Enoughs Enough! Get Melo Now!

As the days begin to count down and the rumors continue to circulate, one thing remains consistent---Carmelo Anthony is a Denver Nugget.

Since July, Knicks fans have once again been flirting with the idea of bringing one of the game's biggest stars to the Big Apple. The two year wait for Lebron James ended up bearing no fruit and this extended wait for Carmelo Anthony is threatening to do the same. Granted, the Knicks have brought in one of the game's best players in Amar'e Stoudemire and one of the league's biggest surprises in Raymond Felton, and the team is much better. The energy is back at Madison Square Garden and the team has been largely competitive as we approach the All Star break.

While all these facts are fair and praiseworthy, lets face it, the Knicks are one game over .500 with the Lakers coming to town. They are currently settled into the six seed in the weak Eastern Conference, yet at the same time, they are four games away from being in the nine spot and out of the playoffs completely. In most seasons, a six seed in the postseason would be a positive thing---especially after the trash that the Knicks have been for the last ten years. After a slow start, New York went on a great run that put them seven games over .500. Since then, however, the team has dropped 10 of their last 14 games, losing some head scratchers in the process. Call it a bad stretch or a reality check but either way we all know that the Knicks as currently instituted are not a championship contender. To put it bluntly, the Knicks are one Amar'e Stoudemire injury away from being the New Jersey Nets or Detroit Pistons.

This brings us to today. For weeks the Carmelo to New York rumors have been swirling as much as the cold New York City winds. Carmelo wants to be a Knick, the Knicks want Carmelo to call MSG home, and the Nuggets are finally opening to discussing a trade. What exactly is the hold up?

The Knicks trade pieces have been widely publicized and well known. An expiring Eddy Curry contract, a young player with upside in Anthony Randolph, and three young players with starting ability in Danillo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Landry Fields. The Knichs are desperate to rid themselves of Curry and Randolph and will do so in any deal. The general consensus as to why this trade has not happened yet seems to be that the Knicks are only willing to give up one of the "Big Three" (Gallinari, Chandler, Fields), while the Nuggets want two of the three. If this is true, and I personally believe it is, the Knicks need to reevaluate the thinking in the organization and realize the opportunity in front of them.

All three members of the "Big Three" are nice players but none come close to the level of a Carmelo Anthony. No matter which way you slice it, any combination of the threesome should be available to be traded. In today's NBA, a team cannot win a championship with only one superstar. Adding arguably the game's best offensive player to Mike D'Antoni's system is a way to re energize the fanbase and the team. The Knicks will go from an at best "one and done" playoff team to a possible contender that could absolutely pull off a first round upset.

Contrary to popular belief, the Nuggets are holding some of the cards in this ongoing game of poker. Just recently, Carmelo has stated that he is going to "think long and hard" about signing the three year extension with Denver should he not be traded by the February 24 deadline. He seems to be growing extremely frustrated with the Knicks efforts to bring him to New York and who can blame him? The Knicks are presenting the front that acquiring Carmelo Anthony is not worth trading Wilson Chandler and Danillo Gallinari. Really?

To make matters worse, the Lakers have decided to jump into the mix. As much as I like Chandler, Gallinari, and Fields, none of them can make the impact of a healthy Andrew Bynum. The Carmelo-to-LA rumors have been gaining ground in the last few days and should be taken seriously.

Even if Carmelo is not dealt to Los Angeles, can the Knicks really guarantee that he will sign with them once free agency starts? He will be able to sign with better teams in big markets like the Bulls and the Lakers, and the Knicks less then stellar attempts to trade for him will be on his mind. This time last year, did anyone really expect Lebron James to go to Miami? Carmelo deciding against signing with the Knicks is not out of the question.

Oh and do not forget, the NBA may institute it's own version of a "franchise tag" in their new CBA. Should that happen, Carmelo will be playing at least one more season in Denver.

When examining this situation from all fronts, it appears there are many more threats to Carmelo becoming a Knicks then initially thought. The Nuggets may cave in as the clock approaches 3:00PM on February 24, but they do have options.

Should the Knicks lose out on Carmelo, what light is waiting at the end of the tunnel? Should Knicks fans begin to chant "Summer 2012", hoping that Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard decide to join Amar'e? No thank you. That strategy is a much bigger risk then simply trading for Carmelo right now. There are not many instances in which a top 10 player is up for grabs. James Dolan, Donnie Walsh, Allan Houston, Walt Frazier, and whoever else, need to get this situation under control and bring Carmelo to the Big Apple before it is too late.

Cutler's Legacy Tarnished in Chicago

No matter how serious his MCL injury really is, Jay Cutler's performance on the sidelines in the NFC Championship has forever tarnished his legacy as a Chicago Bear.

In a sport as violent and brutal as football, every player must have the gladiator mentality. Give 100% when your healthy, give more when you're hurt. Injuries will happen---especially to vulnerable quarterbacks. Midway through the second quarter, Cutler had to leave the game with a bum knee. Not only did he leave the game, he left Bears fans with an image of him that they will not soon forget.

There was no training staff running onto the field, no collapse to the floor, no significant limp, and certainly no reason to believe Cutler had suffered a sprained MCL. From the way he went to the sidelines to the way he appeared on the bench, Cutler could not have handled the situation any worse. He did not have any competitive facial expression and looked as if he had put up no fight to get back into the game. He simply put on his coat, took a seat, and became an uninterested spectator. If Cutler was a 3rd string fullback this would not be a story. However, Cutler is not only the starting quarterback of one of the most beloved franchises in the NFL, he is the franchise.

Not since Sid Luckman left the field in 1950 have the Chicago Bears had a quarterback as prestigious and talented as Jay Cutler. Personally, I believe Cutler does not get enough respect for his play on the field. Sure, there is always the chance he throws a dumb interception, but people fail to remember that he can also make a touchdown pass through triple coverage look easy. No matter which offensive linemen, running backs, or wide receivers line up along side him, Cutler will always give you a chance to win because he can make throws that most other quarterbacks could only dream of. On the field, Cutler can be spectacular. Off the field? Not so much. He has never been fully accepted by Bears fans because they do not see the fight and willpower of a Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger. They see too much of the droopy, woe-is-me, disgruntled look of a quarterback who looks as if he was just told hes not getting any dessert after dinner. Compare the look on Cutler's face from Sunday to the look on Peyton Manning's face when he was pulled from a week 16 game against the Jets in which the Colts were going for the perfect season. Manning looked like he was dieing to get back on the field. Cutler looked content with the bench.

Getting back to Sunday, Cutler's act looked pathetic because of what we have seen from other quarterbacks in the face of injury. There are numerous images of quarterbacks fighting through pain and staying on the field. The recent news about Drew Brees playing through a sprained MCL this season does nothing to help Cutler's case. If Brees could play through numerous regular season games with a sprained MCL, how could Cutler not play in the NFC championship with one? Granted, the severity of the injuries may be different but the comparisons have been made and have been compared. Only three years ago, Phillip Rivers played the entire AFC Championship game in Foxboro with a torn ACL. Though the Chargers lost the game, Rivers earned himself a career's worth of respect with his toughness and courage of playing with such a severe injury. If one goes back a couple more years, they will remember Donovan McNabb playing a regular season game against the Arizona Cardinals with a broken ankle.

Perhaps the most disheartening thing for Bears fans was to see how many current and former players attacked Cutler. No journalist, commentator, or broadcaster can imagine what it is like to be on an NFL field if they have never experienced it. At a time when NFL players are uniting as they anticipate a work stoppage, not only did they criticize one of their own, they openly questioned his heart and his manhood. Cutler will not only have to prove to Bears fans that he genuinely couldn't play, he has to prove to his fellow players that he has a competitive spirit and would have done anything to play in the championship game.

Many of Cutler's teammates and coaches have come to his defense, saying the quarterback is a tough player and could not go back into the game. While that may all be true, would they really say otherwise? The Bears invested a great deal in Cutler so any player or coach who goes against him would be going against the entire franchise. Even if Cutler could in no way go back into the game, the players and coaches had to be upset with how content he seemed to look on the sidelines. Factor in that he appeared to be making no effort to help 3rd string quarterback Caleb Hanie when he entered the game and Cutler's leadership looks even worse.

Until he proves otherwise, Cutler has plenty to prove before Bears fans accept him. It may take a Super Bowl trophy because even before Sunday's incidents Bears fans had their doubts about Cutler. As for now? Cutler is left with a bum knee and a tarnished legacy.

For Jets and Ravens, A Chance to Take Control

Since 2008, the Jets, Patriots, Ravens, and Steelers have been some of the primary powers in the AFC. In each of the last three seasons, all four teams have had winning records. Though they have been successful, the Jets and Ravens have not been able to overtake their division rivals. Neither team has won a division title and neither team has beaten their biggest foe when it mattered most.

This weekend will be the first time since the 1978 wildcard playoff format came into fruition that both divisional matchups will be between two teams in the same division. A double dose of round three---what could be better?

There is no shortage of storylines going into the Jets-Patriots third meeting of the season. Though the teams split the season series, the 45-3 beatdown of the Jets at the hands of Tom Brady and company is fresh in everyone's mind. Since Rex Ryan became coach of the Jets in January of 2009, the New York-New England rivalry has reached new heights. Rex's Jets have gone 23-13 (including the postseason) over the last two years while Belichick's Patriots have gone 24-9 (including postseason.) The all time series between the teams is deadlocked at 51-51-1. After Sunday, one team will not only be ahead in the all time standings, they will be one game away from the Super Bowl.

The rest of the NFL has grown to hate the Jets since Rex Ryan took over the reigns. Between the arrogant trash talking, Hard Knocks, Sal Alosi etc. the Jets have become the modern day version of the 1970's Oakland Raiders. The Jets have made it possible to actually root for the Patriots in this back and forth contest between the northeast rivals. Over the last decade, the Patriots have been the Evil Empire. After the Jets shenanigans over the last two years, New England suddenly appears to be a band of choir boys and Tom Brady has turned into Rocky.

In terms of the game itself, everyone has the same prediction. The Patriots are heavy favorites and rightfully so. They have the best coach in the game with the best quarterback in the game. They are also the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite (6-5 odds in Las Vegas.) The Jets 28-14 week two victory over New England seems like years ago. The Jets are going to need to play a flawless game in order to beat the Patriots. Though the Jets have won three of the last five meetings, none have come in as big a spot as this Sunday. Either the obnoxious Jets will be send home with their tails between their legs or the AFC East will undergo a radical changing of the guard with gang green at the forefront.

While the Jets and Patriots prepare for their showdown on Saturday night, western Pennsylvania will be watching the Ravens and Steelers battle it out in the rubber match between the hated AFC North foes. For the second time in the last three seasons, the Ravens and Steelers will meet in the playoffs.

For all the successes of the Joe Flacco-John Harbaugh era, one glaring obstacle remains---knocking off Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though the teams have split the season series in each of the last two seasons, Roethlisberger did not play in either Raven victory. In other words, Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh are 0-5 against the Roethlisberger led Steelers.

In all of those five loses, the Steelers have always seemed to make the big play in the game's biggest moment (Big Ben's touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in the final seconds of the Steelers win in Baltimore during the 2008 seasons, Polamalu's pick six to seal the win in the AFC Champ, Polamalu's strip sack that led to the winning touchdown this year in Baltimore.) It will be up to Flacco and the Raven's defense to ensure that they don't let the Steelers get the better of them again. Whether it be Anquan Boldin, Ray Rice, Ray Lewis, or Ed Reed, someone is going to have to step up in order to get this rivalry on more equal footing.

The Ravens have plenty of experience in winning playoff games on the road (seven road playoff wins since 2000, most in the NFL.) In last week's 30-7 win over Kansas City, Joe Flacco finally stepped up and played well (1 TD 6 Ints, 48% completion percentage, 132 ypg in his previous five playoff games.) If Flacco can keep that success going against arguably the league's best defense, the Ravens will have a great chance to win.

On defense, guys like Josh Wilson, Ladarius Webb, and Cory Redding have played well. Factor in that the Ravens still have the core four (Lewis, Ngata, Suggs, Reed) and the defense is as good as ever. The defense forced Matt Cassell into three interceptions last week after he threw only seven all season. Since John Harbaugh took over in 2008, the Ravens defense has allowed only 14 points per game in six playoff games.

The Ravens task of going into Pittsburgh is not nearly as daunting as the Jets going into New England. The Steelers are only 5-3 at home this season and one of those losses came to Baltimore in week four. Though the Ravens have failed to win the AFC North in each of the last three seasons, they can achieve a sense of ownership of the division with a win this Saturday.

Over the last decade the Patriots, Steelers, and Colts have dominated the AFC. The three teams have represented the AFC in the Super Bowl in eight of the last nine years. While their division foes were playing in championship games and winning Super Bowls, the Jets and Ravens were left largely unfulfilled, still waiting to knock off the bully. In week 13, both teams failed to win their respective prime time game that would of given them sole possession of first place in their division. However, this weekend offers another chance to win---another chance to take control.

Impending Departure Solidifies Vince Young As Another Quarterback Bust

Hes not exactly Tim Couch or Jamarcus Russell, but Vince Young has ultimately fallen way short of living up to his top flight draft status.

The number three overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, Young's career has been an adventure on and off the field. While he has had his positive moments (2006 Rookie of the Year), his failures as a quarterback and team leader solidify him as a bust. Rather then focus on his many off the field troubles, lets focus strictly on his performance on the gridiron.

Above all else, Vince Young supporters are quick to point out that he has a 30-17 record as a starting quarterback. While it is an impressive number, it is not the be all-end all way to judge a quarterback.

-Rex Grossman, Tarvaris Jackson, Shaun King...three players drafted in the 1st and 2nd rounds to be the franchise quarterback for their respective clubs. All three have records above .500 as starting quarterbacks yet all three are viewed as failures. Vince Young is a favorable comparison.

Through five seasons, Young's touchdown-interception ratio is dead even at 42 a piece. By year five, clubs expect quarterbacks chosen in the first five picks to be further developed. Young has never thrown more then 12 touchdowns in a season and that career high came in his rookie year. Since then, his maturation never continued. He has been the same quarterback with the same production year in and year out. Through 47 career starts, he has only one game in which he passed for 3 touchdowns. Considering the numbers that quarterbacks put up in today's NFL, that is a putrid statistic.

From 2006-2010, the Tennessee Titans have been a different story every year. Young started 15 games for the 2007 Titans, a team that won 10 games and made the playoffs. Young threw for only 9 touchdowns that season as compared to 17 interceptions. The Titans were fueled by a top 5 rushing offense and a top 5 defense. Young was always the weak link. In the team's 17-6 playoff loss at San Diego, Young managed a putrid 138 yards passing with no touchdowns and one interception.

In 2008, Young was injured and Kerry Collins stepped in. He led the team to a 13-3 regular season record and the #1 seed in the AFC. It was the most success the Titans have had in the last five years and it came with Vince Young on the bench.

After an 0-6 start to the 2009 season, Young returned to the starting job and the team nearly made the playoffs. However in 10 starts Young only managed to throw 10 touchdown as compared to 7 interceptions. Make no mistake, the Titans turnaround was led by Chris Johnson and his 2,509 total yards (an NFL record for yards in a season.) During his 10 starts, Young managed to complete more then 15 passes in a game only four times. In other words, Young was the caretaker. When the team was battling for an unlikely wild card spot down the stretch, they had a chance to lock it up with a week 16 win at home against San Diego. In that game, with the playoffs on the line, Young managed to complete 8 of 21 attempts (38%) for only 89 yards with 2 interceptions.

2010 started off well for the Titans as they jumped out to a 5-2 start before collapsing to a 6-10 finish. The Titans had a 5-4 record in games in which Young started at quarterback. Again, the record is above .500 but Young is not the reason. In those nine games, he completed more then 12 passes in a game only once.

Now let it be known, Vince Young is not a total dud as an NFL quarterback. He has shown flashes but has never come close to living up to his draft status. His production is not the only thing that will keep him from ever being a franchise quarterback, his piss-poor attitude alienates teammates, coaches, and even fans. The best person to compare Vince Young to? Jeff George.

George, the number one overall pick in the 1990 draft, had an up and down career with far more lows then highs. At his best, George was leading the 1999 Vikings to a playoff victory over Troy Aikman and the Dallas Cowboys. In 1999, he threw for 23 touchdowns compared to only 12 interceptions. George had other success in his NFL career. In 1995, he threw for 24 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. It gets better, in 1997 he threw for a whopping 29 touchdowns with only 9 interceptions. When you look at these numbers you may ask why Jeff George was ever considered one of the biggest busts in NFL history. Well, when you look closer, you see that his 95, 97, and 99 seasons were exceptions to his otherwise lackluster career. Vince Young is very similar. A few highlight plays here and there with a few good games, but for the most part he leaves you largely disappointed.

It remains to be seen how much interest Young will receive on the open market. His best bet would be to sign on as a backup with a team with an established coach. At age 27, he has time to grow as a player and a person but until he does he will go down in the NFL history books as a bust.

Same Ole....?

In arguably the biggest game of the Rex Ryan-Mark Sanchez era, the New York Jets delivered their worst performance since 1986. It may be too early to call them the "Same Ole Jets" but there is nothing premature about saying it's the "Same Ole AFC East."

The New York Jets-New England Patriots rivalry is one of the biggest, most one-sided, rivalries in sports. 2010 has marked the start of a new decade and Jets fans were hoping a new decade meant new fortunes in the AFC East. New coach, new quarterback, new attitude for the Jets---same division champion. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will go on to win their eighth AFC East crown while the Jets will be stuck in their similar position of fighting for a wild card spot.

The Jets only hopes of winning a division crown may come to fruition when Tom Brady and/or Bill Belichick finally retire. Until then, they will remain second class citizens.

The Jets were outplayed and outcoached from the kickoff to the final whistle. Mark Sanchez went back to being a rookie, Braylon Edwards went back to dropping balls, Antonio Cromartie went back to being the worst tackler in the league, and Rex Ryan went back to being the pompous "Boy who cried wolf" coach who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk.

Tom Brady had the answer for everything Rex Ryan threw at him. Whether it be the Jets pathetic blitz packages or sit back zone coverage, Brady was ready to dominate. Rex Ryan watched the league MVP go 21/29 for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns. Brady made sure to send a message to the Jets and he did it by putting a dagger through the heart of Rex Ryan's defense. The Jets had no answers to anything the Patriots were doing. To add insult to injury, former Jet Danny Woodhead had over 100 yards receiving.

This wasn't just one loss in December. This kind of loss puts the entire 2010 New York Jets season into question. Squeaking by the Broncos, Lions, Brown, and Texans now looks like it was more luck then resiliency. The Jets are now 1-3 against teams with a winning record. In those three losses they have scored a combined 12 points and have scored zero touchdowns. Even if the Jets do go on to make the playoffs, how will they compete in the tough AFC conference? They will have two chances in December to win tough games on the road (at Pittsburgh in week 15 and at Chicago in week 16) but after last nights performance how can anyone expect them to win those games? If the offense can't score and the defense can't come close to matching its 2009 form, then the 2010 Jets don't stand a chance.

In 1986, the New York Jets started the season 10-1 before losing 45-3 to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. They proceeded to lose their final five games, finishing 10-6. That team remains the only 10-1 team in NFL history to not win it's division. The 2010 Jets started 9-2 and lost 45-3 last night. Will they follow suit and mail in the rest of the season?

It was only two years ago that the Jets began the season 8-3 before collapsing down the stretch. More food for thought? The 2008 New York Jets remain the only team in NFL history to start the season 8-3 and miss the playoffs. The point is, this team has a history of collapsing (see the 1984, 1993, 1997, and 2000 Jets for more proof.)

This coach needs to take control of his team before they completely unravel. He needs to stop telling everyone how talented they are and how great they can be because they have not proved it. For as great as their 2009 postseason was, the team barely squeaked into the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Talent and brashness will only carry the Jets so far. They were just beat by 42 points by their biggest rival in the "biggest game of the year." The Jets have a much more talented roster than the Patriots but it didn't matter last night. New England was more prepared for the game and for the magnitude of the moment. Once again, the Jets started out slow, but because they were playing a formidable opponent, they couldn't come back. The avalanche never stopped and the embarrassment only got worse and worse.

People can say "it's only one loss" all they want. Last night was the chance for the Jets to sweep the Patriots for the first time since 2000. Not only could they not get the job done, they couldn't prove they belonged on the same field as New England. There is still a quarter of the season left but if the Jets don't make some major changes the preseason hype will be all for not. People will look at the 2010 team and say its the "Same Ole...." you get the point.

The Biggest to Date

It may not be Yankees-Red Sox just yet, but the New York Jets vs New England Patriots rivalry continues to make its case as one of the best in sports.

In the latest chapter, the two AFC East counterparts square off in arguably the most anticipated Monday Night Football game of the past five years. Both teams sport a 9-2 record, the best record in not only the AFC, but the entire NFL. Not since the 10-1 New York Giants visited the 10-1 San Francisco 49ers late in the 1990 season has Monday Night Football featured two teams with such outstanding records.

Over the past 15 years, there has been no shortage of memorable moments on and off the field between the Jets and Patriots.

-After leading the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI, Bill Parcells left New England to become the Head Coach of the Jets.

-In one of the best off season signings of all time, the Jets signed restricted free agent Curtis Martin away from New England. Martin would go on to become the fourth all time leading rusher in NFL history.

-Only one day after taking the job, Bill Belichick resigned as head coach of the Jets, instead deciding to become coach of the New England Patriots.

-In week 2 of the 2001 season it was Jets linebacker Mo Lewis who delivered the crushing hit on Drew Bledsoe that gave Tom Brady his chance to see the field.

-In week 10 of the 2006 season, Eric Mangini made his return to New England. The Jets defeated the Patriots 17-14. It remains the last time Tom Brady lost a regular season home game.

-Later in the 2006 season, in the only playoff meeting between the two teams, it was the Patriots who got the last laugh, defeating the Jets 37-16.

-After a 38-14 Patriots victory in week 1 of the 2007 season, the Jets caught New England violating league rules by video taping signals. The controversy is still a big story to this day.

Since Rex Ryan has taken over, his Jets own a 2-1 advantage in the rivalry. After the Patriots had won eight in a row at the Meadowlands, Ryan's Jets have won the last two matchups in their home stadium. The only matchup in New England resulted in a Mark Sanchez meltdown (four interceptions, one lost fumble) and a 31-14 Patriot victory. Though the Patriots won the AFC East last season, it was the Jets who made the most noise, advancing to the AFC Conference Championship game.

Going into this season, the Jets were the hot ticket and trendy Super Bowl pick. Though the Jets had not won the division since 2002, the experts predicted this would finally be the year in which the Jets overcame New England to seize control of the AFC East. That may still very well be the case, but they must get through the Patriots on Monday Night to do so.

These two teams could not be more opposite. The Jets are arrogant, cocky, and loud while the Patriots are quiet, confident, and determined. Rex Ryan has already changed the "Patriot-like" culture created by his predecessor Eric Mangini. If Rex wants to truly make his mark then his Jets will need to win this game and ultimately win the division crown.

Though the rivalry was overwhelmingly in New England's favor before 2008, winning 11 out of 12 against the Jets, the tide has turned lately, with the Jets winning 3 out of the last 4 meetings between the two. This Monday Night game is eerily similar to the Thursday Night matchup between the 6-3 Jets and 6-3 Patriots in New England in week 11 of the 2008 NFL season. First place was on the line and the Jets pulled out a memorable 34-31 overtime victory. However, Brett Favre and Matt Cassell were the quarterbacks that night, not Mark Sanchez and Tom Brady. Oh and Eric Mangini was still the coach, not Rex Ryan.

This Monday Night, one of the game's best rivalries will install a new chapter into its storied history. With the amount of buildup and hype, it has the chance to be most memorable game ever between the two.

A Star Is Born

Jets fans have watched Jim Kelly lead the Bills, Dan Marino lead the Dolphins, and Tom Brady lead the Patriots, all the while waiting for their own franchise quarterback. The wait is officially over.

In a Super Bowl or bust season, facing enormous pressure, and constantly being referred to as the "weak link", Mark Sanchez has quickly become not only an adequate starting quarterback, he has become a star in the making.

However, should we really be surprised? We should have seen the signs as to what kind of quarterback he could be.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who outplays Tom Brady in only his 2nd career start, leading the Jets to a 16-9 victory over Belichek and the Patriots. The first Jets win home victory over New England since 2000.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who completes 80% of his passes in his 1st career road playoff game in freezing temperatures in Cincinnati.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who scrambles and keeps the play alive on 3rd and goal in San Diego, throwing a touchdown pass to give the Jets the lead in the 4th quarter, orchestrating the biggest upset of the 2009 NFL season.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who throws a picture perfect 80 yard touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards on the road in the AFC Championship game with Dwight Freeney breathing down his neck.

Despite these outstanding moments from his rookie season, Sanchez has continually been scrutinized and ridiculed. His rookie season was far from perfect but it was not nearly as poor as people made it out to be. Of his 20 interceptions in 2009, 15 came in 5 games, meaning in the other 10 games he only threw 5. Not trying to paint him as an MVP, but he played well for a rookie in every two out of three games.

On the biggest stage in the postseason, he became only the second rookie quarterback in NFL history to win two playoff games. His QB Rating of 92.7 through three playoff games is the highest ever for any rookie quarterback in the postseason. All in all, no rookie quarterback has ever had a better postseason than the one Mark Sanchez had in 2009.

In his second season, Sanchez has build on his rookie performance and improved in ways that even the most optimistic Jets fan could not have imagined. The Jets are currently the number one seed in the highly competitive AFC and they owe it all to their 24 year old quarterback.

The running game and defense have not equalized, or even come close, to their 2009 form. The onus has fallen back on Sanchez and he has delivered time and time again. Whether it be a 4th and 6 with the game on the line in Denver, a 10 point deficit with less then 3 minutes left in Detroit, tied at 20 with 24 seconds left in overtime in Cleveland, or down 4 with 55 seconds left and no timeouts while being 72 yards away from pay dirt, Sanchez has come through in the clutch.

There is no doubt that up until this point Sanchez has been the best player on the 2010 Jets. Without his stellar play the team could easily find itself at 4-6 or worse. He only started 16 games at USC but his two biggest performances came in the two biggest games of his college career against Ohio State and Penn State. The recipe for his heroics has been present before he became an NFL quarterback.

Whatever the "it" factor is, Mark Sanchez certainly has it. In a league where offenses and quarterbacks continue to dominate, the New York Jets finally have their man.