Deep breath, Jets fans. It appears Mark Sanchez will play.
New York's second-year quarterback was listed as probable on Friday's injury report, and coach Rex Ryan fully expects Sanchez to be under center, barring a late setback, to start in Sunday's game at Chicago.
Sanchez was limited in practice this week because of an injured right shoulder, but he showed improvement Friday.
"Today, I don't think there was any question that he was out to say, 'Hey look, I'm fine,'" Ryan said. "He was. He threw it good. He never grimaced or anything else. He's feeling good. He really feels good right now."
Sanchez injured the shoulder -- NFL Network insider Albert Breer confirmed Wednesday that the quarterback suffered a slight cartilage tear -- during the Jets' second drive in last Sunday's 22-17 win at Pittsburgh, but he finished the game and played well. Sanchez was 19-of-29 passing for 170 yards, ran for a touchdown and ended an eight-game interception streak.
During the half-hour of practice that the media were allowed to watch Friday, Sanchez appeared to have good velocity on his passes.
"I threw it just like I did the week before and throughout the season," Sanchez said in a statement released by the Jets. "The treatment has been working. I felt better than the two days prior, and I'm going to be ready to play on Sunday."
Sanchez frequently rotated his arm to keep it loose in between throws in the 30-degree temperatures.
"The thing we have to watch for now is how he comes back (Saturday)," Ryan said. "He really pushed it and threw a lot of balls today, so we'll see how he comes back from it. Is it 100 percent? Probably not, but it's close."
Ryan at first said there was a 90 percent chance that Sanchez would play, but the coach downgraded it quite a bit Thursday after seeing little zip on the quarterback's passes.
"I was like, 'Ooh, that's not going to cut it'," Ryan said. "That's how I looked at it. It got better, but I had those thoughts that, 'Man, that's just not NFL caliber.' Today, I think we all saw, he was zipping it.
"He sent a message to all of us, mainly me, that he's ready to go."
Sanchez's teammates also were impressed by his performance in practice Friday, leaving little doubt in their minds that he will start at Soldier Field.
"Unless he feels terrible in the morning," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "As of right now, I think he looks good enough to play."
Added wide receiver Santonio Holmes: "He was on point. He had a couple of bad throws here and there, wasn't trusting himself, didn't get into the feel until midway through practice, but other than that, he felt great. He threw after practice, and I think it's all going to be fine."
Former Pro Bowl pick Mark Brunell, 40, had been preparing to start in case Sanchez couldn't. He started in New Orleans' regular-season finale last year while the Saints rested Drew Brees for their Super Bowl run. Brunell's last previous start came in 2006 with the Washington Redskins.
"I think he sensed as the week went on that there might be a chance (to play)," Ryan said.
Meanwhile, defensive lineman Trevor Pryce will miss his second consecutive game because of a hip injury. Right tackle Damien Woody also is out.
"(Pryce is) just not ready yet," Ryan said. "He's not to 100 percent. It's been a nagging thing, and hopefully, he'll be ready next week."
Eric Smith is listed as doubtful while he recovers from a concussion, but Ryan said the safety will travel with the team to Chicago and could be used in an emergency. Safety James Ihedigbo is questionable with an injured right knee and high ankle sprain, but he is expected to play -- as he did last week.
Holmes (turf toe) and cornerback Darrelle Revis (right hamstring) were limited but will play against the Bears.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
