NFL QB Comparisons, Pt. 2: Can Mark Sanchez Be Better Than Joe Flacco?

The exodus of Brett Favre ushers in a new name for Jets fans, who hope, will be their new franchise QB—USC’s own; Mark Sanchez.

For Sanchez however, the uphill climb has already begun, and the bar is way above his head.

In part one, we discussed just how high the bar for rookie QBs have been set, thanks to Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan. We compared Ryan to Stafford and talked a little bit about what Stafford will have to do as his learning curve comes along if he is to compete at the same level.

You can read it here if you missed it.

The same goes for Sanchez. A very similar comparison comes with Flacco, and Sanchez is a little bit different in the fact that he will be the starter come game one. In addition to this, he will have the enormous task of filling in the shoes left behind in the locker by Brett Favre.

USC has produced a plethora of names over the years when it comes to QBs. You have to wonder whether Sanchez will be the next Palmer or Cassel, or will he turn out to be another Peete or Salisbury.

He surely can’t be Leinart since he won’t spend much time on the bench and the old fart who played in NY a year ago just supposedly bought a condo in Minnesota—that’s for another article.

Starting for the Jets, picking up where Favre left off, and playing up to the caliber that Flacco and Ryan did last year is enough to start buying stock in Calgon and Tylenol.

I hear the stock market has been buyer friendly as of late.

Flacco comes from a short line of names that, well, outside of Rich Gannon most people wouldn’t even know. But Flacco put in a great deal of time and effort in his college career.

Flacco, in his first year as a Fightin Blue Hen posted 3000+ yards with 18 TDs, and 10 INTs only to trump that with a 2007 campaign that yielded 3300+ yards, 18 TDs, and only 5 INTs.

Flacco was An All-American Third Team, The ECAC Player of the Year in 2007, All-CAA First Team and CAA Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2007, and was considered the most accurate passer in 2007 before the draft.

Flacco solidified himself in the NFL combine and, after an injury to Boller and an illness to Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, Flacco came into the NFL and steamrolled his way to an impressive first year.

Had it not been for the injury or the illness, Flacco may not have gotten his chance.

Sanchez, unlike Flacco, comes into the NFL without being battle tested. Sanchez was a one-year starter at USC throwing for 3200+ yards and 34 TDs (second in school history behind Leinart) and 10 INTs; the year he decided to enter the draft.

But one successful year in college doesn’t mean anything in the NFL.

Without having the playing time to back you up there is very little reason to think Sanchez will succeed in the pro circuit, and even less reason to justify a very lucrative contract that guarantees $28 million before even taking a snap.

I guess playing for Carroll in his “sophisticated” pro-style offense is enough for the scouts and front offices alike.

Sanchez chose USC in aspiration he would follow in the footsteps of Carson Palmer—his idol, but following even these footsteps is yet another daunting task.

Sanchez will also be walking into a team not exactly as good as the Ravens were when Flacco got there.

Sure, Baltimore’s WRs were suspect, but they had a great running game and a stellar defense, and O-Line to back him (Flacco) up.

The Jets?

The team has all but had a fire sale on the last big playmakers, and the WRs are unproven and at best mediocre—sound familiar?

The ground game is the brightest spot for the Jets and bringing in Marques Douglas and Bart Scott will make the defense better. It won’t make them the Ravens, but it will make them better.

But Sanchez just doesn’t have enough experience to think he will measure up to last year’s phenoms. He doesn’t have the scars to prove his time in the trenches which is what football is all about, and as time goes on he could prove to be a bigger bust than anything else.

But hey, this is football right? This is just my opinion, and there are millions of football and Jets' fans out there that could agree and perhaps disagree so I want to hear from all of you, especially the Jets fan’s perspective. Let’s roll up our sleeves and discuss this topic further, shall we.

As always since this is the end of the two part series, thanks to all who have taken the time to comment, rant and rave, and read.