Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez's NFL career couldn't have had a better start: New York, eight months removed from the evil clutches of Eric Mangini, began the season 3-0 and for the first time since those heady Chad Pennington days earlier this decade, the team had their franchise quarterback. Reality abruptly set in last Sunday against the Saints -- Sanchez was just 14 of 27 for 138 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions and he was sacked four times. He set season lows in just about every statistical category but it was his first pick early in the second quarter that might have been the lowlight of his afternoon.
Saints safety Darren Sharper intercepted Sanchez and sprinted 99 yards for a touchdown (the 10th pick-six of his career). That was bad enough, but Sanchez inexplicably tried to de-leg linebacker Jonathan Vilma during the run back.
The league subsequently fined Sanchez $5,000 for his antics, and yesterday the Jets quarterback was contrite in explaining what possessed him to dive at Vilma's knees.
Via the Newark Star-Ledger:
"I told him, 'You know, I'm running down the field. I'm upset after the pick. I said, 'Hey dude, I didn't know what I was doing.' I'm just trying to create a pile, just push somebody into the boundary. I don't want to be the guy on film that's quitting on the play. At the same time, I don't want to take that guy on head up and then get in trouble for putting myself in danger. So I just told him that I got to be smart about that. And he said, 'No problem at all. I understand. And good luck.' He was a great guy about it and a real class guy."Sanchez's honesty is refreshing and, frankly, it's hard to be mad at the guy. So lesson learned. I'm just sorry we don't have video of Bobby Hebert reacting to that play.
