a chance to speak with him. It would have been good for him to be here, but I know he’s working back in Florida. He’s doing what he has to do. He’ll be ready for camp."
 
"It would have been great to have Geno and all of the quarterbacks out here," Reuland said. "The more , the better. However, I don’t think it’s a make it or break it type of thing. It’s still going to be camp as usual. No one’s going to win a spot based on what they do out here."

Will the competition with Smith be closer than expected?

"We'll see," Sanchez said. "I hope not."