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The Jets’ quarterback situation keeps getting stranger and stranger. From Rex’s fatal attraction to Mark, to his handling of Tebow on Thursday, to his obvious vendetta against Greg McElroy. Let’s take a closer look at what is starting to look like a “Twilight Zone” episode.
Rex Ryan had this to say about Mark Sanchez’s performance against New England – “Mark had a 94 quarterback rating. I thought Mark threw the ball well.”
No question that is a decent quarterback rating, but the New England Patriots were so far ahead, they were playing a lot of “shell” and giving the Jet stuff underneath, so the that number doesn’t mean a heck of a lot.
For once, it was good not to be the bad guy in the post-game presser. It wasn’t me who pressed Rex Ryan on his bizarre notion that Mark Sanchez gives his team the best chance to win, but ESPN’s Sal Palaotonio, towards the end of his post-game presser.
As reporters we aren’t supposed to get emotional in our questions, but we are human, and you get fed-up after a while when you feel you are being fed bull.
You could sense in Sal’s voice, the veteran reporter seemed like he reached his wit’s end with the best “chance to win” rhetoric we have heard endlessly over the last month.
I didn’t write down Sal’s exact question, but it was something like, “How can you say he gives you the best chance to win (and then he threw out some Sanchez numbers)?
Sal just couldn’t take it anymore, and he’s not alone.
Like today on Rex’s conference call when the coach was talking in circles trying to explain his bizarre handling of Tim Tebow in this game
It was like “Who’s on First.”
Tebow has two fractured ribs. He should have been inactive. Rex keeps saying he wouldn’t play him, but activated him anyway.
Why is Greg McElroy (pictured above) even on the team if he can’t be the #2 when Tebow has a couple of busted ribs?
Even the mild-mannered Kimberly “K-Mart” Martin went after Ryan today on the conference regarding his surreal explanations for why Tebow as active over McElroy.
You don’t need to be a football guru to realize Rex’s explanation for his handling of Tebow was “balderdash and poppycock” to use an expression from the late Art Rust Jr.
It’s makes no sense.
So what might be going on here?
One long-time Jets beat writer had an interesting theory.
With a number of fans showing up to see Tebow, even if he plays in a limited role, he needs to be active to appease this sector of fans.
There’s always a smattering of Tebow jerseys in the crowd, and we all know he has a large following.
As for McElroy, we strongly believe that Ryan is still holding the quarterback’s controversial (and accurate) comments on an Alabama radio station, last winter, against the Texas-native.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been around extremely selfish individuals,” McElroy said on an ESPN Radio affiliate. “I think that’s maybe the nature of the NFL, but there were people within our locker room that didn’t care whether we won or lost as long as they … had really had good games individually.”
“That’s the disappointing thing,” he continued. “It’s going to take a lot to come together next year. I think the fact we struggled at times this year really led to … this corrupt mindset within the locker room. But I think we’re going to regroup. I think we’ll be a better team because of the trials and tribulations this year.”
As late as training camp this summer, Ryan was still going after McElroy about this.
According to a source close to the Jets, Ryan said, during a practice in Cortland, “McElroy you f-ed me (with those comments).”
The comments were in January and Rex said this in August.
There is no doubt in my mind McElroy is better than Sanchez. He reads defenses better, is more accurate and has better pocket presence.
But you have to wonder if this kid is ever going to see the field with Ryan as the Jets’ coach.
November 23, 2012
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