Jetsfan80 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2011/08/19/2011-08-19_sanchez_seems_right_at_holmes.html Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes take captaincy seriously, Rex says Jets teammates will follow BY Kevin Armstrong DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Friday, August 19th 2011, 4:00 AM As rain fell on Florham Park, N.J. shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jets wideout Santonio Holmes and quarterback Mark Sanchez, fresh off a preseason loss to the Houston Texans and a late flight home, debated staying up or going to sleep. Holmes, who played minimally, opted to delay his NyQuil dose to lift weights at the team facility with Sanchez, who napped on the plane, and rookie Greg McElroy, the game's workhorse who attempted 39 passes. For an hour, they tore through repetitions and ran extra sprints. "I think he's grown," Rex Ryan said of Sanchez. "I can promise you Tone would not have been (lifting early) last year." For Sanchez and Holmes, fused together by the Jets' $50 million investment in the receiver and the insistence that the future is now with the third-year quarterback, the union of captains has accelerated both along their respective learning curves. Encouraged by the leadership displays to date, Ryan believes the team is already following. "This is really Mark's offense," Ryan said. Whether it is orchestrating his own on-field walkthroughs or offering thoughts to veteran receivers, Sanchez has set an urgent tempo, both in camp and during the preseason opener, finding the likes of Holmes and Derrick Mason on short, crisp routes. In doing so, he has alleviated the pressure on himself and allowed Holmes to assist in the new wideouts' assimilation into the offense. Holmes, in turn, has tutored his corps. "Going into his third year, things have changed around here," Holmes said. "We're happy with the way he feels he's not a kid anymore." Holmes and Sanchez, who roomed at training camp last season, went four weeks without connecting on the field during the season's opening month due to the receiver's suspension for violating the league's drug policy but reunited quickly. Holmes, a former Super Bowl MVP, reestablished himself as one of the game's most lethal threats, particularly in the closing minutes of tight games. "He doesn't have to feel like the focal point of the team," Holmes said. Sanchez, the fifth pick of the 2009 draft, has not reached the highest level at his position. In light of questions regarding the Giants' Eli Manning's place among current quarterbacks, Ryan was asked where he believes Sanchez belongs in comparison to elite signal callers such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. "No, not (with) those two," Ryan said. "Those two have won Super Bowls." Ryan summed up the gap his star, whom he called "elite," must overcome. "We're a ways from that," he said. Sanchez, meanwhile, deferred assigning himself a rank. "I think that's for other people to debate," Sanchez said. "I know my skill set. I know I'm getting better. Once we win a Super Bowl, then maybe I'll have an opinion." Shared responsibility has lessened the load on Sanchez's shoulders in the preseason, but he is aware the attention he receives on and off the field. Thursday, two female fans held a banner that read "Mark, U Called Me On My Sweet 16," ostensibly referring to a report on the website Deadspin that featured a 17-year-old high school girl alleging a romantic relationship with him. In a recent interview with GQ, Sanchez declined comment about it and said, "I've found it's better not to comment on a lot of that stuff." Teased by teammates for his appearance on the magazine's cover and accompanying photo spread, Sanchez smiled away the hazing he's received in team meetings this week. In the huddle, Holmes maintained, he has the Jets' attention. "Once we put it on the table and the captains are the guys that are leading by example, the guys will follow," Holmes said. "That's what we want to build around here." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I think that GQ thing is another trap. Like the Ryan foot fetish thing of last year. The Patriots thought they could mock Ryan and it would make him and the Jets feel like losers, but then it backfired and I saw a Patriots team that was physically afraid for talking. And that's probably because the Jets team had Ryan's back and made it clear they should be. Now the Patriots are going to mock Sanchez. And it will happen again and they will be scared during the games and just lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I think that GQ thing is another trap. Like the Ryan foot fetish thing of last year. The Patriots thought they could mock Ryan and it would make him and the Jets feel like losers, but then it backfired and I saw a Patriots team that was physically afraid for talking. And that's probably because the Jets team had Ryan's back and made it clear they should be. Now the Patriots are going to mock Sanchez. And it will happen again and they will be scared during the games and just lose. Yeah, because the Pats are really in the position to mock another team's QB for taking gay-looking photographs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirlancemehlot Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Yeah, because the Pats are really in the position to mock another team's QB for taking gay-looking photographs: To be fair, that is a really attractive goat.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiFtheOracle Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Holmes is a horrible teammate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Im really glad to see Holmes has learned from his mistakes. He seems totally dedicated and you cant ask for more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gastineau Lives Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Holmes is a horrible teammate. Mercenary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua4ever04 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Yeah, because the Pats are really in the position to mock another team's QB for taking gay-looking photographs: When you have 3 rings, are the best quarterback of a decade and possibly the best quarterback ever, you can do whatever the hell you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman81 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 When you have 3 rings, are the best quarterback of a decade and possibly the best quarterback ever, you can do whatever the hell you want. I think Mr. Peyton Manning might have something to say about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 When you have 3 rings, are the best quarterback of a decade and possibly the best quarterback ever, you can do whatever the hell you want. I think Joe Montana might take issue with that. He has four rings. One coming when he played circles around Dannyboy Marino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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