Honestly, comparing quarterbacks in a scrimmage in which they can’t be tackled is a little like judging hitters based on how far they drive batting practice softballs.
That said, Jets rookie Mark Sanchez looked very efficient Thursday night in the Jets “Green vs. White” scrimmage at SUNY-Cortland.
Better than veteran Kellen Clemens? On this night, yes.
Sanchez, the fifth overall pick, first worked with the second-team offense, going up against the second-team defense. Three of his first four passes were dropped on that drive, but later in the practice, after going three-and-out with the first-team offense, Sanchez caught fire, working with the second and leading a nice no-huddle drive down the field.
He finished the practice completing nine of 15 passes for 70 yards.
Clemens, who really didn’t have many guys come free while he was in there, completed five of seven for 26 yards.
Approached after practice, Jets owner Woody Johnson enthusiastically asked, “Whadja think?”
Knowing the gajillionaire owner really coveted the opinion of the schlubby sportswriter, I paused and said, “I think he looked pretty crisp.”
And I’m sure Mr. Johnson will sleep well tonight.
Sanchez, meanwhile, stuck to the eager beaver script from which he’s been reading since getting drafted.
“We had like an hour just to relax. We had a team meal. I couldn’t eat anything,” he said. “I had like a bite of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It was like game day, I was in game mode, I put in the iPod and just laid down for a little bit and came out ready to work and was really on today, I felt great. . . . This is the coolest thing that can ever happen. It’s pretty special. At the end of the day, you lay your head down at night and [you’re] an NFL quarterback, that’s all you ever wanted to be.”
Clemens, meanwhile was a bit more . . . taciturn (look it up) about the unfolding competition.
“It’s my good fortune being a veteran, this is my third quarterback competition in four years,” he explained. “The first couple years, I was always watching the other guy, ‘What’s he doing? Well, now I gotta one-up him.’ But now [while] I wish Mark all the success when he’s out there and I’m sure he does the same for me, ultimately I want to perform well for my teammates and my coaches. The focus for me is more on myself than on what he’s doing. Obviously, I support him but I’m not always counting and keeping score.”
But for those who may be . . . +1 Sanchez.