Schwartz: Jets' Mark Sanchez Is Feeling Fine
By Peter Schwartz
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Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was a full participant in practice on Wednesday as the team began their preparations for Sunday's game against the Jaguars at MetLife Stadium.
Sanchez took a beating during the win over the Cowboys and underwent concussion tests following the game.
"I feel good," said Sanchez after practice. "I felt like we just had a physical game (against Dallas) and the training staff just wanted to be extra cautious and make sure that I'm doing well, especially at the beginning of the season and make it through the long haul but I feel good."
Linebacker David Harris wasn't good enough to practice Wednesday because of a toe injury, but head coach Rex Ryan expects him to be good to go for Sunday.
The Jets will spend plenty of time this week looking at the film of their 2009 24-22 loss to the Jaguars at Giants Stadium. That was the day when Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew took a knee at the one yard line instead of scoring a touchdown. That set the stage for Josh Scobee to kick the game winning field goal.
Had MJD scored, the Jets would have had time to score the potential game-winning touchdown.
Aside from the end of the game, there was plenty to digest from other parts of that loss.
"We pride ourselves on being a physical football team, but they handed it to us," recalled Ryan.
What else will the Jets see on that tape?
"Things that we didn't do," said nose tackle Sione Pouha. "Which is staying true and executing our game plan. That game is a true tale and an image of what we don't want to be."
The Jets should probably order some extra snacks for those film sessions. They could get lengthy.
MOURNING THE LOSS OF A JET
Former Jets guard and broadcaster Sam DeLuca passed away early Tuesday morning following a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 75 years old.
Born in Brooklyn, DeLuca played college football at South Carolina and was a second round pick of the Giants in 1957. Instead of signing with Big Blue, he chose to play in Canada before joining the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960. He won an AFL Title with the Chargers in 1963 before moving on to the Jets.
A pre-season knee injury in 1967 ended ended his career and began immediately turned to broadcasting for the Jets. He was in the booth with Merle Harmon when the Jets won Super Bowl III.
On Wednesday morning, I caught up with former Jets linebacker Larry Grantham, who was a teammate of DeLuca's and was a member of the Jets Super Bowl III Championship team…
Podcast
DeLuca would also do some broadcasting work for the Mets and NBC, and would eventually re-join the Jets radio booth, working with Spencer Ross and Charlie Steiner.
He is survived by his wife Diane and his son Sam.
THE JETS GO BACK TO THE FUTURE AGAIN
After keeping their throwbacks tucked away in a closet last season, the Jets are going to wear their blue New York Titans jerseys against the Jaguars.
Amazingly, this is happening despite the objections of the FAN's Joe Benigno, who is not a big fan of the throwbacks. However, numbers do not lie. The Jets were 4-1 wearing the Titans blue jerseys from 2007 to 2009.
"Anything for a win," said Ryan. "Doesn't matter if its purple because we'd be wearing the purple."
Maybe someday the Jets will break out one of the variations of the green helmets and jerseys that they wore from 1978 to 1997.
COVER BOYS… AGAIN!
For the second time this season, a Jet will grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. Calvin Pace was on one of the regional covers of the SI NFL Preview, but this week, Mark Sanchez is on the national cover of Sports Illustrated following the Jets' 27-24 win over the Cowboys.
This is Sanchez's third SI cover with the Jets and his fourth overall. He was also on a regional cover of the 2008 College Football Preview when he was at USC.
That's all for now! Check back on Friday for my Jets-Jaguars preview!
What do you think of the Titans jerseys? Let Schwartz know in the comments below...
