Mark Sanchez: I’m Going to Win the Quarterback Competition
By Josh Sanchez
The New York Jets quarterback competition is going to generate a lot of attention during training camp, as veteran Mark Sanchez and 2013 second-round draft pick Geno Smith battle it out for the starting gig. While could be the team’s quarterback of the future, Sanchez is very optimistic that he will win the starting job and lead the Jets offense in to the regular season.
“When it’s a straight-up competition for the job, let’s roll,” Sanchez told ESPNNewYork.com. “It really doesn’t bother me at all. It really doesn’t affect my confidence or anything like that. We’re competing for something. All right, I’m going to win. That’s just how I am.”
After OTAs and minicamps, Sanchez distanced himself from Smith, who showed the obvious struggles that you would expect from a rookie signal-caller.
Sanchez has struggled since a solid 2010 campaign, but he believes he still has it inside of him to return to that level.
“I’ve been that guy; nothing has changed,” he said. “The results haven’t been what we wanted, but I haven’t changed. You don’t just switch and say, ‘This year, I’m going to do it.’ You have to be that guy at all times.
“I’m confident I can go out and make the plays for this team to win. You can’t guarantee wins and you can’t promise anything like that, but I know we’ll be the best-prepared team and the hardest-working team. We’ll have the potential to have a good season.”
If the Jets can get the pre-turnover proned Sanchez, then it would be hard to move forward with an unproven rookie.
Regardless of who emerges as the starter, we know that the Jets competition is going to be must-see. It is a shame that the showdown between Sanchez and Smith will not be featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks.