Mark Sanchez was in the midst of a terrific game, one of the best in an otherwise lackluster career so far, and the New York Jets still insisted on bringing him off the field in favor of Tim Tebow. It's an approach that should stop in Week 2.
After starting the game as a slot receiver, Tebow started rotating in at quarterback. He didn't attempt a pass and rushed for just 11 yards on five carries. He didn't fool a Buffalo Bills defense that prepared for the wildcat throughout the week.
On the other hand, Sanchez completed 70 percent of his passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns with only one interception. Considering New York's lack of offensive production in the preseason, the performance was once of Week 1's biggest surprises.
Working with a lot of quick drops and shotgun formations to limit Buffalo's dangerous pass rush, Sanchez picked apart the Bills defense with surgical precision that he has rarely shown during his previous three seasons as the starter.
Seeing him trot off the field in favor of Tebow while he was on fire made no sense. Could you imagine Peyton Manning running to the sidelines a couple times every drive if Tebow would have stayed with the Denver Broncos? No chance.
Sanchez isn't on Manning's level, of course, and probably never will be. But he was certainly having a Manning-esque game on Sunday and finished with a passer rating in the same range as the new Broncos quarterback in his return to the NFL.
And he did it against one of the most hyped defenses in the league heading into the season. The Bills spent a lot of money to sign Mario Williams and Mark Anderson to create an elite defensive line. They barely touched Sanchez.
As the Jets begin preparing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tebow's role in the offense should be significantly reduced, if not completely eliminated. Rex Ryan has to find out if Sanchez has truly taken a step forward or if it was simply an outlier performance.
Should Tebow receive QB snaps in Week 2?
Should Tebow receive QB snaps in Week 2?
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Yes, he's a good change of pace.
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No, let Sanchez handle them all.
Tebow can still be the punt protector as well as the onside kick catcher, but disrupting offensive rhythm so he can run a couple gimmick plays every quarter is a waste, especially when Sanchez is finally playing the way fans have been expecting him to for years.
It's really a make-or-break year for Sanchez. He's never had a quarterback rating above 80 over a full season, and subpar signal-callers like Kevin Kolb and Matt Hasselbeck were able to pass that number last season, so it's not exactly a high standard.
Sanchez must prove he's capable of leading the offense to success consistently. Week 1 was an outstanding start, but it was just one game. He'll have to back it up with several more good games before he converts the doubters into believers.
The best way for the Jets to see how much progress he's truly made is by letting him run the offense without fear of Tebow taking plays away. Let Sanchez run the offense like the other 31 quarterbacks in the league are allowed to do.
Tebow will always be there if Sanchez's performance drops off, but there's no reason to force him on the field when Sanchez is playing well.
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