Robert Sabo/New York Daily News
New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow #15 when the New York Jets held training camp Sunday, July 29, 2012 at SUNY Cortland in Cortland, New York. (Robert Sabo/New York Daily News)
CORTLAND â€" Just call him Tim Teb-Oh no!
Tim Tebow did not complete a pass in Saturday evening’s Green & White scrimmage, going 0-for-3 on 14 snaps. He did scramble three times for 14 yards in his vain attempts to cut through the Jets’ defense. He was also sacked once before a crowd of 9,402
“Didn’t get too many passes off today,†Tebow said afterward. “We were going against a really good defense.â€
In contrast to Tebow’s woes throwing the ball, Mark Sanchez looked quite competent, particularly in the second half. He was 11-for-16 on the night, totaling 84 yards, three sacks and a touchdown. The scoring play was an 8-yard pass to Bilal Powell that capped a 13-play, 60-yard drive. Despite Sanchez’s success, it was the defense that excelled.
To be fair to Tebow, not much went right with the rest of the offense while he was on the field. Joe McKnight fumbled on what would have been a first-down run. Caleb Schlauderaff and Tebow twice botched the snap, and Schlauderaff had another bad snap in the shotgun formation.
Two of Tebow’s passes were deep and on target â€" one to Dexter Jackson and one to Jeff Cumberland â€" but each was stopped by the defense. WR Eron Riley dropped the third Tebow pass attempt.
“I felt like when I threw, I threw pretty accurately,†Tebow said.
Tebow was at one other major disadvantage in the scrimmage â€" he still couldn’t be hit, and the defense sat back in two-man coverage. “It makes it hard,†said Tebow. “You can’t really do too much, in something like this. I think there were a few times for Mark and Greg (McElroy), too, they probably wouldn’t have been sacked but it was called a sack.â€
In a normal game, playing two-man defense against Tebow would be a near impossibility. With the safeties back and everyone else on a man, Tebow could take off running for a big gain each time. On Saturday, all the defenders had to do was put a hand on Tebow to end the run.
“Well Mike Pettine is a smart guy,†said Ryan. “It doesn’t surprise me that Pettine would try and find an edge.
“Tebow’s like, ‘Mike, you’re playing two-man against me! You know you can’t play two-man against me!’†Ryan added.
Sanchez had to go to work without three of his first-team lineman: Nick Mangold ,who flew to London Saturday to watch his sister in the Olympics; Brandon Moore, who went to Canton to see Curtis Martin’s induction into the all of Fame; and Wayne Hunter, who was out with a back injury. Vlad Ducasse started at right guard for Moore. The first-team offense only picked up one first down.
After starting at their own 30-yard line in the first half, Sanchez and Co. began the second half at the 40, where they began to see results.
“It starts with the play calls,†Sanchez said. “Coach (Tony) Sparano got us off to a good start, he trusted us on a fourth-and-3. We converted to Dustin (Keller). And then just kept the ball rolling.â€
Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes three times before the No. 1 wideout left the game with a rib injury; X-rays were negative. Sanchez was best throwing to the left side of the field, when he was 4-for-6 for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Fourth-string QB Matt Simms threw a gorgeous 31-yard pass to Raymond Webber on the last play of the game. “Obviously there’s a quarterback controversy with Matt Simms,†joked Ryan.
VIRTUAL REALITY
OLB Calvin Pace and rookie ILB Demario Davis each had virtual sacks of Sanchez.
FOLK MUSIC
Kicker Nick Folk made all three of his field goal tries and appears to have a slight edge over Josh Brown, who went 3-for-4.
KELLER ON THE LOOSE
Keller had three catches for 31 yards. Shonn Greene had six carries for fie yards behind an offensive line that was missing Mangold, Moore and Hunter.
Bilal Powell caught an 8-yard touchdown from Sanchez on a third and goal play.
OUCH
Besides Hunter, NT Sione Po’uha (forehead) didn’t participate.
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