(AP) -- There's a strong possibility
many NFL teams will be starting backup quarterbacks in Week 11 for one
reason or another, though the New York Jets won't be one of them.
That seems to be just fine with a few unidentified teammates of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.
Coach Rex Ryan's task of helping the
slumping Jets remain positive is becoming increasingly difficult as they
prepare for their road matchup with the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.
New York (3-6) is on the verge of
losing four consecutive games for the first time since dropping six
straight in 2007, and much of the blame has fallen on the right arm of
the struggling Sanchez.
He finished 9 of 22 for 124 yards and
an interception while losing a fumble for the third straight week in
last Sunday's 28-7 loss at Seattle. Sanchez, who has completed an
NFL-worst 52.0 percent of his passes, isn't making excuses for his
spotty play.
"I have got to make better decisions," said Sanchez, whose 70.9 passer rating ranks 30th. "Careless mistakes. Totally on me."
Sanchez has received plenty of
criticism, but Ryan has decided to stick with him as the starter despite
some calls for Tebow to take over and questions of Ryan's own job
security.
"With me, I will never waver," Ryan
said. "I am not going to make a decision to save my job. I am in it to
win games. I'm not sitting back concentrating on how do I save my job. I
am concentrating on how do we win."
Ryan's decision regarding the
quarterback situation seems to be backed in the locker room, but how
he's heard of that support doesn't exactly make him happy.
According to a report Wednesday,
multiple players and members of the organization spoke anonymously in
support of Sanchez while bashing Tebow, with one player allegedly
calling Tebow "terrible."
It's yet another drama-filled controversy surrounding the Jets that Ryan believes is unacceptable.
"If you're not going to put your name
to it, I think that's about as cowardly of a thing there is," Ryan
said. "I don't want to get into specifics of what I said, but I did
address it with our football team. If you're searching for things to try
to drive a wedge through the team, my thing is, I believe in this team.
"I believe this team is (together), will continue to be and maybe even become tighter. I'm confident that will be the case."
Tebow, in his typical fashion, brushed off the alleged comments and pledged to do whatever is necessary to help the team.
"I always find the good and the
positive in every situation," Tebow said. "The positive of this is to go
and work a little harder and build better relationships with your
teammates."
Sanchez had similar thoughts.
"I've been in those shoes," Sanchez said. "I feel for Tim. You wake up the next day and you keep playing."
Combined with the internal issues,
New York must now contend with a Rams team that played NFC West-leading
San Francisco to a 24-all tie last Sunday on the road.
St. Louis (3-5-1) went winless
through a three-game stretch facing Green Bay, New England and the 49ers
and was on the verge of a victory last week before blowing a 10-point
second-half lead.
"Shoot, you know, we can be proud of
the way we gave the effort, and like I said we went toe-to-toe with a
team we have great respect for," defensive end Chris Long said.
Sam Bradford had another strong game,
finishing 26 of 39 for 275 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He completed
a long pass to Danny Amendola in overtime that would have set up the
potential winning touchdown, but it was called back due to a penalty.
Amendola finished with 11 catches for 102 yards after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury.
"I think our offense as a whole has
really made a lot of strides in the past couple weeks," said Bradford,
who has completed 66.9 percent of his passes over the last four games.
"I think last week was evidence of what we're capable of when we don't
shoot ourselves in the foot. We still made mistakes but for the most
part I think that was our most complete game as an offense. We put up a
lot of yards and a fair amount of points against a really good defense."
He'll face a Jets team that is sixth
in the NFL against the pass allowing 203.8 yards per game but also ranks
30th giving up an average of 145.0 rushing yards.
New York allowed 174 yards rushing
last week, and that's good news for Rams running back Steven Jackson,
who finished with season highs of 29 carries and 101 yards with a
touchdown against the 49ers.
These teams have never met during
Ryan's tenure, and the Jets' 47-3 rout in the most recent matchup Nov.
9, 2008, ended a seven-game losing streak in the series.
Rams offensive coordinator Brian
Schottenheimer will be facing his former team for the first time. He
spent the last six seasons with the Jets before a mutual parting of ways
following the 2011 campaign, and he's downplaying the reunion.
"I enjoyed my time in New York," he
said. "I had great experiences, won a lot of football games. I'm looking
forward to seeing those guys."
