Mark Sanchez Set For Break Out Year, BUT...............

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Statistical numbers are a funny thing, they can be
either totally descriptive, or totally deceptive,
but the problem is, all players have them, and you
can't use them to prove how good one player is, and
in turn say that they don't mean as much for another.

Folks are quick to tell you that Drew Brees threw for
a record breaking 5,000 plus yards last season, and
that Tom Brady threw for 50 touchdowns in 2007, but
use numbers to say that a guy like Mark Sanchez has
gotten better every year since he entered the league,
and you'll be met by quite a bit of opposition.
Sanchez has been in the league just 3 years, and I
think his former coach at USC Pete Carrol was correct
when he said that he declared himself eligible for
the draft a little too early, but now as he starts
his fourth season with the Jets I think that you can
chalk up his time served so far as on the job training,
and experience that he probably should have gotten a
little more of in college. His numbers don't lie,
Sanchez's TD's have gone from 12 to 17 to 26, his
passing yards from 2,444 to 3,291 to 3,474 and his
passing percentage has also gone up every year, from
53.8% to 54.8% to 56.7%, and those last numbers are
probably the ones experts respect the most. Though
his Int's also went up from his 2nd year to his 3rd
year, it's really his only blemish, even if you admit
that though his QB rating isn't spectacular, it still
went up every year too.

To me these numbers say quite a bit, but they don't
say he's the next__________. Mark Sanchez can be
just fine being Mark Sanchez, problem is, will the
New York Jets let him? One of the best things that
happened to Sanchez this off season is that the Jets
hired Tony Sparano, but they off set that move as far
as Sanchez's success curve is concerned by trading
for Tim Tebow. The Jets can't seem to decide if they
want to sell tickets first and win later, or win first
and sell tickets later. Of course if they did any
true homework, they would realize that winning alone
will sell ALL of your tickets, so the only thing there
should be to worry about is winning. Tim Tebow CAN be
a very good thing for this team, but that's only if
Tony Sparano is allowed to run the offense with Mark
Sanchez in mind first, and gimmicks later. I believe
that Sparano both can and will, and everything he has
said thus far backs that up. Whether or not HC Rex
Ryan follows that doctrine as well or tries to please
owner Woody Johnson by showing off his new toy is
another issue. Mark Sanchez can and is set to have
a real good season this year, but will the Jets allow
it?

Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Todd Haley Fired In KC

AP/Photo

I wrote about it earlier in the year, and listed Haley
at number three. Candidate number one is a Dead Man"
Walking", Tony Sparano. Number two on that list has
already been let go, Jack DelRio, and number three is
now gone ass well. The writing was on the wall, and
now Todd Haley is gone, and I suspect it will be awhile
before anyone else is ready to give Haley a chance at
running their team again. The Chiefs were never really
scaring anyone, and their first two games where they were
outscored 97-10 to start the season 0-2 was more than
management in KC needed to know to make their decision.


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

NFL Coaching Hot Seat, The Early Odds

Charles Trainor Jr - Miami Herald

1. Tony Sparano - this ones easy, ownership is/was
in love with Jim Harbaugh and now that they see what
he's out west, Owner Stephen Ross has to be seething
at missing out. Sparano wasn't given a real shot for
2011 anyway. He is far and away the first coach to go.

2. Jack Del Rio - not far behind Sparano, but he actually
has a shot a surviving, I just don't think it will happen.
Del Rio gambled and got rid of Garrard just before the
start of the season and hoped that it might work for
him like the last time he did the same thing and got rid
of Byron Leftwich in favor of Garrard. Problem is owner
Wayne Weaver had a win now ultimatum prior to the start
of the season, and even though cutting loose Garrard
saved him $3 million, attendance is so bad that it may
not matter.

3. Todd Haley - Was my early season favorite after
getting out scored 98-10 to start 2011, but has since
salvaged a couple of wins. He's way too cocky for someone
who has accomplished absolutely nothing. I thought he
would be gone by week eight, but here he is.

4. Jim Caldwell - I actually think he's moved into a tie
for third with Haley. Yes, it's true, no Peyton Manning,
but in all fairness, if you can't win games, you aren't
that good of a coach. Owner Jim Irsay may save him,
but he should probably go.

5. Leslie Frazier - Blame Donovan McNabb all you want,
he's still the head coach, and he may prove to be one
of those guys whos best days are as a coordinator, and
nothing more. He probably gets another, but how he
finishes will be the key.

Honorable mention:
Steve Spagnuolo - 0-5, third year, I think they were
expecting more this year

Ken Whizenhunt - Kevin Kolb, veteran team, 1-4, bad job

Lovie Smith - If they don't make the playoffs it might
just be time for a change

Tom Coughlin - 4-2 yes, but how will they finish?

Rex Ryan - Team starting to look BAD again, can that
mouth cash his check? Schottenheimer more likely to
be the sacrificial lamb here.




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AFC East: Will There Be Any Surprises?

The next to last of these divisions picks
takes me to the division that could very
well produce the AFC representative to
the Super Bowl. It isn't hard to see
why, but the who is a little more tricky.
Here's how I see it:

1. Patriots (Nice Additions, Solid Foundation)
2. Jets (Can Still Play D, But Will Need A New OC)
3. Bills (Improved Yes, How Much? Not Enough)
4. Dolphins (Sparano Can't Win Here Anymore)


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