Transcript of quarterback Mark Sanchez's news conference following Friday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
On how the attention and scrutiny has changed since last season…
Not too much. I think it's about the same. You're in the largest media market, and you're under the microscope. You just have to act accordingly, and I'm trying to do that.
On how antsy the team is to play the game on Sunday…
It went by pretty fast. Friday's here already. We're ready to take off and ready to go. It's going to be a great challenge for us. We're excited about it. I've been getting good sleep. I think everybody has. We're energized, competitive in practice and it's been a good week. Now it's time to put everything together on game day and trust the game plan.
On the difference between going into the AFC Championships this year from last season…
Understanding what's at stake, understanding how close we were last year, and really just the preparation this week feels so smooth and everything feels just right. Where last year, I couldn't really put my finger on it at the time, but things were going so fast and you're just trying to hold on. This year I feel like I have a better grasp on things and I'm just a little more confident going in. That is the kind of confidence we need. It's come with a whole year of preparation and trusting the coaches and players around you. I feel like we have a great plan. It's going to take our best effort this week, so it's going to be a good challenge. We're excited.
On how the players acquired during the offseason seamlessly transitioned to the team…
I think they're here for one reason. They've all had really good attitudes, and we're right where we want to be. This is where we almost have an understanding. We're putting this team together, obviously, for one reason. We expect the guys to get along and they've done more than that. These guys are close. They want to help. They've offered words of wisdom from their experience. Guys like LT [LaDainian Tomlinson] and Jason Taylor have come in and just played well, like [Antonio] Cromartie. They kept their head down.
A guy who's not maybe a big-named guy but has had a huge role in our defense, Brodney Pool, he's done a great job and been the ultimate teammate helping guys out, talking, asking questions, hanging out outside of the facility. We've put together this team. It's a great group of people, not just players, so I think that's one of the main reasons that guys have gotten along. Then Rex, just being who he is, accepting everyone, letting everyone show their personality. This team's been great to be a part of. Win a couple more games here and it will be something we'll remember forever.
On how much more complex Pittsburgh's defensive looks are than New England's…
Different types of defenses. They have such a dominating front seven, defenders in the back end that can really move around and changeup their looks. They let Troy [Polamalu] kind of do whatever he feels is right and 99 percent of the time he's right. He does such a good job of finding the ball, feeling things, reading the quarterback's eyes. I think he's really their X‑factor on defense. It's just such a solid group, and when you add Troy, it's even better. It's a tough group. We'll have our hands full, and we're excited about it.
On if he has a relationship with Troy Polamalu since they are both from the University of Southern California…
I've seen him at a couple of spring games when I was still in school. Coach [Pete] Carroll talked about him all the time. He was on the wall in our team room. It had a big picture of Troy. He's one of the best. Everything you hear, everybody you talk to, he's just a great competitor. It's going to be fun to see him. Then we'll get down to business on the field and hopefully we're smiling after and exchanging some nice words.
On if the phrase "can't wait" describes how the team is looking at this game…
I thought it was pretty funny. Guys have been making fun of Bart [Scott] a little bit, but it was all in good spirits and he was so amped up from the game. That's him. That's his personality. If I would have done an interview like that, I don't know if it would have gone over so well. That's just not me, but that's Bart to the tee. That is how intense he is and excited he is to play. His passion and emotion really showed. I don't think anybody had a problem with it, we've just been giving him a hard time.
On how Coach Ryan's approach allows the team to get ready for a big game…
He stresses the importance of the game early in the week, but he wants to make sure we're doing it our way, our own way, and making sure we're having fun with the preparation and not getting too tight. There is something to be said for being too excited. I've got to be so perfect that you're not playing like yourself.
Then you don't want to get too loose, so he keeps us right in the middle. The night before the game he really tunes us up right and just kind of talks about something that's been on his heart, whether it's bringing in somebody like Dennis Byrd, whether it's just talking about the team, having other guys talk in the meetings. He just always seems to mix it up at the right time and eliminate the monotony of a long season and allows us to voice our own opinions to each other. He does a great job of getting us prepared to play in these big games.
On what Coach Ryan's loose and bombastic attitude does for the team…
It's what we know from him. That's how loose he is. He's that confident, and in turn that gives us confidence. He'll be ready for the game, there's no doubt. He doesn't have to say too much all the time. He just kind of gives you a look and he'll take command of the room and everybody knows it's time to focus and get ready. When it's time to have fun and make fun of Bart, we know what to do.
On how the older guys on the team respect his leadership…
Well, they were probably using that joke on me last year. That is something T‑Rich [Tony Richardson] would say. This year guys respect my leadership because they saw how hard I worked last year. I didn't say as much. I just tried to go about my business and really work hard and show them that I cared about the team, the organization and that I was going to compete no matter what.
I think once they realized that and saw my willingness to work and help them out and try to make things right, they really did respect it. When I have something to say, guys pay attention and understand that it's coming from my heart. It's something that I'm feeling, and it's true, and I'll let them get on board. That is kind of how we feel. We respect all of the guys in the locker room. When somebody has something to say, it's usually important, and we want to listen and take what they're offering up, dissect it, understand it individually and use it for our team.
On how much trash talk is directed at him during a game…
Not a ton. I think last year you kind of have rabbit ears I'll call it. You're trying to listen to everything, and hear everything, and guys are talking, but this year you brush it off. You don't think about it too much. It's about focusing on what we have going on, and I don't get involved.
On if he is more calm, confident or nervous going into this year's championship game…
I don't know. I think last year I might have been a little more excited, but this is it. This is exactly what we wanted and where we want to be. I'm feeling good with the preparation. I've got my Friday routine ready. We just went through the script to talk about plays you like, love, hate, threw a couple plays out, tweaked a couple of formations and now we're ready to go. There is nothing else to do except study tonight, get some food and get ready to go play, so I feel good.
On the prospect of being only the second Latino to win a Super Bowl…
Honestly, I'm just focused on this game. I don't know how many Latinos or Mexican Americans have won AFC Championships, but I hope I'm the next one. It is an honor to represent that community and to be an inspiration to them really means a lot. That's something that doesn't really add pressure. I think it adds to the fun and excitement of everything that's going on, so it's fun to me.
On the challenges of facing edge pass rushers….
They're tough. [LaMarr] Woodley, [James] Harrison, [James] Farrior, [Brett] Keisel, all of them get after the quarterback. They push the pocket. They just put stress on you. If they don't get to you and they're not hitting you as you're throwing it, they're just making it uncomfortable, clouding up your throwing lanes and disrupting your timing most importantly. With that kind of stuff, you have to fight through it and understand that not every plays is going to be a perfect five-step drop, a couple of resets, pat the ball a couple times and throw it. It just doesn't happen with this group.
Understanding that going in, working drills in practice and trying to simulate that, and then in the game being a competitor, moving around, keeping two hands on the ball because they'll get after it, that's all can you do. It's a feel thing. You'll get used to it as the game goes on. Having played them before is a little bit of an advantage to kind of remember what that felt like.
On what he learned from his success against the Pittsburgh defense in the regular season…
Without saying too much, we've got our game plan ready. Similar stuff as last game. Just being smart with the football, that is most important, making the right checks and being accurate. That is huge, especially with Troy roaming around. The difference in a few inches or a foot on a pass is the difference between a completion or a tipped ball or an interception. With the way those guys know how to play, you've got to be smart. We'll take that into account.
On getting rid of the ball quickly…
You want to get the ball out as quickly as you can. You're not going to have time to sit back there. This isn't that kind of defense where you can just wait and let routes uncover. You've got to anticipate and be sharp with your throws.
On how his style as quarterback has changed since last year…
Definitely more confident because of the repetitions. I feel like I just have a little better feel for the game. Understanding situations has really helped and not being afraid to move around a little bit. I think the most important thing that I've done when we played against these guys before is when the play's over, it's over. There are a couple of plays where I threw it away real quick, but we got another down. We lived to see another down, and that is going to be most important.
You want to make big plays and want to score, especially when their offense plays well. You've just got to be smart and not let that get the better part of you and try to do too much. Other than that, just staying calm and being smart with the ball.
On if taking some of his emotions out of the game has helped him…
I think so. Understanding the flow of the game, feeling the game, and not being afraid to get excited when things are going right and then when things aren't going right just keeping a steady head, not getting too low. That's been good too.
On what it was like having Dennis Byrd around the team…
It's really important. I'm very happy that Mr. [Woody] Johnson and Mike Tannenbaum and Rex decided to bring him around. Any time you bring his name up, it just kind of makes you think and remember how lucky you are and how fortunate you are. Him being around our team just feels right. It's a great fit. We're proud that he wore a Jets jersey. We're proud to wear that same jersey. It's fitting to see him. He inspires us, so we love having him around.
On how much last year's loss to Indianapolis weighed on him in the offseason…
Well, you come up short and it's frustrating. I just don't think I understood how close we were. I know we were one game away. It's easy to say that, but you don't really see it until two weeks later from the game you lose and they're playing the Super Bowl. You go through the whole off‑season and then you realize your goal again is to make it back there. We were just a quarter and a half away. I mean, it's crazy. It blows your mind when you think about it.
We go back up to Cortland, we go through our season and make it to the playoffs. We get two huge road wins and now we're here again. It just kind of brings back all those emotions of that last game and how hard it was to walk off the field. You see the confetti coming down and Peyton [Manning] and all those guys on the stage. We want that to be us. We can't come up short this time. We've got to be sharp. We need to play well. We had a great week of practice, so we're set up to do the right things. We'll see what happens on Sunday.
On how bad it felt to lose in the AFC Championship game..
I thought about it earlier in the week, but at this point that's so far gone the only thing can you take from it is "Yeah, I remember how that felt. Yeah, this year will be different." We prepare the right way, we play the right way. We know we can win the game. It's going to be tough, but we can do it. We have the players to do it. We have the scheme to do it. We play right and we'll be just fine. You can't play not to lose. We've got to play to win the game, and that's what we'll do.
On having a close relationship with his father unlike Todd Marinovich…
I don't see too much the connection with Marinovich's dad. He's always been around and wanted to be a part of things and helped me out. He wanted to be on the field trips when I was in elementary school, just like my mom. They've both been there quite a bit. Whether this is an AFC Championship Game or a little league all-star game, they would be there. Nothing's changed that way. It's just a bigger stage. It's even more fun for them to be a part of, so it means the world to me to have them and have them be so close. It's a great relationship, and I'm proud that they're going to be there.
On his right shoulder…
I feel better than last week, even better. It feels, honestly, really good. Every week it's gotten better. Last week is the best it's felt. This week's even better.
