Transcript of quarterback Mark Sanchez's informal news conference following Wednesday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
On what the offense needs to do differently this week…
I think we just need to execute. There have been a couple of miscues, especially in the fourth quarter. Where we need to be our very best and finish games, we didn't do it. Guys owned up to their mistakes and we're ready to bounce back. That game is over. There are a lot of great lessons to learn from it. The kind of offense we have, our scheme, the play-calling ability and the playmakers we have, we shouldn't be shutout. It sent a good message to us. It hit home for everyone and we're ready to bounce back.
On his inaccuracy against Green Bay…
It was just one of those days where you just don't play your best. It was obvious we needed to make plays at times. We're all going to have to bail each other out at some point, but we got off the same page and it wasn't happening. A lot of that was my fault. I need to be more accurate and that's been the emphasis this week, get completions. I passed up a couple of easy completions. I left a lot of easy throws out on the field, going down-the-field with some shots that we didn't really need to take. There were a couple of chances that I could've ran, so plenty of decisions that I could've made better, and I definitely will.
On the Detroit defense…
Just an active front four, relentless. Vanden Bosch is known as just a blue-collar, tough player around this league. We played against him last year at Tennessee. This guy never quits. Then they have Ndamukong Suh, who's playing really well, especially for a rookie. There's some clips on tape where he's just manhandling guys up front and doing a great job. That's where they apply their pressure. They're in the right spots in their secondary. It's a good team that's playing well right now, coming off a big win at home. We need to play our best on the road.
On Detroit's improvement as a team…
They're a lot better than their record shows. They've been in every football game they've played in. The most important thing is not to think of them as the Detroit Lions of last year. They are not that team. They are far from that team. If we go in there thinking that, we'll get run out of the building. We need to play well, play sharp, I need to be more accurate. We'll make catches and we'll play well. It's important to know that this is a very good opponent and not to overlook them.
On if they can continue to overcome adversity like they have this season…
Hopefully, if we respond like we did after the Ravens, we'll be 10-2 and everybody will be happy. That would be great, and that's the only way we know how. That's what should happen on Sunday, but it will take a great week of preparation and we're going to have to play well. It is definitely about responding and being positive.
On going with the ebb and flow of the season…
Absolutely, it's important to not make one bad game a stretch of bad games. That's kind of the trap you fall into as a rookie. Things are going bad, and they just kind of get worse. Well, now, things went bad on Sunday. It's time to make them better and not dwell on it, but learn, improve and move on. That's what I'm planning on doing and I know the team's with me.
On if he was too critical of himself…
For a quarterback, there were a lot of mistakes that I made, just a couple of poor decisions. Throws that didn't need to be made, throws that needed to be made a little better are all over the film. Another quarterback could watch that game and see exactly what I'm seeing, and know why I put so much pressure on myself and know why I'm so critical of myself. Braylon [Edwards] was wide-open for a touchdown at the very end of the game, the second-to-last drive before it was 9-0. If I just hit that and don't hesitate, I'm throwing a touchdown, we're winning the game, we're not even talking about it anymore. We're high-fiving, we're smiling and it's a different story this week. That's how tough I have to be on myself, and that's how tough I am on myself. That could be the difference between 5-2 and 6-1. It's this close. That's why I'm like that.
On seeing Edwards wide-open on the tape…
It's the worst, because he's wide-open. He said something about it in the game, he said, "Hey, did you see me up the seam?" I said, 'Yeah, I kind of lost you. How did it look?' He said, "I was wide-open." Every receiver tells you they're wide-open and that's good, that's fine. I want them to. That's fine, but especially after you look at the film, that could've been an easy one. Seth Ryan could've made that throw [joking]. It's frustrating when you look at it like that.
On if he saw Edwards open on the play at all…
He's not even in the progression. No, it's like a backside hold-off route. My brothers asked me the same thing — "Dude, he's wide open." I'm like, "All right, John Elway, relax." He's not in the progression and he knew that, but it was just one of those things like if I happen to see him or something on a scramble, obviously, get my eyes up and see him. He wasn't in the play.
On not using misdirection plays as much against Green Bay as they usually do…
Those guys did such a good job on the edge. We had to really sell some of those runs to get outside there. The two chances we had, we hit one and we missed one. It's something that's always in the game plan. I like throwing on the run, but whether we do it a lot one week or not, there's still other plays to be made.
On if he feels pressure to evenly distribute the ball to all his receivers…
Really, it doesn't even matter who the guys are. They shouldn't even wear numbers and wear a dark visor like LT [LaDainian Tomlinson], so I can't even see them. It wouldn't matter because I'm not looking for a specific guy,"OK, this guy needs three catches." It's about getting as many assists as possible, if that makes sense, from a point guard perspective. I left a lot of them out there on the field. We're not counting. We're not making tally marks, and nobody has to hit a certain number of catches. It's catch-by-committee. It doesn't matter. If LT has the most catches, that's fine, too. That's the way it should be.
On the receptions numbers being evenly spread out…
It will end up that way. The numbers will even out, run-to-pass and guys with catches, if I'm going through things right and I'm making the right decisions. It will end up evening out.
On if he would throw more to one receiver if he is beating a cornerback…
Sure. Matchups come in to play, when guys are hot, give them a chance, but it's hard to get things rolling when I'm not throwing the ball the right way. I just wasn't accurate enough. There are so many completions that I left out there. It's really too bad.
On if footwork was a problem against Green Bay…
No, not at all. It was just a poor day when it came to accuracy.
On if he is more critical of himself this season…
I think I'm always about the same when I criticize myself. It's usually rough. That's the way I want it to be. I'm striving to be one of the best and you can't say, "Oh, it's OK that I missed that one," and 'Let that one go.' You have to be tough and set the standard high, so I think I'm pretty much the same that way between last year and this year.
On Coach Ryan talking about him running more for first-downs…
I think there were some running lanes out there and some balls that I put in the air that I could've just ran with. Even if you get three yards, it's like running the ball. It's fine. It's OK to do that, just get down, slide, run out of bounds and keep the chains moving. Do what's absolutely best for the team. I kind of got away from that last week and that's why we didn't win.
On if the knee brace and the sliding problems last season are in the back of his mind…
I feel much more mobile this year than I did last year. I've used my legs to get out of trouble a couple of times and now it's about using them to advance the ball down the field a little bit every once in a while. There's nothing wrong with it. When everybody gets out, just steal a couple of yards and get out of bounds, so that's what I'll focus on.
On if there was a friendly competition between him and Matt Stafford during the draft process…
Absolutely. In workouts, at the combine, on our pro days, we were competing. Now, it's a chance for us to compete on our respective teams. I think he's doing a great job for them. He was lights-out last week, threw a few touchdown passes. We're coming into town, in their place. They're riding a little momentum from last week and we need to play our best and know that he is a great quarterback, young, but really good, can make all of the throws, so we have to play well.
On if he was hoping Detroit would draft him number one…
No, I'm happy where I'm at.
On if he would have liked being drafted number one overall…
I like where I'm at.
On if he had more pressure on him at No. 5 than Matt Stafford at No. 1 because of the expectations of the Jets to do well…
First-round quarterbacks anywhere. They're searching for someone to be that guy to bring back their franchise. That's what Coach [Jim] Schwartz is doing with Calvin Johnson and all the draft picks they've had the past 10 years. They've been building their team and now they're starting to play like a team that's really going to be a contender. Then you come to a team that was supposed to pick 16th, so kind of middle of the pack, with a lot of talent and new head coach. There's pressure there, too. It's a similar type of pressure. It may be tougher in New York just with the media attention, but similar positions. He's done a great job with everything through injuries and criticism. He's a tough guy and a winner. They picked a good quarterback and now we have to go play him.
On WFAN's report that he was hanging out with Randy Moss yesterday…
No. I mean yes [laughter].
On if he was hanging out with Moss…
As far as you know [laughter].
On where his favorite hangout spot is…
I don't know [laughing]. One Jets Drive [laughter]. We were hanging in the cafeteria [joking].
On how he would feel if the Jets claimed Moss…
We didn't get him? [joking] I haven't even thought about it. We're worried about Detroit. I love the guys we have. These receivers will bail you out all the time. We didn't have our best day, so we'll come back and have a good week this week.
