Jets need more from Mark Sanchez to make Super Bowl

In 2009, the Jets traded up to select QB Mark Sanchez fifth overall.

It was a gutsy move by GM Mike Tannenbaum -- the kid had made just 13 starts at USC. And the Jets still made the AFC Championship in the two years that followed.

Really, though, Gang Green did so in spite of a young signal caller learning his craft.

A great defense and solid ground game will do that for you.

But that, on its own, won't get you to the Super Bowl. Not in today's NFL, with rules designed to optimize a team's passing game, at the expense of just about everything else.

And with that, tomorrow begins the pivotal third year of Sanchez's career.

For the Jets, 2011 is Super Bowl or bust.

To achieve that goal, they probably need to win no fewer than 12 games to unseat the Patriots in the AFC East and land a bye and home game in the playoffs.

Sanchez has shown a flair for the dramatic, and his best games usually come in the playoffs. Both are great signs.

But the Jets need more consistency week in and week out.

That only happens if their QB improves on what was a statistically pedestrian sophomore campaign (17 TDs, 13 INTs, 75.3 QB rating).

If the kid can become a top 10 QB in this league, the sky is the limit for his team.

If not, the Jets will again be asking an awful lot from their defense.

Youngsters shine as Rex's Jets KO Bengals

The NFL's Wild Card Weekend is halfway over, and the New York Jets' Super Bowl aspirations remain alive and well.

Coach Rex Ryan led Gang Green into Cincinnati Saturday night and eliminated the favored AFC North Champion Bengals, 24-14. (Don't think they socked the Bungals in the gut? Read this columnist lamenting life in Cincy.)

Here are my five stars of the game:

1) Shonn Greene
Rookie running back had his coming out party, bowling over Bengal defenders to the tune of 135 rushing yards and a touchdown.

2) Mark Sanchez
"The Sanchize" played every bit the nickname, notching his best game as a pro on the biggest stage. Completed a whopping 80 percent of his passes, a record for a rookie QB in the playoffs.

3) Darrelle Revis
Next time Ochostinko drifts to Revis Island, he'd better borrow my daughter's swimmies and waterproof diapers. Revis is the biggest defensive star to grace the Jets since the Sack Exchange.

4) Woody Johnson

Owner may be short on people skills, but he loves this football team and, amid a personal tragedy of epic proportions, he made the trip to Cincinnati. This one was for Woody!

5) Dustin Keller
Tight end was making plays all over the place, with a touchdown, a 43-yard pass that set up another score and a nasty block that cleared the path for Greene's touchdown run.

When did the Giants become the Jets??

I don't dislike the Giants. Honest.

But I'll be the first to admit I've grown awfully envious listening to the New York media heap praise on Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning and "Earth, Wind and Fire" lately while my New York Jets commited the football equivalent of wetting the bed this December.

I don't know if I could have sat through another Gigantic Super Bowl championship.

So, it's with a pinch of pleasure that I read local columnists today teeing off on Tom Coughlin for his decision making, Plaxico Burress for his bad behavior and Eli Manning for his virtual no-show yesterday.

For one day, the New York Giants were downright Jets-like.

Why do coaches from the Belichick tree suck?

I see deposed New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini landed on his feet in Cleveland.

Good for him.

His in-game coaching was just as bad as that of Herman Edwards, but Eric was a nice guy and I wish him well.

Question: Why do coordinators from the Bill Belichick football coaching tree all fall on their face?

I'm sorry, but Mangini was a disappointment in New York.

Romeo Crennel flopped in Cleveland. Nick Saban blew in and out of Miami. And talk about Charlie Weis returning Notre Dame to prominence has just about subsided.

Do yourself a favor, football GMs:

Don't eat fruit plucked from the Belichick tree. It'll give you the runs.

That SOB Belichick is probably too miserable impart any knowledge on his assistants.

Hey Jets... wrong Schottenheimer!!

Look, I'm honored New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and owner Woody Johnson visit this page.

Really, I am.

But gents, you actually have to read the blog posts, not just skim through the headlines.

When I said Schottenheimer was the guy to take this veteran team over the hump, I meant experienced NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer.

NOT JUNIOR!

So it is with a great deal of disgust do I read a report from the Star-Ledger claiming current offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is the front-runner for Gang Green's head coaching vacancy, while anonymous sources said Giants' DC Steve Spagnuolo was ill-prepared for his interview.

If true, this is foolish on so many levels.

1) You are going to promote a guy who couldn't figure out he had to get his most dangerous offensive threat Leon Washington the ball??

2) Of course Spags was less prepared for his interview than Schottenheimer! Spags met with four teams this week and his defense is gearing up to defend its Super Bowl title. What the heck does Schottenheimer have to do these days aside from his laundry??

College coach a bad gamble for New York Jets

I really hope Steve Spagnuolo aced his interview with the Jets.

Because I get nervous when I hear the Jets are sniffing around Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski as a potential replacement for Eric Mangini.

Thus far my beloved Gang Green has ignored my calls to hire a veteran head coach to get them over the hump, instead focusing on defensive coordinators Spags (Giants) and Rex Ryan (Ravens).

Fine.

At least they're the best two coordinators in the NFL -- and have had a ton more success than Mangini did when the Jets prematurely plucked him from Bill Belichick's bosom.

But, jeez, Jagodzinski's NFL resume peaks with a year as offensive coordinator in Green Bay.

I mean, can we possibly find a guy with less NFL experience to drop into the media capital of the world?

(And if this is about hiring Brett Favre's old buddy to get the QB to come back for a year, that's just plain moronic!)

Hey, Tannenbaum... research "Holtz, Lou" for an idea how college coaches work in New York.

Jets' Jones isn't helping matters

Hey TJ... thanks for a great season. Now shut up!

That's what this Jets' fan has to say after reading how running back Thomas Jones called out quarterback Brett Favre during a recent radio interview.

Apparently Jones feels Brett was a lousy teammate and threw lots of picks.

Well, he's right on both fronts -- No. 4 is no saint here -- but that's not the point.

If Jones was such a team leader, wouldn't it have been more productive to speak up during the season when something could be done? You know, like when the Jets were curling into fetal position, choking away a spot in the playoffs.

Or -- gasp -- confront his QB in person.

And sure, Brett stunk it up vs. the Dolphins -- his three picks drew Jones' ire in the controversial interview. But last I checked, TJ didn't exactly burn up the Fish in Week 17 either (23 yards in 10 rushes).

Keep this stuff in house, would ya?

Nobody wants to hear this garbage after a monumental collapse.