Transcript of quarterback Mark Sanchez's informal news conference at his locker following Wednesday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
On how he feels after practice today…
I feel good. I felt like we just had a physical game, and the training staff just wanted to be extra cautious and make sure I'm doing well especially at the beginning of the season so I can make it through the long haul, but I feel good.
On the Jaguars being a thorn in the Jets side in the past…
We dropped a game to them at home. It just reminds us how well we need to play at home and protect our stadium. But [they're] a good football team, a disciplined football team under coach Del Rio and we know they have some great players. [They're] a tough, physical team so we need to be up for this game and excited, and play well at home.
On throwing the ball more than usual and if it will continue into this game…
It was awesome. I have no idea, we'll go with what the gameplan calls for. It could be a good balance, we might run it a ton, we might throw it a ton. So whatever we need to do, I know this team will be able to adjust and play well. But it's a good defense that we're going against, so we need to play really well.
On if he remembers another game where he got hit as much as the Cowboys game…
There are other games like that. Cleveland last year. A Ryan defense, you know you're going to come up with some bumps and bruises and that's normal and that's good. That means you're playing hard and they are too obviously. So there's nothing wrong with that.
On if there is a worry that there will be an emotional letdown after the 9/11 game…
That's what a lot of people are asking. That could be the case but this team, we know it's another AFC opponent, this has playoff implications down the road, and you don't want to drop one of these at home. You have to cherish these games at home and we have a tough three game stretch after this, so we really need to take advantage of this game and play well. But there's never going to be a bigger game emotionally than our opener this year, but we need to answer the call and rise to the challenge this week because this is huge.
On looking back at film from the game two years ago…
Just watching that game from a couple years ago, you want to kick yourself because there's some easy plays that we let go, some easy completions I left on the field and it's just really too bad to lose at home right after a bye week. So, we need to be ready to play and we know this is going to be a good team.
On carrying over the momentum from the end of the Dallas game…
Well, that's the emphasis and we kind of got our first game jitters out of the way and with all the festivities and the memorial service leading into the game, there were a lot of things that we had to focus [on], not just the game. This week, we can't impress upon ourselves enough about how another AFC opponent [is] coming to our place. This is a must win. We need a great gameplan to start it off well. The coaches got us off to a good start on this Wednesday and we need to carry it through the week.
On wearing the throwback New York Titans jerseys…
I love the throwbacks, I love them. The Titans of New York, they give us some sweet gear and sweatshirts and all that. It's really cool. I love those jerseys.
On if the Jaguars run more base defense than the Cowboys…
It'll be different, maybe not as exotic as a Ryan defense but still a tough, in your face [defense]. Their front four, we faced Roth last year, and then they went out and got a bunch of defensive players, stud defensive players in the secondary and the linebacking corps. So, [Paul] Posluszny and [Clint] Session from Indianapolis that we played before. [Dawan] Landry from Baltimore and then obviously Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman, guys we have a lot of respect for. We're going to have our hands full. Whatever they run, it'll be a good, tough defense for us.
On seeing former Jets DBs Lowery and Coleman…
It'll be good before the game, and then as soon as we start playing we have to get after it. We'll see how they play against us. They've always played traditionally well against our offense when they were on the same [team] as us. They're still good friends of ours, but we're trying to win a game. So we'll put that aside for 60 minutes and then high five at the end, but that's about it.
On this being a must win game…
Just an AFC opponent, it carries weight. Our AFC record is what put us over the hump last year and got us that Buffalo game at home at the end that whether we won or lost that game it wouldn't have mattered, so we had a chance to rest some of our starters. We want to be in a similar situation. We want to win our division of course, but these AFC games are big if it comes down to crunch time and you're tied with someone in your division.
On how he feels he played Sunday…
I think for most of the game I felt great. I stood in versus pressure, I got some throws off under a little duress, I used my feet a little bit and made some plays. Almost all the right checks, and then there's a handful of plays that we could have ran the ball on a couple and then I checked to a pass. And then there were a couple throws where I felt hot after the touchdown to Dustin [Keller] and we're rolling on offense and I just kind of didn't really adhere to my read discipline.
And when you don't go through your pure progression the right way, you skip number one and go right to number two because Dustin is hot and I'm feeling good and invincible and I can make any throw, you stare right at the guy and then anybody will pick you off and he almost takes it to the house. Those little slipups can't happen and that can beat us. So I'm lucky and the offense is lucky that the special teams played so well and our defense came back and got a big interception at the end.
On if he remembers bringing a sheet of paper with him to the podium...
I remember watching the film thinking about that. I was just stupid. You're frustrated and you're losing games. We lost before the bye week, we lost right after the bye week and we were getting our butts kicked all over the field. And I felt like I was playing poorly and I was the reason for most of our losses. So that's a tough spot to be in and I would think I would be ready to handle it and at that moment you feel like, "Man, I need an answer for all that stuff, and here's what it is." And that was just stupid and a dumb, dumb rookie mistake. So that won't happen again.
On if he thinks there will be a letdown after the Dallas game…
I disagree, I think each week has its own storyline. This one being an AFC opponent, we're putting a real big emphasis on playing at home and protecting our home stadium. And we can't lose at home. We can't. We want to get a home playoff game, and there's no point in getting a home playoff game if you keep dropping games at home. It just doesn't work. This has to be huge for us. We say it every week, must win, but this is a big one. And we know they're tough. This is a disciplined team. They're not going to have penalties. They're not going to turn it over. They're going to control the game by running the ball. So if you don't sustain drives and convert on third down, you might not get the ball for another quarter. So we can't have that, we have to be sharp.
On if he is encouraged by how he worked with Plaxico Burress against Dallas…
Absolutely. 'Tone [Santonio Holmes] and Dustin [Keller] got a bunch of catches early with LT [LaDainian Tomlinson] and Plax [Burress] and Mace [Derrick Mason] are kind of sitting over there, like "Man, they brought us in here…" There's all of this stuff going on. They're excited for the game, and they're gamers, they're competitive, and they're just like, "Man…" So, I made a point to go over and tell them both, "Hang with me. I'll get you the rock. Don't worry. Just keep running the routes. Stay sharp. Trust me, I will throw you the ball. It will happen. Thank God it did, they would've been mad [laughing]. It was good. They showed poise. They stayed into the game. I'm really happy with how our chemistry is working.
On if the issues the offense was dealing were overlooked because of how meaningful the win over Dallas was…
Oh, sure. That can't get lost. You've got to be sensitive to what I say talking about September 11th, and remembering the memorial service and all that. That's important, and that's huge to win at all costs. The way we won was dramatic and soap opera-ish, with the Ryan Bowl and September 11th and Nick Folk kicking the game winner, but it can't get lost that we need to be sharper on offense. I can't be the reason that we turn the ball over two times. We needed to start faster, whether it's no-huddle or whatever, we just need to start faster and sustain a couple more drives and be better in the red zone. That stuff can't get lost in, "Hey, we won, we're all smiling," and it doesn't.
On if the lack of touchdowns in the first quarter is psychological…
I don't know if it's psychological. Nobody thinks we're going to come out and go three-and-out. I hope they don't. That's not the kind of team we have. We've been a slow-starting team, for 16 games, like you said. Something's got to change, maybe it's just our attitude. I think the play calling is fine. We just need to convert on third down, whether it's me throwing a more accurate ball or not getting sacked on the first play, that kind of stuff. You take a sack, I think the stat is like, 12% of the time you'll end up scoring a touchdown on that drive, so a sack is a drive killer. We can't have negative plays on first down. We need to be much better on first down, to convert at least.
On what his recovery was like on Monday…
[I] just get banged around on Sunday a little bit. Get some rest, get a massage, cold tub and all that stuff.
On if it took long for him to feel like himself on Monday…
No, I popped up on Monday and I was feeling good, especially after a win. It was a physical game, and I took a couple of those shots, and I was getting up a little slow.
On if the offensive line had anything to say about it…
No, they were fine. Two of the sacks were totally my fault, no question. All the way. I should've gotten rid of the ball. Other than that, you take a couple of hits. I'll throw a bad ball, somebody misses a block, somebody makes a wrong cut. That stuff's going to happen. We can live with those. Don't set yourself up and just stand there and take a shot.
On how much better he has gotten at not letting one bad play impact the next play…
You know who's been great about that? Well, Cav [quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh]'s always been good. Keeping an even demeanor. He barely smiles. He won't smile until after the game, but he barely even smiles, even when you throw the best ball of your life, or throw a touchdown or make a good run or good check that you're supposed to, he just keeps that even demeanor. It kind of reminds me, that touchdown, interception, sack, fumble, whatever, just let it go man. Coach Tom Moore, he always tells us "Put it to bed," and that's it.
On if that advice helps…
It helps. I'm still frustrated. I'm competitive, but you can't let it [affect you], because then you jeopardize the next play, you jeopardize what everybody's doing on that next play and you can hurt the team. I've got to protect those guys with my attitude and my decisions.
On homefield advantage…
The way our crowd rose up for that game last week, that's huge, and we're going to need them big time this week. We need them screaming when the other team's on offense, we need them to get penalties on offense. That's huge for our defense, going from a third-and-five to a third-and-10, just from a quarterback's standpoint, it's like, "God, we're killing ourselves." You're shooting yourself in the foot. You can't [do that]. That's huge. We need to play well at home. We want to give our fans support. Our fans love watching us play well at home. It's got to happen and I think that's what we're working towards.
