If the New York Jets really do intend to decide on their starting quarterback in the next month, Mark Sanchez can't have too many more practices like he did Wednesday.
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Sanchez threw three interceptions over the course of two practice periods, displaying the type of ball-security issues that got him benched last season.
Geno Smith didn't light the world on fire either, but he's a rookie and growing pains are expected. Sanchez has a non-existent amount of rope to work with in his fifth NFL season, and Jets coach Rex Ryan called the performance a "disappointment."
"Yeah, it is. Absolutely. It's a good thing defense makes the plays, but no, I'd rather him not turn the ball over once," Ryan said. "He did a lot of great things, and then those negative things, at the end of the day, that's what gets you beat. And so we got to do a better job of eliminating those turnovers."
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Sanchez finished practice 6-of-11 passing with three interceptions in 15 snaps. Smith finished 3 of 10 with one interception in 14 snaps. Both players were "sacked" once.
Once seen as the face of the franchise, Sanchez's stock has plummeted thanks to 52 turnovers in his last 31 games.
"This is OTAs and things, but yeah, that's going to be the pressure that were putting on him," Ryan said. "He did a lot of great things. It's not that you try to cover up the fact you had some bad plays -- no, no, no you flat tell him. We can't have these and all that type of stuff. He knows."
To be fair, Sanchez currently is without Santonio Holmes (foot) and Stephen Hill (knee swelling), two of his top three wide receivers. Still, Sanchez needs to turn doubters into believers this summer. He's not off to a flying start.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
