Rex 'Open' To More Tebow If Jets' O-Line Falters; Sparano Not So Much
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Jets have insisted all along that there's no quarterback controversy.
But after the offensive line gave up five sacks in Friday's preseason opener against Cincinnati, coach Rex Ryan conceded that New York could be "open" to expanding the role of backup quarterback Tim Tebow.
Pressured by the Bengals, starter Mark Sanchez went 4 of 6 for 21 yards in the first quarter Friday night. Tebow was 4 of 8 for 27 yards and an interception in his almost two quarters of work. He was effective in avoiding the sack, scrambling three times for 34 yards in the 17-6 loss.
"We're open to anything," Ryan said Sunday.
Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine told the New York Daily News that it could be a "win-win" if done "the right way."
"It takes some pressure off of Mark. We're in the 'whatever-it-takes' business," he said. "We're not looking for style points. People might say, 'Well, you're not running a NFL-style offense.' Yeah, so what? We're moving the ball, we're scoring, we're creating problems on defense."
New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, however, put the kibosh on New York's leaky line equaling more Tebow time.
"Mark Sanchez scrambled for a first down the other day, too, which I was really impressed with," said Sparano. "Mark is a good athlete, and he is our quarterback. I thought he has been playing really well for us, and I don't see that kind of scenario at all out there."
Sparano was also more tight-lipped than Ryan about the Jets' plans to break out the Tebow-led wildcat package.
"Rex is the boss. He can put it out there. I think it's common knowledge that we might do something like that," Sparano said. "I'm more concerned about letting them worry about it than giving them the answers to the test. With the guy we have, obviously, it's going to be out there that we're going to do something like that.
"The how is the question."
The Jets' next preseason test will come against the Giants on Saturday.
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