Once again the Jets have crashed.
Mark Sanchez has been named the Jets starting quarterback and once again Kellen Clemens, once the future has been cast to the curb, perhaps leaving his career in doubt.
But as Clemens prepares for his all too familiar role as the Jets’ number two, Sanchez is faced with the reality that after just one year as a starter at Southern Cal, and two error laden NFL preseason games, he is now the ready and able starter to lead a playoff caliber roster into the rigid, rugged and perfectly painful chess game that is the NFL.
Jets fans beware.
By selecting Sanchez now following a not so impressive first preseason start in which he threw an interception on his first pass, and nearly again on his second to go along with a fumble, it is obvious that Clemens had no chance in this battle from the beginning.
If Rex Ryan had any aspirations of looking at this battle with an unbiased eye, he failed. Nothing about Mark Sanchez’s start stood out, with the exception of his touchdown pass, but even that was suspect to the poor coverage.
And it’s that touchdown pass that appears to have won Sanchez the job, even though the recipient Leon Washington’s defender was five yards away from the play chasing frantically after the Jets’ best player.
The Jets’ brass apparently likes the way Sanchez rebounded after a poor start. They appreciate the way he didn’t crumble when things got tough, but they don’t factor in a lack of experience that was as evident in the Ravens game as his heroic rebound.
The question is what do the Jets gain by starting Sanchez over Clemens week one?
They stand to gain celebrity. Success would mean the spotlight on the young QB; it would mean the focus of the league and expanding the star power that the Jets have so obviously tried to gain over the last few years (Spygate, Favre, etc.)
But what they stand to lose is far greater.
Given that neither Sanchez nor Clemens has shown a clear edge over the other one must consider their skill set somewhat equal. If that’s the case and you expect similar levels of production, start Clemens.
Clemens has been a Jet longer. He has worked under offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for years and understands the Jets offensive schemes.
But most importantly, he has played in the regular season. He’s studied under Chad Pennington and Bret Favre. He’s watched from the sidelines and seen the film, learned the terminology and dealt with
Clemens was once the Jets future quarterback and if he plays this year as a backup, only to be let go by the Jets after the year he may never get another shot to be a starter. Clemens has paid his dues and its time for him to get the shot at letting them pay off for the Jets.
And if Clemens fails? You can always name Mark Sanchez the starter.
