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Denville – It’s time for some Website Whispers, with notes on Sanchez getting grilled, Eric Smith, Darrelle Revis and more. Let’s get going . . .
Manish Mehta, of the Daily News, really went after Mark Sanchez today with repeated questions on the Jets’ last drive of the first half in Pittsburgh.
Mehta was relentless.
He’s obsessed with the particular topic.
He asked Rex Ryan a few questions on it, and then Sanchez about five queries.
Mehta’s line of questioning was about why the Jets ran out the clock at the end of the half, instead of letting Sanchez throw, and get the Jets, at the very least, into field goal range.
I’m not going to show you all the question Mehta asked Sanchez, but here are two –
Mehta: Did you ask Coach Ryan and Coach Sparano to try to score by throwing at the end of the first half?
Sanchez: I think their mentality was to get the ball in the third quarter. That’s their decision.
Mehta: Did you discuss with them their decision to not throw the ball at the end of the first half?
Sanchez: I know they discussed it, so ultimately it’s their call.
At one point Sanchez said, “You are stuck on that drive.”
It was getting contentious, and I’m surprised the Jets’ PR didn’t step in (like they have done with me at times).
Later in the day, a Jets PR guy did huddle with Mehta, likely about his exchange with Sanchez.
The interesting part of this exchange, while it was tough on Sanchez, I think Mehta was actually on his side.
Mehta’s point clearly was – “You have what is supposed to be the team’s franchise quarterback, and you don’t trust him to throw a few passes at the end of the half and try to score?” . . .
Darrelle Revis refused to talk to the media today, and still hasn’t been cleared for contact.
He did talk about fashion with a reporter, but didn’t want to talk about football.
I think if Revis plays this Sunday, the Jets win, if he doesn’t, the game might be a toss-up.
The Dolphins group of journeymen receivers would have almost no chance against Revis and Antonio Cromartie . . .
Rex Ryan didn’t seem himself today at his presser. He seemed a little lethargic, like he’s been working so hard preparing for this game, he’s hasn’t slept much. Or perhaps he’s a little under the weather.
He used “ya know” very much in his answers.
He just seemed different today that usual . . .
Watching Eric Smith today, he looks like he might have had a setback. He was rehabbing on a side field with a trainer, and was clearly limping on his bad left knee . . .
Tony Sparano said in a spring that is a player didn’t know his assignments, he wouldn’t play.
When he said it, I wondered if that applied to Santonio Holmes, and I still wonder.
Would he ever have the gumption to pull Holmes if he blew an assignment?
There were clearly major issues between Sanchez and Holmes in the Pittsburgh game – mistakes were clearly being made . . .
September 19, 2012
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