Why Mark Brunell's First Team Snaps Are Terrible News for Mark Sanchez

Apparently the New York Jets coaching staff was as frustrated with Mark Sanchez's performance against the Denver Broncos as Jets' fans were. 

According to this ProFootballTalk.com report, the Jets gave 41-year-old backup Mark Brunell first team reps in practice this week. 

"

You know me. If I think something’s working, we’ll go with it,” Ryan said via theNew York Daily News. “I don’t think it really matters, but for some reason he got a little hot under the collar and gave that super competitive fighting spirit that we know he has. It seems to work.

"

I fully expect Sanchez to be out there as the starter against the Bills this weekend, but this sends a clear message to the sporadic quarterback.

If he struggles against Buffalo of all teams, it seems like Rex Ryan will have no problem putting the veteran Brunell into the game.

This is the last thing I'd want as a starting signal caller on a team in the playoff hunt.

As if Sanchez hasn't already lost some confidence in himself over the last few weeks.

Now his head coach is splitting his first team reps.

Also, does this mean the leash is short for the former first-round pick in the coming weeks?

I think so. 

At 5-5, the Jets are extremely desperate and can't afford Sanchez throwing ill-advised interceptions or missing open receivers in the red zone.

He's already proven to be a tentative quarterback, especially when things aren't going smoothly, and now he'll have the possibility of being benched in the back of his mind every time he drops back.

Sanchez will have a great opportunity to demonstrate his resiliency against Buffalo, Washington and Kansas City over the next three weeks, but if things don't start off well in either of those three games, do the Jets even really want him as their starter?