Mark Sanchez Moving on from 2011

Mark Sanchez improved in many statistical categories in 2011. The season was also marred by great inconsistencies, that were a big part of the Jets undoing in 2011.

We are here in 2012, and it seems like Mark Sanchez is ready to take the reigns, and move forward from last year. Coach Ryan has praised Mark’s work ethic, and the fact that he has added some lower body strength. Sanchez has had more on his mind than impressing Rex though:

“It’s important to me not just to impress Rex, but really compete… against myself, against the outcome of last season, against any kind of negative feelings we had moving on from last year,” Sanchez said after the second day of minicamp on Wednesday. “(So I can) understand why we didn’t play as well as we did — how can we fix it? — and now is my chance to do it. I just wanted to make sure I was prepared and ready to handle the season.”

Rex Ryan did acknowledge that Tim Tebow brings a lot to the table as a football player, but wants the world, and everyone who will listen, to know that Mark is the guy to take this team into the future. He even went so far to say that Tebow will only practice with the second team offense(although he did take 2 reps with the first team on Wed), and Mark exclusively with the starters. Any reps that Tebow has with the ones, will be in Wildcat packages.

Clearly, he is putting forth the defined roles for his two quarterbacks.

Sanchez’s leadership skills were questioned as the season came to a close in 2011, as his play fell apart. His career high in TD passes (26), were balanced by 26 turnovers, including 9 the final 3 weeks. Mark knows his 2011 season had the good, and the bad:

“Were there highlights from last season? Absolutely,” Sanchez said. “There’s a whole boat load of them and a whole reel of them. But we just didn’t have enough down the stretch.” “I just know that I turned the ball over too much,” he added. “As many good things as you do, turning the ball over doesn’t negate them, but it really does hurt. The most important thing moving forward is taking care of the football and making good decisions. If we cut down on a couple of those interceptions, we might be in the playoffs. That’s the way I look at it.”

Mark feels good about how the offense is coming along, said they are learning the new playbook at a good pace.

These are all great signs. This team will go forward with Mark Sanchez as its leader, not Tim Tebow. Like it or not, Sanchez is a far better quarterback than Tim Tebow. In order to keep the controversy down, coach Ryan has no choice but to let the hold world know that Mark Sanchez is his starter.

The better sign is that Mark Sanchez is taking this situation and using it to make him better.

This can only be a good result for the New York Jets.