New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez didn't do enough to win the starting job Saturday night. He didn't do enough to lose it, either.
Coach Rex Ryan told reporters after a 37-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars that he wasn't ready to choose between Sanchez and rookie Geno Smith.
"We'll see how it goes," Ryan said, per ESPNNewYork.com. "I'm not ... we're not willing to name a starting quarterback right now. Will we name one before the Giants game? I don't know, but right now, we're not comfortable making that decision."
With Smith sidelined by a minor ankle injury, Sanchez played nearly three quarters of football Saturday and looked the part early. He directed the Jets on a brisk, six-play, 59-yard scoring march to open the game, but a costly red-zone interception and clock-management issues served as a reminder: You know what you're getting with this quarterback.
Smith said Saturday, via ESPN New York, he was told the "competition is still open," and Sanchez told the New York Daily News that he wasn't expecting an announcement after the Jaguars game, saying: "I felt with Geno not playing, he would have gotten another shot."
He will, and let's remember: This isn't Ryan's decision alone. General manager John Idzik and a committee of decision-makers will weigh in. It's a muddled process -- it always is with the Jets.
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