Mark Sanchez: New York Jets QB Needs Help to Find the Definition of "Better"

It was the type of loss that makes you wonder if this team has finally hit bottom. 

Feel free to blame the short week (as Jim Leonhard did), the Mile High air, divine intervention brought to you by Tim Tebow, or perhaps the most popular choice amongst Jets fans: Mark Sanchez.

With his third pick-six on the season, the Jets found themselves tied 10-10 with a quarter of football left to play in a game the team couldn't afford to lose.  From there, as ESPN New York's Rich Cimini wrote, "all Sanchez could manage after that was one field goal in four possessions—just setting the stage for Tebow magic.

"I lost the game," Sanchez said. "I let the defense down. It's an embarrassing day by me."

Thing is, it wasn't just one day. It was his second bad game in a row, in a season of inconsistency. Unless Sanchez does a 180, the Jets (5-5) aren't going to make the playoffs. He has thrown an interception in four straight games—five in that span—and you can't overcome that many mistakes in a stretch run."

So what now?  At 5-5 the Jets would seem to be out of mulligans at this point, and head coach Rex Ryan acknowledged as much while continuing to plow forward during Friday's conference call:

"

We have to beat Buffalo [next Sunday]. I don't see any breathing room. We've already used that up. We have to get right back at it. I know this team wants to be in the playoffs. This team is working hard—as hard as any team I've been with. I believe in every player, I believe in every coach, and I think we'll get better. I really believe that.

"

But what is the definition of better? 

The defense, for 55 minutes at least, did their part.  Special teams can certainly do a better job of holding on to the football, but the key here is the offense which ultimately begins with Sanchez.   

Yet how does he improve at this point?  His stats from this season on a weekly basis at first glance provide few clues as all of the key metrics are currently projecting slightly better than last year, but upon closer inspection we see that he's been sacked 25 times already which nearly matches the season totals of his first two years. 

The last two weeks alone Sanchez has gone down eight times between New England and Denver.  Perhaps Sanchez is holding on to the ball too long, but could the once vaunted offensive line be to blame for this lack of protection?

Meanwhile, Sanchez's other safety valve, the Jets's ground-n-pound running game, has been an enigma for the better part of this season even when the team wins with Shonn Greene, LaDainian Tomlinson and, now, Joe McKnight running in place week after week. 

It's hard to envy Sanchez at the moment.  Half of New York hates him, the other half realizes they have the best Manning brother available and the rest of country thinks he's a joke for losing to a guy who some way, some how, against all odds manages to simply win.  

For two-plus seasons now Sanchez has had to walk on eggshells in having to be perfect while leading the Jets, he hasn't truly had the chance to grow.  This season especially, he's been tasked each week with keeping everyone from his coaches, teammates (especially the receivers) and fans happy while being given limited protection from his line and consistent support from his backs. 

To find the definition of better, Sanchez needs everyone's help with a balanced performance from his offense top to bottom.  Yes the pick-sixes are inexcusable and maddening, but Sanchez knows things are bad and has taken his share of the blame. 

Moving forward, he needs to stop worrying about the noise around him (clearly it's getting to him) and play his game.  If a few key people can help him, things might just get better before all is said and done because if we've learned one thing this season, it's that anything...both good and bad (outside of Green Bay at least) can happen.