Brett Favre Revelations Aside, Rex Ryan, Jets Better Off Now With Mark Sanchez at Helm

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Oct 4, 2010

Brett Favre Revelations Aside, Rex Ryan, Jets Better Off Now With Mark Sanchez at Helm Imagine, for a second, a Jets version Hard Knocks with the Ol' Gunslinger himself, Brett Favre.

The southern drawl, the frat boy humor and the locker room hijinks would have made No. 4 a star on the show.

But that's where the fun would have ended for the Jets.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan said on Monday that had the Jets passed up on quarterback Mark Sanchez in the 2009 draft, the brash coach would have tried to convince Favre to stay in New York.

And while Favre may have played the best year of his career last season while Sanchez threw eight more interceptions than touchdowns, this season is showing us all that the Jets knew what they were doing.

Favre is having, quite simply, one of the worst starts to his career in Minnesota. Conversely, Sanchez is showing, for now at least, the ability to consistantly grow and develop into a solid NFL quarterback.

Favre has always had a reputation — fair or not — of wilting when it matters most. He did just that last season, throwing a debilitating interception that cost the Vikings a chance at the Super Bowl. It was the culmination of a downward trend for Favre at the end of last season, one that has continued right into this season.

In his last seven games, Favre has thrown 13 touchdowns, but also eight interceptions during a stretch in which the Vikings have gone only 3-4. In that same period, Sanchez has thrown 12 touchdowns, only two picks (none this season) and has led the Jets to a 7-2 record.

Sanchez has not only translated to success for the Jets as of late, but will continue to do so, while Favre has shown that last year was likely an aberration, something the Jets — who were burned by Favre's reckless nature of quarterbacking only a year before — can attest to.

Most importantly, Sanchez has shown the ability, especially as of late, to be able to do what the Jets need of him. His decision-making is improving. Not surprisingly, his numbers have gotten better as well.

Favre and Sanchez are in remarkably familiar positions. Both have strong running games (in Minnesota's case, elite) and both are the beneficiaries of top defenses. Even so, they are two quarterbacks and more importantly, two teams, going in different directions.

It may not sound like much saying a top five draft pick makes the Jets better off than a guaranteed future Hall of Famer. While that may be true, there's no telling where the Jets would be right now if they were still stuck with No. 4 under-center.

 

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