Every Player Who Has Intercepted Mark Sanchez in 2012

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To say Mark Sanchez has struggled in 2012 would be an understatement of monumental proportions. He's been atrocious, and after 14 games, he has thrown 17 interceptions to 13 different players. 

His performance has been so bad that Rex Ryan has finally (thank you, God!) realized that Sanchez isn't the quarterback that gives the New York Jets the best chance to win. And to think it only took a four-interception performance against the lowly Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football for Ryan to finally it out...

We thought it would be interesting to chronicle every player who has contributed to Sanchez's woeful 2012 campaign. Some of them are among the best players in the NFL, while some are career backups who were in the right place at the right time. 

Here are the 13 players who intercepted Sanchez this season.

Bryan Scott: Linebacker, Buffalo Bills

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Bryan Scott is a 31-year-old linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. He has 10 career interceptions, including three this season. 

In the first quarter, on the Jets' first drive of the game, Sanchez had his team at its own 47-yard line when he threw it to Scott. 

Thankfully for Sanchez and the Jets, that was his only mistake of the game, the interception didn't lead to any points and they went on to win by a score of 48-28. 

Richard Marshall: Cornerback, Miami Dolphins

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Richard Marshall is a 28-year-old veteran cornerback for the Miami Dolphins who has totaled 18 interceptions throughout his career. His lone interception of 2012 came in Week 3 against Mark Sanchez.

In the first quarter, on the first drive of the game, Mark Sanchez and the Jets were on own 39-yard line when Sanchez threw a bad pass that Marshall easily picked off—a play that ultimately led to a touchdown run by Daniel Thomas.

Chris Clemons: Safety, Miami Dolphins

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Chris Clemons is a 27-year-old safety for the Miami Dolphins. He has three career interceptions to his name and two this season—both of which came thanks to Mark Sanchez, and both of which happened when the Jets were in the red zone.

Clemons' first interception came in Week 3. It was early in the third quarter, and the game was tied at 10 apiece. The Jets had driven down the field and were at the Dolphins' 7-yard line when Sanchez threw it to Clemons, who downed it in the end zone. 

His second came in the second meeting between these two teams in Week 8. The Dolphins had pulled out to a big 27-3 lead, and the Jets responded with a drive deep into Dolphins territory. They were at the Dolphins' 15-yard line when Sanchez attempted to hit Dustin Keller and threw it to Clemons instead, who took the ball 29 yards before getting stopped.

Patrick Willis: Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers

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We all know who Patrick Willis is. The All-Pro middle linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers has six career interceptions, and he wasn't the only player making Mark Sanchez's life miserable when these two teams met in Week 4. The 49ers won the game 34-0.

Willis intercepted Sanchez to get the third quarter kicked off. Sanchez was attempting to throw to Shonn Greene, but Ray McDonald batted the pass, and Willis was in the right place at the right time. 

Brice McCain: Cornerback, Houston Texans

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Brice McCain is a 26-year-old cornerback who has four career interceptions. 

He made his biggest play of the year in Week 5 against Mark Sanchez and the Jets.

It was almost halftime, and the Jets were down by one touchdown. Sanchez drove his team down to the 12-yard line of the Houston Texans for a scoring opportunity in the red zone. He was then picked off by McCain, who ran the ball back 86 yards before Jeremy Kerley dragged him down from behind. 

This play led to a Texans field goal before halftime, putting Houston up by 10 at the half. 

Kareem Jackson: Cornerback, Houston Texans

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Kareem Jackson is a 24-year-old cornerback with seven career interceptions—four of which he brought in this season. 

He made his presence known to Mark Sanchez at the end of the game when the Houston Texans went to New York in Week 5. The Jets were down by six points and had a chance to win the game with a late touchdown. 

Then, Sanchez thew it to Jackson, and the Texans killed the clock, effectively ending the game. The Jets did have one more last-second chance at a miracle from their own 9-yard line after the Texans punted with just seconds remaining on the game clock. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't a 91-yard play in the playbook, and they lost. 

Alfonzo Dennard: Cornerback, New England Patriots

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Alfonzo Dennard is a rookie cornerback for the New England Patriots who has three interceptions in his first year—one of which he took from Mark Sanchez.

Dennard got his in Week 7 when the Jets went to New England.

With about eight minutes left in second quarter, the Jets were down 16-7. They were at the Patriots' 36-yard line after driving from their own 16 when Sanchez threw a pass deep right for Stephen Hill—a pass that was intercepted by Dennard at the 2-yard line for no gain.

Richard Sherman: Cornerback, Seattle Seahawks

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Richard Sherman is a 24-year-old cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks. He's one of the best in the business, and he's totaled 10 interceptions in the past two seasons—six this year.

The Seahawks and Jets were tied at seven apiece in second quarter with about 11 minutes on the clock. Mark Sanchez and the Jets were driving down deep into Seahawks territory when Sanchez threw the all right to Sherman from the Seahawks' 6-yard line.

That play proved to be the beginning of the end for Sanchez and the Jets, as they didn't sniff the end zone the rest of the game and lost 28-7.

Steve Gregory: Safety, New England Patriots

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Steve Gregory is a 29-year-old journeyman safety for the New England Patriots. He has six interceptions in his career and two in 2012.

He had a monster of a game against the Jets on Thanksgiving night as the Pats destroyed the Jets in front of the entire nation, and one of his big plays came at the expense of Mark Sanchez.

With about six minutes left in opening stanza in a scoreless game, Sanchez and the Jets were driving from their own 30-yard line all the way down to the Patriots' 23-yard line. Sanchez threw a short pass intended for running back Bilal Powell that Gregory easily picked off.

This play led to the game's first touchdown and an eventual 49-19 blowout for the Patriots. 

Kerry Rhodes: Safety, Arizona Cardinals

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Kerry Rhodes is a 30-year-old veteran safety for the Arizona Cardinals who knows a few things about Mark Sanchez and the Jets, having spent his first five seasons in New York. He has 23 career interceptions and four this season—two of which came by way of the "Sanchize."

Week 13 was a bad one for Sanchez, as he was picked off three times before getting pulled in favore of Greg McElroy, who drove the Jets downfield to score the game-winning score in the fourth quarter.

Both of Rhodes' interceptions came in the first quarter of the game, but due to the incredible ineptitude of the Cardinals offense, the only thing they did was make the game a little bit more exciting than watching moles dig holes.

Patrick Peterson: Cornerback, Arizona Cardinals

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Patrick Peterson is one of the NFL's brightest young defensive stars. At 22 years of age, he's already tallied nine interceptions, seven of which he brought in this season.

Peterson victimized Sanchez in the second quarter with 11 minutes to go. Sanchez threw a poor pass to Chaz Schilens, and Peterson made an excellent play to grab the pass. Unfortunately, his fine effort led to another interception, as Ryan Lindley was picked off by LaRon Landry three plays later.

Jason McCourty: Cornerback, Tennessee Titans

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Jason McCourty is a 25-year-old cornerback for the Tennessee Titans who has eight career interceptions, including four this season.

He picked off Mark Sanchez two times on Monday Night Football in Week 15.

His first came midway through the second quarter on the first play of a Jets drive. Sanchez attempted to hit Jeremy Kerley, but it was a poorly-thrown ball that McCourty made a nice play on for the interception.

McCourty's second interception came on the first Jets drive of the second half. Sanchez attempted to hit Jeff Cumberland deep down the middle, but it was another poorly-thrown ball that was easily intercepted.

Michael Griffin: Safety, Tennessee Titans

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Michael Griffin is a 27-year-old safety for the Tennessee Titans. He was once counted among the NFL's best safeties, but his play has declined over the course of the past couple of seasons.

Griffin has 20 career interceptions and three this season—two of which he made on Monday Night Football against Mark Sanchez and the Jets.

Both of Griffin's interceptions against Sanchez were timely for the Titans, as they both came in the fourth quarter when the Titans held a four-point lead. Both of them were made on poor passes from Sanchez—passes he never should have thrown. 

That's been the story all year long for the "Sanchize," though. At least Jets fans won't have to see any more of him the rest of the way in 2012...we hope. 

 

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