'Peyton Manning to Jets' Site Shows New York Fans Fed Up with Mark Sanchez

After a season that began with a Super Bowl prediction ended with the New York Jets missing the playoffs altogether, grumbling among fans of Gang Green is growing in volume, and it appears that much of their displeasure and frustration is directed at starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

The third-year pro actually had the best statistical season of his career in 2011, setting career highs in passing yards and quarterback rating, but after making the AFC title game two years running, the New York Jets regressed badly a year ago amid locker room strife and inconsistent play.

Now, some naysayers are wondering aloud if perhaps we've seen the best Sanchez has to offer, and it could be time to explore other options.

The top quarterback that is expected to hit the free agent market is, of course, the oft-discussed Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, and while, when asked about Manning recently, Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum offered a measure of support for Sanchez, he also left the door open to other opportunities, telling ESPN:

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We believe in Mark. I think he is going to continue being a winning NFL quarterback that has started and won a lot of games for the Jets and we are excited that he is here. But with that said, just philosophically, my general approach is when there are opportunities for the team, I have a fiduciary duty to the team to look into it. The day I got hired I meant what I said, every rock, every day. We look at every opportunity every day to get better.

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It certainly appears that at least one intrepid Jets supporter is fully on board with the idea of looking elsewhere, and the founder of manningtojets.com, which has at the time of this writing received just under 200 signatures to its online petition, apparently has the perfect solution to the Jets' woes, as he outlines in the site's mission statement.

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Although the 2011 New York Jets put together an awesome roster of players, they not only underachieved week in and week out, they were shut out of the playoffs as well. Two of the biggest failures that resulted in such underwhelming performances were lack leadership in the locker room as well as on the field and quality of play from the quarterback position.

Both of these problems can be solved with a single personnel change. Signing Peyton Manning as the starting quarterback for the New York Jets.

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The New York Jets will almost certainly at least contact Manning's representatives, but as NBC New York's Josh Alper points out, it's rather unlikely that Manning will join younger brother Eli in the Big Apple.

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Peyton Manning rumors are something of a pipe dream in this neck of the woods. The Jets will likely check in on the quarterback if he and the Colts part ways, but there's a long list of reasons (topped by little brother's place of business) why it seems quite unlikely.

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However, it's a pipe dream that has spawned a petition and tons of speculation, and if nothing else, that should send a pretty clear message to Sanchez that his leash is growing shorter by the day, so the 25-year-old may want to spend a little less time on the red carpet and a little more time in the film room.