Mark Sanchez earning reputation as 'Mr. Clutch'
Reputations get established quickly in the NFL, and after being regarded as "the weakest link" in an otherwise dominant New York Jets team last season, quarterback Mark Sanchez is beginning to turn things around and become known as "Mr. Clutch".
In three consecutive weeks, Sanchez has led the Jets to late victories. Sanchez led the way during two consecutive overtime wins on the road against the Detroit Lions, where Sanchez led the offence on a game-tying drive to send the game to overtime, and
the Cleveland Browns, where Sanchez threw a touchdown strike to Santonio Holmes with only seconds remaining in overtime. Last Sunday Sanchez did it again, working the Jets offence down the field 72 yards in four plays to snatch a late win.
Sanchez's transition into an NFL pro was a quick one. He had a rocky first year coming straight out of college where he was being protected by a conservatively run offence. Many questioned his decision-making abilities as he threw 20 interceptions and had
only 12 touchdowns. He has already surpassed his mark for touchdowns and has 15 so far this year, and he has limited his interceptions with only seven so far.
The turnaround in on-field performance, coupled with his leadership capabilities, has everyone in New York trusting in their investment.
"He was always the same," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum told reporters recently about how he felt about the kind of year Sanchez is having. "He just embraced the setbacks, wanted to learn. He's been great all the way through. He never blinked last
year, and we had losing streaks. He just never changed."
Sanchez wasn't even the starter at his college, USC, where he played only 16 games. Still, the Jets traded up in the draft in order to get him. Although many saw his fifth overall selection as a gamble, the Jets just seemed to have a feeling about him.
"We knew 1,000 percent that he loved football," said Tannenbaum when talking about the decision to select Sanchez. "The fame, the adulation, all that didn't matter to him. We knew he loved football, and just being around it from talking to everyone there.
He wasn't the starter when he was a freshman, but did everything to be successful. And he came from a great family, too. His dad could've retired after 25 years as a fireman, but went 32.
"You never know, but we felt great about the investment."
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