Mark Sanchez: Rex Ryan's Ego Shouldn't Get in Way of Benching QB

From the outside looking in it's easy to see.

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is having one of the worst seasons of his career while Tim Tebow watches from the sidelines. Rex Ryan should have started Tebow weeks ago.  

However, if you think about it, we are expecting a coach to do something rather unfamiliar and uncommon. Ryan is expected to play Tebow, a player who has historically been a terrible practice player.

Players create playing time in practice. Therefore, in theory, it's easy to understand why Ryan hasn't pulled the trigger. However, when is it time to give it a try? Could it be that much worse than it is already? Isn't this a team that is most likely going to miss the postseason regardless?

The season is about to be over for the Jets and we still have several weeks to play. Tebow could still potentially save the season because we have seen it before in Denver. Why not give it a try?

Ryan's ego and coaching history is telling him that Tebow doesn't deserve the opportunity. It's telling him that he should rarely touch the field let alone start a football game.

But what has Sanchez done this year to make people understand that he is deserving of the starting gig? He is statistically having one of the worst seasons of his career, posting a 52 percent completion percentage and producing more turnovers than touchdowns, and he has a quarterback rating of 28.7, the lowest of his career.

Sanchez is leading the 27th ranked passing offense in the league. He is leading a team that is 3-6 with a difficult game at St. Louis in Week 12. He is leading the worst team in the AFC East.

Tebow probably wouldn't be able to save two teams in consecutive years, especially this late in the season, but isn't it worth the attempt? We saw Tebow, one way or another, win enough games to win the AFC West one season ago.

Then he went up against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in the playoffs and stunned it, passing for 316 yards. 

It's not improbable; it's not so unlikely that it isn't worth the attempt. This is all about Ryan's ego and what he sees in practice, and while I don't blame him as much as others because practice does matter, it's now or never.

Sanchez should have a very short leash this week at St. Louis. One turnover or one terrible quarter should result in Tebow for the rest of the game. 

The NFL is about victories and the Jets aren't winning games under Sanchez. As Sanchez struggles to produce on the field, Ryan's ultimate perception as a coach goes downhill as well.

What began as an ego ruining one team's season may turn into an ego that ruined one guy's coaching career at a franchise. His ego very well could cost him his job, and if he fails to put Tebow in the game if Sanchez struggles on Sunday it should happen sooner rather than later.