The Jets lost tonight but since I don't really care about wins and losses in the preseason I will get right into my post game analysis by looking at the two quarterbacks and their performances tonight:
1. Sanchez's performance in this game was very underwhelming. He finished with the first half at 3/8 with 43 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. I'll take it possessoin by possession through his first ever NFL start.
First Possession:
Sanchez got his first look at the Ravens defense and Ray Lewis forces him to throw an interception right into the hands of Haloti Ngata for a defensive touchdown. Sanchez has to make a quicker read and dump the ball off or has to just hold on and take a sack.
Second Possession:
On his second drop back to pass of the game Sanchez almost throws another pick-six right to Ray Lewis. Sanchez stared down his WR over the middle and Lewis jumped the route and missed an easy interception. Sanchez needs to look off his receivers and not allow the defensive players to read his eyes. Sanchez commits another error with a delay of game penalty.
Sanchez has a positive play in this possession when he escapes the pressure aon third down and makes a good throw down the sideline to Brad Smith. However, this play is brought back for offensive interference.
Third Possession:
This is pretty much a lost possession for Sanchez as the Jets run a risky reverse on first down and never give Sanchez the chance to throw the ball.
Fourth Possession:
Sanchez still hasn't completed a pass and is getting chased around behind a shaky offensive line. He also commits another error with the second delay of game penalty of the night.
Fifth Possession:
Sanchez finally gets it going on this possession with a lot of help from Leon Washington. Washington converts on two third and longs on both a screen pass and a draw play. Sanchez fumbles a handoff and has a miscommunication with Jerricho Cotchery. However, Sanchez turns it around by throwing a touchdown pass down the sideline to Washington after getting flushed out of the pocket to the right and seeing Leon on a linebacker.
Overall, Sanchez did not play a very solid first half. However, the Ravens defense has flustered many well established QB's and Sanchez was able to come back on his fifth possession and throw a touchdown pass down the sideline after escaping pressure.
Kellen Clemens:
Clemens will not get the same write up as Sanchez because he didn't get reps against the first team defense. Clemens threw a terrible interception to end the first half which was more a result of bad play calling. However, Clemens came out strong in the second half with a great throw to David Clowney, Mr. August, down the sideline. Clemens didn't show enough to cement himself as the starter tonight because most of what he did was against the second and third team defenses.
Here are some THUMBS UP for todays game:
1. Leon Washington:
Leon Washington played a great game tonight. He showed, yet again, why he should be given an extension and paid the 5-6 million dollars a year that he is asking for. On Sanchez's TD drive he converted on 3 straight 3rd down conversions, one resulting in a touchdown. Washington also had a great kick return in the first half that would have ended up as a touchdown if he hadn't tripped slightly. I was very impressed at Leon running inside the tackles tonight. Everyone knows that he can run on the outside but if he can learn to get the hard yards up the middle he will become a better all around running back.
2. Dwight Lowery:
I loved the way Lowery played in this game mostly because of his tackling. On the first defensive possession Lowery made two great open field tackles and successfully defended a long pass down the sideline.
3. Defensive Pressure:
The defense managed to get pressure from many different sources tonight. Ryan let it all out in the first few possessions and Bart Scott made a great return to Baltimore and got tons of pressure on the QB. David Harris also picked up another sack and was all over the running game. Between Scott and Harris, the Jets will have the best MLB crew in the NFL this season. Calvin Pace also picked up a sack and shows why we will miss him for the first 4 games of the season.
And of course some THUMBS DOWN:
1. Vernon Gholston:
As I said in my pregame post, this game was huge for Gholston. He put up a terrible performance in this game and looked soft, stiff and slow. I keyed on him throughout the second half and he spent most of his time running straight into the offensive line and making no impact whatsoever. By this time in his career, he should be at least making some impact in the pass rushing game and he hasn't done that in the slightest. The bust label isn't out yet, but if Gholston doesn't show something to me soon I will be ready to write him off like most other Jets fans already have.
2. Drew Coleman:
Drew Coleman showed tonight that he shouldn't even make this team. He got burned down the sideline by Derrick Mason which was a huge play that led to a touchdown. There have to be better cornerbacks out there than Drew Coleman.
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