Transcript of quarterback Mark Sanchez's news conference following Wednesday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
On this week being a good opportunity...
Absolutely. It's going to be a big challenge for us. I know their defense is one of the toughest in the league, so that's always good. We need to play our best and it's about time we started playing at our best, so it's a good opportunity for us.
On if the team needs to get its swagger back...
I think it's just getting back to fundamentals, techniques, back to basics, really, and being smart with the football, everything that got us to our nine wins. We need to get back to that. I think our team is ready to do that. We're very focused this week, ready to prepare, and I think we had a great practice on Wednesday, so we just need to keep it rolling.
On if he thinks the offense needs to do some things differently against the Pittsburgh defense...
We just need to be more efficient, that's for sure, take care of the football, get completions early and often in the passing game, and we have to get the running game going a little bit. It'll be a good challenge because they're a great front seven, their back end does a great job as well, so it's a good team to challenge us and we're ready for that.
On if the team has lost any confidence...
Not at all. Our team has mentally tough players, a tight-knit group. Guys are excited to get back out on the field. This is a good test and we'll see the kind of team we have here in these next couple of weeks, so it's good for us.
On if he feels like he can take some chances downfield against Pittsburgh's secondary...
You have to try. Every game you have shots built in and we'll take our chances when we need to and when we feel the time is right. If we see something out there that we really like, then we'll take our shots. With this defense, you want to be smart and play your best game and that'll definitely include some balls downfield.
On if he knew about Sal Alosi instructing players on the sideline to form a line...
I knew he was suspended. I don't know about anything else.
On how he feels about the incident...
I think the team's made their statement on that and it's, obviously, not positive press, but he's made his apology and we're trying to move on as a team. We wish [Nolan Carroll] the best and it's just an unfortunate situation.
On how daunting Pittsburgh's defense looks...
It's a difficult matchup for any team, but we're poised for a challenge and ready to go. It's going to take incredible focus all week in our preparation. We're going to have to take care of the football, starting with the quarterback, starting with me. When we throw it, we have to be smart. They have guys running all over the place when you run it. They have a tough front seven and we need to be at our best and it's about time we started playing like that and peaking at the right time before the playoffs, so this will be a good test.
On what he can do to fix his footwork...
We've done a couple of drills, just talking with [Mark] Brunell and going over some things in my head and really hammering down the footwork as I study at night. It's just focusing on the fundamentals that got us to our nine wins, so it's not as hard as you might think to rehash that, go over it again and work at it. It's been good reminders and it's kind of gotten in the way of wins and it's time to get back to the fundamentals.
On if it is a footwork issue when the pocket collapses or when he is back in the pocket...
I think just in general, taking the right amount of steps and matching up the timing. When the pocket collapses, you just have to ad-lib a little bit and do your best to put two hands on the football -- that's another thing we talked about. You can't leave it uncovered like that. There's a lot of things we're working on and it's a good challenge.
On how he is keeping his calm and poise with people being critical of him lately...
That's the way it is. You're a hero when you win and you're the goat when you lose. That's the nature of playing this position and you have to have thick skin, you have to be mentally tough and it's a good challenge for me early in my career where people might doubt, even in the building. You have to be sharp and show that you can be accurate.
On lacking in fundamentals the past few games...
I think we're looking for anything that can improve, whether it's one time, multiple times, and I think it showed up a couple of times on film. It's something that needs to get fixed and any mistake needs to get fixed, whether that's taking care of the football, taking the right number of steps. That is something that I've always been pretty good at and so it's important for me to focus on that maybe a tick more, and if Rex points it out, it's something I need to look at.
On why his fundamentals have been off the last couple of games...
It's just trying to do too much at times. You get away from what you know the best and when things aren't going right, you might try to make something up a little bit or do something a little different. Now is the time to really stick to the game plan and really just be smart with the way you go about moving in the pocket, hanging on to the ball, your footwork and all that. I guess things can get away from you when you're trying to win games down the stretch and doing stuff at the end of games to win, but it's important to stay focused even in those tough times.
On if the team's struggles coupled with the upcoming opponent makes this game the biggest challenge of his career...
They're all big, competing for a starting job is tough, playing in the playoffs your rookie year is tough, so it's another challenge. These are the kinds of situations you want to play for. You don't want to be on a losing team and play another losing team. That's not what you want. This really tests your mettle and this is a good opportunity for us. I'm excited about it, whether it's the biggest or smallest challenge. It's a challenge, nonetheless, and I just need to play well.
On if he's sensed that people in the building doubt him...
I don't know. It could happen. It's a tough business. You've got to be thick-skinned. I just need to be ready to play.
On if Coach Ryan doubts him since he said that he considered benching him...
You could say that. I don't know. Ask Rex.
On if he's had a problem staying warm in cold-weather games...
I think the bike definitely helps keep your legs warm by staying active. It's one of those things where you have to keep stretching on the sidelines. Hopefully, we sustain a few drives and stay warm out on the field and keep our defense off the field. Right before you go in on offense, you have to get by the heater, stretch out a little bit and just stay warm.
On if it's frustrating when he makes fundamental mistakes...
Sure. You watch the film and say, 'Come on. You've got to have two hands on the ball. That's too easy.' It's one thing to go through a tough read or get fooled by a defense, but something that you can control, you want to get that right. As frustrating as it is, it just needs to be fixed. That's the focus and that'll be the emphasis this week.
On if he will be having a meeting with Coach Ryan this week...
I don't know. He hasn't said anything, so I don't know yet.
On if it puts a dent in his confidence that Coach Ryan considered benching him...
It's something that can't rattle you as a starter. I'm the guy and the offensive guys rally around me. That's always going to be Rex's decision. It's his prerogative. He says who the quarterback is. As long as it's me, I'm playing my heart out for the team and I think the guys know that. I'll take all the reps I can get and be ready to play, just like always.
On people criticizing Brian Schottenheimer...
It's similar to criticism of any other person on the staff. It's tough to pinpoint one thing. We all have our hand in this. He called the right plays and we didn't execute them. If I don't go through the right read or take the right number of steps, it throws a kink in the works, a wrench in the works. It's hard to say. The most important thing we can do is get the plays that are called, have confidence in them, have confidence in the plan like we do every week, and execute. We have to catch it when the ball is there. I have to throw it more accurately. He puts us in the right position to make plays.
On Dustin Keller not getting the ball as much...
He's has some good catches and some crucial catches for us. I think I missed him on a couple of passes last week that really could have helped us. The ball was behind him here or there or it was too far out in front or we were on different pages. I think it's something that we need to keep working on and fight through this thing and just keep practicing hard and working hard and talking about it.
He's got a great attitude towards the whole thing. He started off so red-hot that anything less than that would have been like, "Wow, he's not playing well." That's not what we think. He's blocking really well and he's making some big grabs when he has the opportunity. I just need to get him more opportunities and I'll try and do that.
On if he's concerned about getting benched in the middle of a game...
I go into the game with a positive attitude and I'm not thinking of getting pulled at any time. I'm ready to play and if Rex makes a decision like that, we'll all live with it.
