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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, September 4, 2009

NFL: Mark Sanchez stakes his claim with Jets


By J.P. Pelzman
The Record (Hackensack N.J.)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Mark Sanchez and the rest of the Jets’ offense got exactly what they wanted out of their one series Thursday night.

The Jets’ defense did not. Still, coach Rex Ryan was pleased with what he saw as the Jets finished at 2-2 in the preseason with a 38-27 victory over Philadelphia at Giants Stadium.
“I’m happy with this football team,” Ryan said. Turning his attention to the Sept. 13 season opener at Houston, he added: “This is a good football team. We’re going to find out next week and everybody is going to find out.”
He hopes his team will display the same offense it showed against the Eagles, as Sanchez led a crisp seven-play, 83-yard drive to a touchdown in his only action. Sanchez was 5-for-5 for 67 yards against mostly second-stringers. The only Philadelphia starter who played on either side of the ball was free safety Quintin Demps, as Eagles coach Andy Reid played the preseason finale in his customary fashion by giving most of his regulars the night off.
“I thought it was as good of a series as an offense that you could have,” said Sanchez, who capped the drive with a pump fake and a nice 21-yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery, who bobbled the ball slightly before pulling it in.
Sanchez finished with a passer rating of 158.3. The drive also featured a 14-yard run by Thomas Jones.
“This was a great steppingstone for us going into the regular season,” Sanchez said.
The first team didn’t get quite the same confidence boost in its one series against Philadelphia’s second-teamers, featuring some cameos by Michael Vick.
After Vick ran 2 yards for a first down to the Eagles’ 32-yard-line, cornerback Lito Sheppard was penalized 43 yards for pass interference, his third such penalty in two games. After Kerry Rhodes stopped Vick for a 1-yard loss, cornerback Darrelle Revis was detected for interference on a crossing pattern, giving Philadelphia first-and-goal at the 4.
“I’m concerned,” Ryan said of the penalties. “I want to make sure we’re teaching our guys correctly and really look at it. I want to see if it was an obvious foul. I want Lito playing football and staying aggressive, but we’ll have to see the film.”
Sheppard said he was flagged because he didn’t turn around, and said he never touched the receiver. Revis appeared to get his feet tangled with the Eagles’ Brandon Gibson.
Once the Jets’ starters departed, the night belonged to running back Danny Woodhead and quarterback Erik Ainge. Woodhead, trying to earn a spot on the team, rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, the second-highest rushing yards since 1992, when the NFL began saving preseason records.
Ainge, No. 3 on the depth chart at quarterback, was 10-for-17 for 160 yards and two touchdowns, including a 73-yarder to David Clowney.
There was a milestone in the first quarter, as second-year linebacker Vernon Gholston recorded his first sack in any NFL game, real or preseason. He beat backup left tackle King Dunlap around the edge and tackled Kevin Kolb for a 7-yard loss. Howard Green then sacked Kolb on the next play. Former Rutgers standout Jamaal Westerman had a strip sack of Vick in the third quarter, although Vick recovered the ball. The Jets had seven sacks.
In two series, Kellen Clemens couldn’t lead the Jets to a first down, and threw an interception to Jack Ikegwuono to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Vick. However, the pick wasn’t necessarily Clemens’ fault, as intended receiver Wallace Wright bobbled the ball. Wright later caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Ainge in the third quarter.