Wednesday

The Daily Mark Sanchez to Canton Watch: How’s the golf swing?

Perhaps no quarterback has ever had more people jump on his bandwagon after a loss than Mark Sanchez. From fans to media to his own teammates, everyone is marveling at the kid’s play during Sunday’s AFC Championship Game – even the Sanchise himself.

“I started to become the quarterback that this team needs,” Sanchez said after he threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets’ 30-17 loss to the Colts. “I started making the decisions that a quarterback who makes it to the AFC Championship Game makes. I still got a long way to go. I haven’t arrived. I haven’t figured it out. I haven’t made it.”

For a rookie who’s been downright humble, even oddly goofy, at times, the moment was less arrogant than self-affirming. Almost as if he allowed himself a pat on the back. And if he didn’t do it, his teammates certainly did.

Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery was just one of several Jets to hail Sanchez.

“He’s our leader,” Cotchery said. “He did a great job in the second half of the year taking charge of everything. If he’s going to continue to get better, he’s going to be a scary thing to handle in the future.”

Right now, the future includes rest, some golf swings, maybe a friendly Super Bowl bet and a lot of time studying what makes Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and other elite quarterbacks so great.

If nothing else, Sanchez’s play in the postseason proved that the Jets indeed have a franchise quarterback. As Sanchez and coach Rex Ryan both said: They’re almost there.

Note: The DMSTCW is now on hiatus until training camp. However, we’ll keep you abreast of all things Sanchise as news surfaces.

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*The DMSTCW forecasts Mark Sanchez will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2030 after an 18-year career during which he will accumulate: 111,186 passing yards (he was born on November 11, 1986); 6 Super Bowl championships (to go along with his uniform number); $1 billion in endorsements (including several deals involving teeth-whitening products); 11,550 panties (same numbers as the zip code of the Jets’ headquarters in Hempstead, New York, which incidentally, will be renamed Sanchezstead upon his retirement); enough pats on the behind from Fireman Ed to make him feel uncomfortable; and 1 kiss from Suzy Kolber (willingly given).