FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Not that it ever came easy, but there’s no denying the New York Jets’ Mark Sanchez found success as the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to get off to a 3-0 start. So when it all came crashing down around him in a 24-10 loss Sunday in New Orleans, where two of his errors led to Saints touchdowns, Sanchez did what rookies do.

He pushed beyond his limits and tried to win the game by doing the spectacular as opposed to the efficient. The final result was three interceptions, four sacks, a fumble in his own end zone and a 27.0 QB rating. Not only that, but coach Rex Ryan, without specifically fingering Sanchez, hinted that he might have checked out of running plays in a couple of third-and-1 situations in the third quarter on which he threw incompletions.
“Sometimes, you have a run-pass option,” Ryan said Monday. “It’s there; you want to take advantage of it, and in that situation, maybe we should have just stayed with the run call. If he hits one, the guy catches it and goes for a touchdown, we’re geniuses. If not, then we’re facing these questions.”
Chalk it up to the education of a rookie. Ryan was happy with a running game that produced 132 yards, and he was excited by the glimpse he got of rookie running back Shonn Greene. Sounds like there might be a renewed emphasis by the Jets on their running game Monday night in Miami.
That means Sanchez likely will be instructed to work on managing the game better rather than taking all the responsibility for winning it on his shoulders. Ryan admitted Sanchez “forced the issue” on too many plays.
“Mark realizes he just has to be part of the solution; he doesn’t have to be the solution himself,” Ryan said. “But when you get behind where you’ve had a play unfortunately go the wrong way (i.e., Darren Sharper’s 99-yard interception return), sometimes, you have a tendency to make another one.
“It’s almost like a gambler. ’Well, let me put in the rest of these (chips); I’ll catch up.’ That’s human nature.”
Ryan sat next to Sanchez for a bit on the plane trip home and kidded him that it couldn’t get any worse than Sunday. He predicted Sanchez will “come roaring back.”
But it’s clear Sanchez must understand the Jets have a dominant defense, so he has to cut down his mistakes. So far this season, he’s responsible for three opponents’ touchdowns, and the defense has allowed three.
Asked how that might affect his coaching philosophy, Ryan said: “We’re going to stay aggressive on both sides of the ball and on special teams. That’s what we’re all about. You know, Mark is a good quarterback. I’m not afraid to have Mark drop back to pass.
“We knew there were going to be bumps in the road. The great thing is this is the guy we want. He’s competitive. He’s going to study his tail off, and he’s also going to hit the practice field with confidence. That’s what he needs to do because that’s the nature of the position. He’s got to understand he’s got good teammates. We all believe in Mark, and we believe in the guys he’s surrounded with, just like we believe in our defense.”