Mark Sanchez Post Game Interview Transcript 8/29/11

Following the Jets 17-3 win over the Giants quarterback Mark Sanchez addressed the media.  Here is the transcript courtesy of the Jets.

On the offense’s overall performance…

It was a slow start, but I was proud of the offense for weathering the storm. We did much better in the red zone. We just have to keep our cool and not get that penalty, and we’re in third-and-short again, moving the ball really well that first drive of the second half. I think they played us tough. They tried to put pressure on us with their front four. They didn’t bring a ton of blitzes, but just kept all the routes and all the throws in front of them on defense, hoping I would get impatient. I showed a little progress from last year in getting it to the backs, scrambling for a couple of yards on first down, giving us a second-and-manageable and keeping the chains moving. I’m proud of our guys for weathering that storm and playing well towards the end of the first half.

On how he would assess the first-team offense playing for the last time before the regular season begins…

I think, with this wacky schedule this week, it just kind of got us off to a sluggish start. It was a good test to see how we’re going to come out with distractions during the week. It was a good reminder of how focused we need to be, but without a gameplan, it’s tough to tell what to expect. I’m thrilled about our team. I know once we do have a game plan, we’ll know exactly what the personnel (packages) are on each play, we’ll know exact formations and (will) not (be) subbing guys in-and-out. That slows you down on offense and slows down your momentum and your continuity. It’s a great offense. We’re not turning the ball over, other than that ball slipping out of my hand like an idiot. You don’t want to put that on tape. That’s embarrassing. That should never happen, not with my hands. Other than that, I thought we did well, took care of the football and played great in the red zone.

On his progress with Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason…

I felt good with all three of them (Burress, Mason and Santonio Holmes). Tone (Holmes), obviously, Plax (Burress), I would’ve loved to get him a ball. I missed him on a couple, so that’s just us working through it. I thought Derrick Mason did a great job playing Z, playing the slot, but he does such a good job of reading defenses and knowing when to slow down, when to keep running, how to use his body and he had a couple of good catches inside. Then, Dustin (Keller) did well, of course. We have a great group being in that three-wide personnel (package) with Dustin at tight end and LT (LaDainian Tomlinson) or Shonn (Greene), or even Joe McKnight. We have a tough group to stop. You have to put someone down there to stop our single-back running game and then when you do that, we can come after you throwing the football, so it’s a good group and we’ll see what happens.

On being excited for the regular season…

No question. These guys are excited. We have a good group. They’re poised. There are a lot of veterans. After just playing a couple of years, you understand that it’s not going to be a touchdown every drive. You’d like to (score every drive), but these guys understand that, too. Just take care of the football, get completions when we can and these guys didn’t get frustrated at all, and that’s great. The receivers were building me up all game, so it’s a good relationship and I’m excited to see these guys roll in a regular game.

On whether the offense is ready for the regular season to begin…

No question, we’re ready. We played well in the red zone. We were real conservative with our calls. It was definitely a slow start. We were feeling things out. It looked like they were too, on offense and defense. I’m just glad we won the three quarters we were in and punched it in a couple of times. Tone had a great catch. My teammates had a couple of catches. We got everybody involved, just about, and we’ll save Plax for the regular season against the Giants.

On not completing any passes to Burress…

I threw the slant to him. He’s pressing. I have to give him time to work and I threw it a little quick. Then, later on, I kind of threw him a tweener ball, where it looked like it was going to be over his shoulder, then it looked like it was kind of going to be a back shoulder, and I kind of left him in the middle, so it wasn’t a great throw either. (It was) two bad throws to him, or else he would have been rolling. He didn’t get discouraged at all and he’s not one of those guys that gets upset like that. He was great about it. He said, “Hey man, it’s a preseason game. Don’t sweat it. I know you’re trying. Just keep throwing it.” He’s always going to be there and he never gets frustrated, so it’s good.

On whether he was out-of-sync with Burress…

No, if anything it was me. It was me just missing throws. He ran great routes, and I hit other receivers, so it definitely wasn’t Plax. It was just a couple of bad throws, but if we’re taking care of the football, we’re running the ball well, I’ll live with a couple of bad throws instead of just trying too hard and getting too cute, and turning the ball over, throwing it to the other team. We’ll live with a couple of bad throws.

On how the first-team offense will prepare for the season opener now…

I think having played two games at home here, and establishing ourselves at home, getting touchdowns before halftime, I’m proud of the way we’re playing, I just think we have to convert on third down a little better, but that comes with a game plan. When you game plan for a team, I don’t know how to explain it, these calls come in and in 30 seconds you’re trying to tell everybody what this third-down play is. We’ll you’ve had 10 reps at those specific plays all week long going into a game plan, so I’m very confident at how we’re going to do on third down, but I was proud of the way we did in the red zone and that 11 personnel stuff, where we ran three wide receivers on the field and ran the ball, threw the ball a little bit, it’ll be good for us. So, we’ll hopefully use that.

On what impact Burress had on the touchdown to WR Santonio Holmes…

He did a good job just sticking to his route, not trying too much. It’s his job to run to the middle, and he’s my first read. They covered him pretty well, like we imagined, and Tone (Holmes) ran a great route and (I) just tried to give him a chance with the throw. So, we had plenty of time to look through it, and that’s a long run-action type of play, so our offensive line did a heck of a job identifying the front, and really blocking it up and giving me plenty of time.

On head coach Rex Ryan allowing the Jets to pass the ball more…

I think, and I’ve said it before, the sky’s the limit for this group, especially when we get rolling, and especially when we have a game plan. It helps so much to hear the plays all week long, to run through them all week long. The receivers are sprinting out of the huddle as soon they hear me say the formation, they already know the play. That’s the way it’s kind of been in practice. We’ve gotten more and more comfortable with all of our new wideouts. And yeah, sure, we’re ready to throw it.

On the Giants defense…

I think they played a great defense, they did a good job just keeping everything underneath. It was a typical preseason game, and we need to be ready to play Dallas, and we will.

On whether he is confident in the Jets red zone offense…

It was an emphasis after last year. As soon as we got back from the lockout, we wanted to talk about the red zone quite a bit. Having the weapons that we have only helps our cause, so we want to just be able to use them, and it’s my job to find the open guy. Just because Santonio (Holmes) caught a touchdown tonight or (Plaxico Burress) caught one last week, don’t force it to those guys. It could be Derrick (Mason), it could be Dustin (Keller), it could be a back on a checkdown, when they decide to cover all of the wideouts, and that’ll be fun. So, if I’m just smart in the red zone and really play point guard, just get everybody the ball when they’re open, then we’ll be ready to roll, but I’m proud of the way we’ve done it in the red zone this year so far.

On the struggles on third down…

I think they did a good job of batting down a ball, I missed (Burress) on the slant early. We didn’t get off to our fastest start on third down, but that’s a tribute to their defense and (them) playing well. With a game plan you have specific third-down calls that you really like and you’re comfortable with, and that we’ve repped. We’re kind of shooting from the hip here in preseason and keeping it real basic.

On whether Burress was the first read on the touchdown pass to Holmes…

Absolutely. He was the first read and Tone (Holmes) was the second one. So, they covered Plax really well and Tone made a play.

Tyson Rauch

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