It's time to play the what if game. The Jets are 7-7. Their quarterback, Mark Sanchez, is 29th out of 33 quarterbacks in QB rating. He is second in the NFL in interceptions with 20. So what would the Jets season look like if they had brought in Jeff Garcia after he was released by the Raiders. Over the past two season Jeff Garcia has started 25 games, has thrown for 25 tds and just 10 interceptions. This is vastly superior to Mark Sanchez's performance thus far. Obviously it's a guessing game to what the Jets record would be like with Garcia over Sanchez but here's what I could imagine the season progressing like...Week 1 @HOU: The Jets defense dominates the entirety of the game while Garcia replicates what Sanchez did throwing for a modest amount and picking up the W. 1-0.
Week 2 NE: Tom Brady's early season woes continue and the Jets defense once again flusters the Pats and Randy Moss while Garcia again replicates Sanchez numbers (163 1 td). 2-0
Week 3 TEN: The Titans were amidst a 6 game losing skid. Mark Sanchez likely had his 2nd best game of his short career but considering how much the Titans were struggling, Jeff Garcia likely would have gotten the job done. 3-0
And now it starts to get interesting. Over the series of the next 11 games, Mark Sanchez has been a serious detriment to winning. He's played worse than any quarterback in the NFL. He's played like Favre December 09. So how much would Garcia likely have made a difference? Here's my guess.
Week 4 @NO: Mark Sanchez gave away this game. The Saints scored two defensive touchdowns, one on an interception and one on a fumble in the endzone. Even with this, I'd imagine the Saints offense stepping up in the 4th quarter and knocking off the Jets. 3-1.
Week 5 @MIA: The problem in Week 5 wasn't really Sanchez, even though he completed just 50% of his passes, the problem was the defense getting absolutely brutalized by the Wildcat. 3-2.
Week 6 BUF: Here's the easy flip around game. Sanchez cost the Jets a win. He threw 5 interceptions and was essentially useless. Garcia has thrown 5 interceptions in a game exactly ZERO times in his career. 4-2.Week 7 @OAK: The Raiders were pathetic in this game and with the added motivation from Jeff Garcia and the fact that the Jets rushed for 300 yards this game wouldn't change at all. 5-2.
Week 8 MIA: This was Mark Sanchez's best game of the season. He threw for 265 and 2 tds and rushed for another and most importantly didn't turn the ball over. The special teams cost the Jets the game. 5-3.
Week 9: Bye
Week 10 JAX: This is the toughest game to call. Sanchez threw two interceptions, one of which led to a td, the other led to the defense making a goal line stop. The Jets were in position to win this game and I think with Garcia they would have. 6-3
Week 11 @NE: Sanchez turned the ball over 5 times in an embarrassing performance and put the Jets defense in horrible position after horrible position. Garcia likely wouldn't have done this but I'd imagine they would have lost in the Razor even if he played an ok game. 6-4
Week 12 CAR: The Jets defense smothered Carolina and Sanchez didn't need to do anything to pick up the W. 7-4.
Week 13 @BUF: Sanchez was 7-15 for 104 yards against Buffalo. I think Garcia could have replicated that pretty easily. 8-4.
Week 14 @TB: The Jets embarrassed the Bucs offense just like they did to the Raiders. It would have been another extra motivated game for Garcia and the Jets would have still crushed the Bucs. 9-4.
Week 15 ATL: The special teams may have been the biggest factor in the Jets losing to Atlanta (3 missed fgs) but Sanchez's three INTs including the first which led to the Falcons opening FG were a debilitating blow. 10-4.
Feel free to disagree with me but I think if the Jets signed Jeff Garcia and had a little stability and common sense at the Quarterback position then with their defense carrying the way they would be 10-4. They would be leading the division and they would have all but wrapped up a playoff spot. Instead they went with the rookie and he has cost them several games and now they need a near miracle to make the playoffs.
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