Sanchez Working on Chemistry

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Mark Sanchez still working on chemistry with Jets offense

Published: Thursday, August 11, 2011, 12:29 PM Updated: Thursday, August 11, 2011, 1:32 PM

Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger By Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger

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The time to build an on-field chemistry with Plaxico Burress has escaped Mark Sanchez so far, as the wide receiver plays it safe with his swollen ankle.

Burress has only made it into a handful of team drills, the first of which was a complete surprise to almost everyone in the huddle.

Sanchez knows the timing will only come with repetition, which is why he figures the next three weeks will be crucial.

"I think, what Plax and I talked about is, as soon as he's ready to go we'll just have to hit it hard," Sanchez said. "Taking extra time to meet, taking extra time to watch film together, that stuff is paying off right now and now we have to practice it on the field.

"There's plenty of time to get things right we just have to make sure we don't waste the time once he gets back."

Last night, the two went out for dinner together after Sanchez lost a bet to Burress. Naturally, he had to buy.

"We just talked about going to dinner a couple days ago and I think we were going to go a goal post drill -- whoever doesn't hit it has to pay for dinner -- and I missed and figured we'd go somewhere Mexican where I might get a free meal," Sanchez said. "But (Burress) said that was off limits."

Without Burress, and with Derrick Mason just coming in, the offense seemed to lag behind the defense during 11-on-11 periods, though Tuesday's indoor practice was the best so far for a Sanchez-led first team offense.

"Tuesday we had a great day in the indoor on offense and started to turn the tide a little which is good," Sanchez said. "We want to keep it competitive. That's our main focus, staying competitive once we get our plays in."

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Sanchez connected with Mason on a 50-yard bomb during a 7-on-7 session on Tuesday afternoon, which gave the quarterback another reason to think Mason has plenty to offer the offense.

"He's so smart and he runs around like he's 20 years old but he's 37," Sanchez said. "He has a positive attitude, he's smiling and that energy kind of wears off and reminds you of how much this guy loves the game.

"And then you get him in there and he's competing his butt off, asking questions, it's an all out battle for him every play."

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Tight end Dustin Keller said he goal is to establish himself as a better blocker, which could allow him to play more snaps and help the offense cloak their plays a little better.

"It's important to me to put a little more wright on because I play a lot of snaps on offense and I always want to play more," Keller said. "If I could be out there more, doing a little bit more blocking, keep the defense guessing more."

Rex Ryan said today that Matthew Mulligan and Jeff Cumberland will be a "2 and 2a" option behind Keller mostly because Mulligan is a better blocker and Cumberland is a bigger passing target.

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The team officially announced the release of LB Stafford Gatling, S DaJuan Morgan and DT Carlton Powell, who were all absent from practice today.

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and I missed and figured we'd go somewhere Mexican where I might get a free meal,"