Peyton Manning - a Jet?
Photo by: Craig O'Neal
We’ve heard the rumors how the New York Jets might be interested and this could intensify with ESPN’s Ron Jaworski coming out and saying how much of a perfect fit Manning would be there. As a side note, really ESPN, you couldn't keep Jaws and get rid of Gruden? Sure, a 100% healthy Manning would be great in NY, but no one knows what his physical condition is currently.
Knowing the Jets luck, they would get Peyton Manning and he would get hurt the very first game. We know this is possible especially if they keep RT Wayne Hunter on the roster. The Jets offensive line wasn’t as good last season as the previous two and you want to acquire a guy coming off neck surgery to stand behind that line? I don’t know the official count for how many hits Mark Sanchez took and that guy is mobile. Can you imagine what could happen to a statue like Peyton Manning?
How do we even know Peyton wants to play in NY? He’s played his whole career in a dome, is he really going to want to come play in the cold of NY? Does he want to play in the same town as little brother, Eli? We know how the NY Media is, how is he going to want to deal with questions on how little brother has won the big game twice and he only has one and lost another?
I understand Mark Sanchez can drive a fan insane. I’ve spent many Sundays curing his name and existence but the guy has only played 3 years of NFL football and he only started 1 season as USC. Is he wildly inaccurate, sure. Does he throw some interceptions where you just drop to the floor of your room in stunned silence, absolutely. I know a lot of Jets fans that think he’s never going to get better and we should cut our losses. I’m not one of them, yet.
Everything you hear about Mark Sanchez you heard about Eli Manning his first three seasons in NY. Manning was wildly inaccurate and he could never win in NY with his “Aw shucks” demeanor. Fast forward a few seasons and Eli now has 2 Super Bowl victories and 2 Super Bowl MVP Awards.
Am I saying Sanchez can be Eli, I don’t know. Eli even at the beginning always threw a great deep ball which Mark seems to lack. All I know is the Sanchez has gotten to two AFC Championship games and he wasn’t the reason the team lost in either. The Jets defense couldn’t stop Peyton in the first game and Rashard Mendenhall I think is still running from the Pittsburgh game. He’s already beaten Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning (rematch) and Tom Brady all on the road in playoff games.
Let’s pass on Peyton and let Mark develop. Let’s not trade any draft picks for once and re-build the offensive line and re-establish the run game. Thankfully now that Brian Schottenheimer is gone maybe we can see what a real NFL offense is supposed to look like. I mean if I have to see anymore 2 yard outs I might just lose my mind. If I haven’t done enough damage to that already.
If Mark falters this year, we can re-visit the QB situation either through the draft or free agency next year but Peyton is not the answer going into the 2012 season.
