FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Mark Sanchez beat the Pittsburgh Steelers with a sore shoulder.
Coach Rex Ryan said the New York Jets quarterback had an MRI exam Monday on his right shoulder, which was "kind of sore" after it was banged up early in the team's 22-17 win Sunday. Ryan downplayed the MRI, saying it was strictly "precautionary," and Sanchez should be fine to play at Chicago next Sunday.
"Anytime it's your quarterback, you're going to make sure he's OK," Ryan said.
Ryan said Sanchez banged up the shoulder during the Jets' second drive.
"It was like the first time he ran with the football," Ryan said. "His arm was in an awkward position, but it never affected him."
Sanchez was 19 of 29 for 170 yards with a touchdown rushing and no interceptions, snapping an eight-game streak of being picked off at least once.
"As somebody said, 'Maybe this should happen to you in all these games,' because he played great," Ryan said.
And, would that "somebody" happen to be Ryan?
"No, it wasn't me," Ryan said with a big grin. "Mark and I aren't talking. I'm just kidding."
Ryan also joked that he probably shouldn't have said anything about the shoulder.
"Now that's going to be our story," he said. "Oh, no."
Ryan added that Sanchez might be limited at practice this week because he got "beat up pretty good," along with several teammates in a physical game with the Steelers. He also revealed that he took some practice snaps away from Sanchez -- "one or two" -- last week to "tick him off more than anything else."
Sanchez had been struggling coming into the game against the Steelers, having thrown one touchdown and five interceptions in his last three games.
"You send a message that, you know what? You're my guy, and everybody knows you're my guy," Ryan said. "It will make him accountable, I'll make everybody accountable."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
