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The revelatory moment for New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer left him dumbfounded for a moment.

It was in the second half of the team's Week 16 road game against the Indianapolis Colts. Schottenheimer was trying to navigate his rookie quarterback to a desperately needed victory and keep the Jets' playoff hopes beating.

Mark Sanchez was playing decently. Schottenheimer pounded the run, but Sanchez managed to complete nine straight passes and 10 of 11 from the first quarter into the third. Then Sanchez misfired on four consecutive throws. He came off the field for a punt.

"He came over to the sideline and said something to me he's never said to me before," Schottenheimer told me Sunday. "He said 'Hey, how about giving me something easy so I can get a completion and get back on a streak?'

"And I thought, 'Wow.' I just stopped. It kind of floored me. I was, like, 'Absolutely!'"

Sanchez, by Jove, had gotten it. Schottenheimer interpreted the quick exchange as an indicator Sanchez finally had absorbed the team concept and no longer was hell bent on trying to win the game on every play.

"I've seen a transformation," Schottenheimer said.

Sanchez has been a different quarterback the past few weeks. The Jets seemingly were doomed less than a month ago because of his reckless play, but he gathered himself. The Jets won their last two regular-season games to slip into the playoffs.

On Saturday, they eliminated the Cincinnati Bengals 24-14. Sanchez completed 12 of 15 attempts for 182 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. The Jets will play the San Diego Chargers on Sunday in Qualcomm Stadium.

"The light did kind of come on," said Schottenheimer, whose play calling has been virtuosic. "That takes all of us while to realize I'm a part of the process and not the only thing involved."

How do you get through to a hotshot rookie who experienced greatness at USC, won his first three NFL games and was asked to send his cleats to the Pro Football Hall of Fame while still only 22 years old?

"A lot of things came fast and easy to the guy," Schottenheimer said. "He had to get knocked down a little bit."


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CINCINNATI -- The New York Jets are no fluke.

Cincinnati Bengals fans tried to justify away what happened in the season finale as the result of circumstances. The Bengals didn't need to win that game. The Bengals rested their players. The Bengals didn't want to show any of their cards heading into the playoffs.

Now they can show their cards to their caddies and their cruise captains because the Jets sent them on vacation for the next few months.

The Jets might've gotten lucky by slipping into the playoffs with a lot of outside help, but they showed they belonged by eliminating the AFC North champs 24-14 in Paul Brown Stadium.

Six days after the Jets shredded the Bengals at the Meadowlands, they did it again in Cincinnati.

The Jets outplayed them at almost every position. Behind an offensive line that boasts three Pro Bowlers, a trio of players with a combined four seasons of NFL experience led the way.

Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez was impressive. He threw only three incomplete passes on 15 attempts for 182 yards and one touchdown.

Rookie running back Shonn Greene ran 21 times for 135 yards and a touchdown.

On each of those scores, second-year tight end Dustin Keller played a significant roll. He caught Sanchez's bootleg toss and rumbled 45 yards into the end zone with a few Bengals on his back. He made the pivotal block to spring Greene on his 39-yard run.

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was the lesser USC quarterback. He was 18 of 36 for 146 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Factor in the sacks, and the Bengals finished with 111 net passing yards.

But Chad Ochocinco did catch a pass. Two, actually, for 28 yards. I'm sure Darrelle Revis will get over it.

Soon enough, Rex Ryan will have been correct.

The rookie coach mistakenly said the New York Jets had been eliminated from the playoff race Sunday after crumbling to the Atlanta Falcons. Turns out, there still is a mathematical ray of hope.

For now.

The Jets sacrificed a season that appeared destined for the playoffs. They rank No. 1 in scoring defense, total defense and passing defense. They lead the NFL in rushing offense.

That sort of formula should have clinched a postseason berth by now.

Problem is, Mark Sanchez is part of the equation, too.

But was the Jets' decision to start Sanchez straight out of college complete rubbish?

The Jets threw away their season, but maybe it will have been worth it in the long run.

"When you're going to develop an outstanding quarterback, you're just going to have to bite the bullet and not look back," former St. Louis Rams head coach and offensive guru Mike Martz said.

The dilemma when it comes to rookie quarterbacks is whether it's more beneficial to put them in the huddle or to let them watch from the sidelines for a season.

"In the big picture, it's all a step in the right direction," said former Jets quarterback Ken O'Brien, who didn't take a snap his entire rookie season in 1983. "The best way to learn is to play."

That theory is not absolute.

"Some guys, like Peyton Manning or Troy Aikman, take that first-year beating, and it makes them better for the long run," Scouts Inc. analyst Matt Williamson said. "Some guys are not mentally strong enough to overcome a terrible rookie year, and the confidence can be shot."

The Jets seemed like geniuses three weeks into the season. They were 3-0, and Sanchez was performing beyond his years. The former University of Southern California star played as though he'd been in the league two or three years already, apparently turning what Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco achieved last year into a trend.

Since then, Sanchez's season has been spotted by a series of youthful indiscretions that ranged from immature (scarfing down a hot dog during a game) to reckless (injuring his knee while diving head-first three days after New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi taught him how to slide).

The hot start is a distant memory. Entering Week 16 against the Indianapolis Colts, the Jets are 7-7 and on the fringes of the playoff race.

The recurring theme, however, will be those interceptions. They came in big bunches. Three, four, sometimes five at a time.

Sanchez has thrown at least three interceptions in four of his 13 starts. The Jets went 0-4 in those games, losing by an average of 9.3 points. They dropped two of them at the Meadowlands by a field goal.

"There are times when he's looked great against complex schemes," said Jon Ritchie, an analyst for ESPN's "First Take" and former Oakland Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles fullback, "and there are times when he's looked confused out there. That's what everyone expected."

USC coach Pete Carroll was labeled a unappreciative whiner when Sanchez decided he would forego his senior season and enter the draft.

Carroll claimed Sanchez wasn't ready. Sanchez started one full season, and while he posted remarkable numbers, he would head to the NFL with only 16 collegiate starts. The learning curve would be one harsh arc.

The Jets traded up to draft Sanchez fifth overall and make him the face of the franchise. He would have to fall flat on his facemask to not win the job from veteran Kellen Clemens in training camp. Sanchez signed a five-year contract, which also escalated his timetable. Six years is the common length of a highly drafted quarterback's first deal.

"It's a tough situation for anybody to come in right out of college, where you didn't play much, and plug in," O'Brien said. "It just takes time."

What has been troubling about Sanchez's development is that Ryan and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer have needed to simplify it as the season has progressed. Ryan, who is dyslexic, applied one his own comprehension tricks and color-coded Sanchez's play-calling wristband to underscore the importance of ball security.

"He doesn't seem to be learning from his mistakes or getting better in any way," Williamson said. "He still really doesn't understand coverages or the speed of the game at this level. He isn't seeing things clearly and is either very rushed or too slow in everything he does."

Martz and O'Brien insisted Sanchez will come around.

Martz stressed the importance of the Jets acquiring more help for Sanchez at receiver and spending a lot of time working together during his first full NFL offseason. Dropping top receiver Braylon Edwards into Sanchez' lap in Week 5 didn't do him any favors.

"There's a little bit of a disconnect with them, which is understandable," said Martz, who 10 years ago in St. Louis ran the record-setting offense dubbed "The Greatest Show on Turf."

"That rapport and that chemistry, it takes a long time to develop. I don't think people realize how difficult that is. There's thousands of throws that need to happen."

Sanchez has been one of the NFL's worst play-action passers. He ranks 27th in the NFL with a 58.8 play-action passer rating, completing 52 percent of his throws with three touchdowns and seven interceptions.

"It's just a matter of repetition," O'Brien said. "It's a lot more beneficial to watching yourself on film and having recall of which decisions to make. You can figure out 'This is what I did last time and I was knucklehead. Let's forget about that.'

"You store it all away. Your mind becomes a vault. You have to click through all those pictures, that video game in your head and dial in that right formula the next time you come across it."

As for the toll a disappointing first season can have, jangled confidence shouldn't be an issue with Sanchez. His leadership intangibles might be what carry him.

"The good players, they have such a deep-seated belief in themselves that they might be shaken a bit," Martz said, "but they just can't be moved off the mark. He's got too much going."

Teammates recognize that. Ritchie, who went to the playoffs with Rich Gannon and Donovan McNabb, noted the guys in the locker room are willing to forgive mistakes and weigh the future benefits when they see a young quarterback committing himself at the facility, whether it be on the practice field or in the film room.

"Guys know that he's putting in all the time in and that he is sacrificing to do everything that he can to get better," Ritchie said. "He's a guy you love to have on your team and will be much improved. That rookie wall hits everyone, and you come to the conclusion that he's hit that.

"But a guy that has such an unbelievable attitude, positivity surround him all the time, can lead a group of men who have been playing in the league just with his sheer charisma. That played into their decision and I can't fault them there."

So don't be so anxious about throwing away this season, Jets fans.

When we look back on 2009, Sanchez will have junked the Jets' chance to make the playoffs. But Sanchez's long-term future might turn out to be worth forfeiting the postseason.

"He'll be so much better next year," Martz said. "It was absolutely the right thing to do. That team will evolve with him."

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Falling

1. Rex Ryan, Jets coach: Everybody in the stadium knew Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez was the target on that fateful fourth-and-goal play with 1:38 left, but Ryan's defense still couldn't stop it. Moments later, Ryan blew up at referee Ron Winter, then walked into his postgame news conference and declared his team has been eliminated from the playoff hunt. Except they haven't been.

2. Chad Henne, Dolphins quarterback: Henne threw for a career-high 349 yards and guided the Dolphins to a 15-point, fourth-quarter rally and forced overtime in Nashville. But he threw the last of his three interceptions three plays into sudden death, frittering the hallowed first possession. The Titans kicked the winning field goal four plays later.

3. Mark Sanchez, Jets quarterback: A game away because of a knee injury didn't seem to help Sanchez settle down. The rookie came back Sunday and threw three interceptions, his fourth game with at least three in 13 NFL starts. His 20 interceptions are second in the league. He ranks 29th in passer rating.

Rising

1. Randy Moss, Patriots receiver: Under fire for perceived lollygagging, Moss had a strong game against the Bills. Tom Brady threw for just 115 yards, but Moss generated 113 yards and scored a touchdown. He finished with a game-high five receptions for 70 yards and drew another 43 yards on a Bills pass interference near the goal line.

2. Patriots pass rush: Without nose tackle Vince Wilfork and defensive ends Ty Warren and Myron Pryor, the Patriots rung up a season-high six sacks. Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain recorded three of them. Bills quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards both suffered ankle injuries.

3. Fred Jackson, Bills running back: Jackson, the supposed backup to Pro Bowler Marshawn Lynch, is 189 yards from the coveted 1,000-yard milestone. Not bad for an undrafted Division III player who came up through the arena bush leagues. Jackson rushed 15 times for 80 yards against the Patriots. He also caught four passes for 32 yards and returned four kickoffs for 108 yards.

The New York Jets blew it.

They led the Atlanta Falcons by four points for over 46 minutes Sunday at the Meadowlands and hadn't allowed a touchdown in 33 possessions, the NFL's longest streak.

On fourth-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Matt Ryan connected with Tony Gonzalez for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:38 to play. With the game on the line, Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez threw his third interception to seal a 10-7 defeat.

What a heartbreaker. On a day the Miami Dolphins lost, the Jets could have climbed into the driver's seat. Instead, they are one of five teams at 7-7, and based on all of the various tiebreakers, they have the longest shot to earn a wild-card bid.

Jets kicker Jay Feely, having a great season up until Sunday, missed three field goals inside 40 yards. Kellen Clemens botched a hold and another was blocked. Feely flat-out missed one.

Sanchez started after missing a game with a knee injury. He went 18-of-32 for 226 yards and one touchdown -- a 65-yard beauty to Braylon Edwards.

But those interceptions ... It was his fourth game this year with at least three.

The Falcons took away the NFL's top rushing offense. Thomas Jones had 19 attempts for 52 yards. Shonn Greene ran eight times for 30 yards.

I’m going to put in a call to the folks at ESPN’s Stats & Information because I’m curious if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making history.

They lost to the New York Jets on Sunday. That means they’ve lost to a backup quarterback in each of the last three games. They lost to Atlanta in a game where Matt Ryan got hurt early and Chris Redman came on. They lost to the mighty Matt Moore and Carolina last week and they lost to Kellen Clemens on Sunday.

I’m wondering if any team ever has lost to three backup quarterbacks in a row before. Heck, I’m wondering if any team ever has played three backup quarterbacks in a row before.

Speaking of quarterbacks, I’m once again concerned about Raheem Morris’ future in Tampa Bay because Josh Freeman had another horrible day. A few weeks ago, I thought Morris would get a second year because Freeman was playing well and that offered some hope for the future. But Freeman struggled against the Jets after throwing five interceptions against the Panthers.

The central point of Morris’ rebuilding project isn’t looking so bright these days. And the Bucs haven’t shown much else that would lead a reasonable person to believe they’re close to turning the corner again.

The New York Jets took care of business.

No surprises or tragedies befelled them Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Jets wiped their cleats on the doormat opponents, 26-3 and left Raymond James Stadium still in the playoff mix.

The Jets have won three straight games and are 7-6, their first winning record since Week 7. They have a rugged stretch ahead of them, finishing the regular season against the Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals.

But to be alive in mid-December is better than being left for dead in November, which the Jets had been after losing six out of seven games.

Thanks to a dominant defense and running back Thomas Jones, the Jets got along just fine without rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. Backup quarterback Kellen Clemens completed 12 of 23 attempts for 111 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions.

Jones ran 24 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

But most impressive was the defense, which forced the Buccaneers three and out on their first seven possessions. The Buccaneers didn't gain a first down until the third quarter and finished with six first downs.

The Buccaneers gained 124 yards from scrimmage, 43 yards rushing and 81 yards passing.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Since the AFC East has four games going simultaneously, here are some quick halftime thoughts from around the division:

First of all, I might be in the wrong stadium. The real news will take place in Gillette Stadium if the New England Patriots don't get their act together against the Carolina Panthers. The score is tied at 7, but the Patriots have looked homely. Tom Brady has an interception. Randy Moss lost a fumble. Do you think Bill Belichick has Charlie Weis' updated résumé on file?

The Miami Dolphins appear to be in control against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Dolphins lead 14-7 and should be up by at least 10, but receiver Davone Bess fumbled on a reverse at the Jaguars' 33-yard line right before intermission.

The Dolphins are running and throwing effectively. Ricky Williams has rushed 15 times for 42 yards and a touchdown. Chad Henne, who also has a touchdown run, has completed 14 of 16 attempts -- 13 in a row -- for 146 yards and no interceptions.

The New York Jets are cruising against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 19-0. Jay Feely already has four field goals in his hometown. Rex Ryan was wise not to push rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez back too soon from a knee injury because Kellen Clemens hasn't had to do anything. Clemens is 7-of-16 for 52 yards. But Thomas Jones has 12 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown.

The Jets are getting it done in their last cushy game before a brutal finish against the Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals. The Jets and Dolphins are tied at 6-6, one game behind the Jaguars. If these scores hold up, then we're going to have some fun the rest of December.

And in Kansas City, the Buffalo Bills are up 10-3 in a game that's irrelevant other than establishing the top 10 draft order. Terrell Owens has a 9-yard touchdown reception.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 14:

The New England Patriots' locker room will determine the course of the AFC East. It won't matter how hot the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins get over the final month if the Patriots can pull themselves together. I'm not convinced that's going to happen with a young roster and so much missing leadership. Too many players who weren't around for the glory years haven't experienced the payoff to Bill Belichick's methods. Instead, they see two fourth-down coaching decisions that might have cost them victories and four starters sent home for showing up late to a meeting because of the weather.

It's possible no ground could be gained in the AFC East on Sunday. All four AFC East clubs are playing teams outside the division and conceivably could go 4-0. The Dolphins can strike a resounding blow in the wild-card race by beating the Jacksonville Jaguars, who currently are sixth in the conference standings. But even if the Dolphins win, chances are they won't alter the division picture. They probably won't catch the Patriots, who host the 5-7 Carolina Panthers, or separate from the Jets, who visit the 1-11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tony Sparano deserves consideration for coach of the year -- again. Sparano was jobbed out of last season's awards because most folks credited Bill Parcells first and everybody else second for the Dolphins' spectacular turnaround from one victory to the AFC East title. Sparano has his Dolphins at .500, but they have remained highly competitive without last year's MVP runner-up (Chad Pennington), their star running back (Ronnie Brown), 3-4 nose tackle (Jason Ferguson) and No. 1 cornerback (Will Allen). This year's effort might be more impressive.

Sunday might be Kellen Clemens' last stand to show he can be a starter. New York Jets coach Rex Ryan has stressed for months he believes rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez gives them the best chance to win. Sunday's game at Tampa Bay is a must-win. But Sanchez's knee injury is forcing Ryan to insert Clemens, a 2006 second-round draft choice who has had his chances but could never persuade the Jets to trust him with the job. Clemens won't win over the Jets on Sunday, but it's an audition for 2010 that he can't afford to fail.

The only way Terrell Owens comes back to Buffalo is if he has no other options. Owens has been diplomatic when responding to questions about whether he'd like to remain with the Buffalo Bills. He's not going to openly dismiss a locale that gave him a key to the city before he played a down. But it's clear in Owens' answers he's not enamored with the organization. If he has any chance to join a playoff-caliber team, he will leap at it. So enjoy your last four games of mirth, Bills fans.

At various times this year, New York Jets fans have wanted head coach Rex Ryan to take rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez off the field and insert veteran Kellen Clemens.

On Sunday, the fans will get their wish. Regardless of whether this is the best time to see what the team looks like with Clemens at the controls, the Jets have no choice.

Ryan, who has stated over and again Sanchez gives the Jets their best chance to win, announced Wednesday that Sanchez's injured right knee will not be sturdy enough to support him when the Jets visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Jets are mounting a flank attack on the playoffs. They need to win Sunday. They are 6-6, one game behind the New England Patriots.

The Jets would prefer to have Sanchez, but if ever there was a game to give Clemens his first start since December 2007, the one against the 1-11 Buccaneers is as good -- or bad -- as any.

"It's obviously a four-game season to get a fifth" in the playoffs, Clemens said. "We have to go down to Tampa and handle business. As far as putting more pressure on myself, no. Go down there, manage the game, control the football and the way that our offensive line is playing, the way that our defense is playing, I just have to do my job. There is not a lot of added pressure on this position for the game."

TORONTO -- Of all the rookie maneuvers Mark Sanchez has pulled, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan was most upset about what his young quarterback did Thursday night.

When Sanchez scarfed down a hot dog on the sideline, he received a good-natured finger wagging. When Sanchez posed for a GQ photo spread, he was playfully ridiculed. When Sanchez routinely refused to let a botched play die a merciful death and committed a turnover, the club cited growing pains.

Sanchez had a five-interception performance, another with four interceptions and a lost fumble. He had a game with an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovered for a touchdown.

Yet through all those tribulations, the Jets justified they were all part of the learning process for a blue-chip prospect who's developing into a special NFL quarterback.

On Thursday night, Sanchez truly drew Ryan's ire.

"I love the kid, but he's gotta grow up," Ryan huffed.

The Jets kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 19-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Rogers Centre. The Jets won back-to-back games for the first time since September. They crawled back to .500, a place they hadn't been in five weeks. With a New England Patriots loss Sunday afternoon to the Miami Dolphins in Land Shark Stadium, the Jets will be within striking distance of first place in the AFC East.

Any satisfaction was tempered by Sanchez's decision to burrow his head and dive for a first down in the third quarter. On the surface, it was a gutsy play. To Ryan, however, it was stupid.

Sanchez spooked the Jets in the Week 12 victory over the Carolina Panthers. He left the game briefly with a left knee injury. He got hurt fighting for extra yards on a scramble.

So the Jets got proactive about teaching their impetuous quarterback some preventative duck-and-cover techniques. They brought in a special instructor to teach Sanchez how to slide feet first.

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi was gracious enough to show Sanchez how to hit the deck.

Easier taught than done.

Two nights after saying how blown away he was that a World Series champion would take the time to help him, Sanchez tucked the ball and bolted for the first-down marker. It was a third-and-6 play from the Jets' 13-yard line. It was midway through the third quarter. The Jets were up by six points. They needed to convert.

And what would Girardi's reaction have been to what Sanchez did next?

"He's probably calling him a knucklehead or something like that," Ryan said. "He's our knucklehead. We love him. But, man, oh, man."

Sanchez did not slide feet first. He burrowed his head for a gain of 8 yards and a Jets first down.

And he got hurt, his right knee this time.

Two plays later, Sanchez removed himself from the game. He disappeared to the locker room and wasn't seen again for the rest of the game.

"I was just trying to advance the chains," Sanchez said, "and that is just the way I play. I, obviously, regret not [sliding feet first]."

While not complaining about the surface, the Jets did suggest that the Rogers Centre turf was hard and fast, which made Sanchez’s knee suffer more.

Sanchez will have an MRI to determine the extent of the damage, but Ryan expressed optimism Sanchez suffered only a sprain. With three extra days of rest, Ryan was hopeful Sanchez would be ready to go when the Jets visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14.

But Ryan conceded Thursday night's foolhardiness was worse than throwing five interceptions in a game.

"That's probably a true statement," Ryan said. "He just has to understand. This guy is crucial for our organization's success. He can't be reckless, and I think right now maybe this little setback will show him how serious we are about this.

"I never want him diving forward. I don't want to see that. I thought we were clear on it."

In the heat of the moment, Sanchez isn't hearing Girardi's voice telling him to slide. Sanchez is fixated on the first down. The play is happening so fast, he's relying on the instincts that made him a star at Southern California and the fifth overall pick in this year's draft.

In that fraction of a second, he's a competitor who won't be denied.

"I know why he did it," Ryan said. "He's trying to get the first down. He wouldn't have made the first down if he slid. But he's gotta understand I don't care about the first down. I care about him. He has to understand that."

Veteran backup Kellen Clemens, not knowing it was the play on which Sanchez got hurt, said that diving was the right choice in that situation.

"The third-down play, he had to go head-first," Clemens said. "It was a good decision on his part because it was close. If he slides there, then he doesn't get the third down and we punt. That one was certainly a good decision on his part."

Upon learning Sanchez hurt his knee on that play, Clemens struck a different tone.

"That's a tough one," Clemens said with a wince. "I shouldn't even have weighed in on it. Now I'm back pedaling."

Clemens finished the game, but it would be generous to say he closed it out. He attempted only two passes. He did complete one for 14 yards to convert a third-and-12.

But he got sacked three times, and fumbled on the Jets' 6-yard line. Luckily, left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson was there to pounce on it.

"We got a ton of confidence in Kellen," Ryan said. "He stepped in. He'll get a game ball for his performance. It was clutch. In that situation, that's tough, coming in. He does a great job and he's itching to go."

But Ryan clearly believes the team's best opportunity to win is with Sanchez.

Even if the rookie clearly remains a hard-headed work in progress.

TORONTO -- The New York Jets went into Thursday night's game needing to darn near run the table to have a legitimate shot of making the playoffs.

They took care of the Buffalo Bills, 19-13, in the Rogers Centre, but their outlook for the final month potentially has been altered by an injury to quarterback Mark Sanchez.

The Jets are .500 with four games to play. Who their quarterback will be for those four games is uncertain.

Sanchez left the game midway through the third quarter with an apparent right knee injury. The medical staff was concerned enough to send him into the locker room for further examination. We didn't see Sanchez again.

Kellen Clemens came off the bench to preserve the victory, albeit barely. He threw only two passes, completing one for 14 yards. Sanchez was 7-of-15 for 104 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions.

Clemens at the helm isn't inevitably a bad thing. Sanchez has turned in a few performances that have made replacing him with Clemens look attractive.

Either way, the postseason is probably a long shot for the Jets.

The Bills, meanwhile, lost some of the momentum they seemed to be building under interim coach Perry Fewell. They are 4-8 with a lot of questions that won't be answered until January, when critical front-office decisions are made.

Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and receiver Terrell Owens teamed up for some gaudy stats in the two games prior to Thursday, but the Jets stifled them Thursday night. Cornerback Darrelle Revis was awesome, covering Owens stride for stride virtually all night and coming down with an interception.

Fitzpatrick completed nine of his 23 passes for 98 yards and no touchdowns. Owens had three catches for 31 yards.

TORONTO -- For the second game in a row and second time in a five-day span, New York Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez left the game with a knee injury.

Sanchez limped off the field because of an apparent right knee injury with about eight minutes left in the third quarter of Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills in the Rogers Centre. He was replaced by Kellen Clemens and walked back to the locker room under his own power, presumably for tests.

Sanchez briefly exited Sunday's victory over the Carolina Panthers because of a left knee injury.

The scare prompted the Jets to seek a special tutor to teach Sanchez how to slide feet first. New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi showed up at the Jets' facility Tuesday, and by all accounts the instruction took.

But Sanchez might've gotten hurt on a head-first dive at the end of an 8-yard, first-down scramble two plays before he took himself out of the game.

Sanchez's return has been announced in the Rogers Centre press box as "questionable." The Jets lead the Bills 16-10 through three quarters.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New York Jets squeezed tears out of their coach, but they couldn't squeeze production out of their rookie quarterback.

A quick scan of the box score will suggest the reason the New England Patriots won Sunday was Wes Welker's sublime performance. Maybe your eye will pick up Tom Brady's numbers, or the gargantuan discrepancy in first downs, total yards or time of possession.

But the problem that doomed the Jets, what eliminated any chance they had of winning in Gillette Stadium, sweeping the season series and keeping their playoff hopes from flatlining was Mark Sanchez.

What a donkey performance Sanchez turned in. He threw four interceptions. He committed three turnovers -- two picks and a fumble -- in the fourth quarter alone.

The Patriots converted Sanchez's giveaways into two touchdowns and a field goal. They won 31-14.

Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden intercepted Sanchez three times, returning the first one 53 yards for a touchdown about nine minutes into the game. The play cast a pall over the rest of the game, and aside from a brief stretch in the third quarter where Sanchez appeared to collect himself, the Jets had no legitimate shot.

"They scored 17 points off of four turnovers by the quarterback, and that's how we lose," Sanchez said.

The Jets are 4-6, three games behind the Patriots and one game better than the last-place Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.

The tone surrounding the Jets' season has gone from inspiring to depressing, and their quarterback's performances have been corollary. He played like a veteran in the first few games yet has seemingly regressed.

After the game, Sanchez could be heard softly singing a song to himself as he buttoned up his dress shirt at his locker stall.

And maybe Jets coach Rex Ryan was whistling in the graveyard when he insisted he won't consider inserting veteran backup Kellen Clemens to give the rookie a break from what has turned into an unremitting series of disheartening displays.

"I don't think he's going to get any better sitting on the sideline," Ryan said of this year's fifth-overall draft pick. "Without question, he made a lot of mistakes today. There were some other guys that made a lot of mistakes as well. But he's got to learn from them.

"You can visualize all you want, watch tape and all that kind of stuff, carry a clipboard. But unless you get on the field, you're not going to get any better."

Sanchez has committed at least four turnovers three times this year.

He threw three interceptions (one for a touchdown) and lost a fumble (for a touchdown) in a 14-point loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. He threw five interceptions in a sudden-death loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6.

Over the seven-game stretch in which the Jets have won one measly game and crumbled from Super Bowl contenders to AFC flotsam, Sanchez has thrown 14 interceptions and lost two fumbles.

That's more giveaways than a feel-good Oprah show. Of course, she leaves her audience giddy. Sanchez makes Jets fans queasy.

"I just tell him to pick his head up and keep playing football," Jets fullback Tony Richardson said, "because, obviously, he is very talented and can help this football team win.

"We are going to follow him 100 percent because he is the leader of this football team. When we watch the film, all of us could have done something to help win this ballgame. It's not just him."

Sanchez didn't have many answers Sunday. He said the first two interceptions were proper reads, but bad throws. He said the last two were the result of trying to do too much on plays that didn't work.

"Sometimes you just need to say 'Uncle' and end the play and be smart with the football," Sanchez said.

But he claimed he was prepared, said he was coming off his best practice week all year and threw only one incomplete pass Friday.

"I was feeling good about the gameplan," Sanchez said. "I knew it frontwards and backwards. But when you miss, a great defense like this will make you pay, and when you get down and try to create too much then they'll make you pay again.

"I've just got to progress and play smarter and not put the ball at risk."

Progress has been undetectable to anyone outside the organization.

"Would I say he's regressed? It's easy to say that when you compare to Week 2, but I think he's getting better," Ryan said.

Sanchez managed the Jets to a victory the first time they played the Patriots. He completed 14 of 22 attempts for 163 yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions at the Meadowlands in Week 2. He posted a 101.1 passer rating.

On Sunday, he was 8 of 21 for 136 yards and one touchdown -- a gorgeous, arcing 29-yard throw to Jerricho Cotchery. But those four interceptions left Sanchez with a 37.1 passer rating. His first half stat line was atrocious: 2 of 9 for 15 yards and two interceptions for a 0.0 rating.

"I'm learning a lot," Sanchez said. "It's hard to say by the stats that 'This kid's really improving,' but ... I've just got to take it one game at a time and then at the end of the season just look back at my performances and how I'm going to improve for next year."

Ryan admitted after the game he, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh might have to reassess their approach with Sanchez.

"Obviously, we've got to look at what we're asking him to do," Ryan said. "We've got to look in the mirror and see what we can do to help this guy.

"He's got all the tools. I think everybody sees that. We've just got to be patient with him. I think he's going to be an outstanding quarterback. I don't believe he's regressed to point where I would even consider ever benching him. He's our quarterback for the future, and he's our quarterback now."

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Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 7:

	Mike Stobe/Getty Images
	Mark Sanchez is coming off of a five-interception game against the Bills.

Mark Sanchez better outperform JaMarcus Russell. In 20 years, Sanchez can only hope he looks back on last Sunday's five-interception nightmare as the worst day of his NFL career. But in reality, the New York Jets rookie will have many more opportunities to turn in a worse performance.

This week, Sanchez will be on the same field as Russell, the embodiment of awful quarterbacking. Russell, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007, already has been slapped with the "bust" label. If Russell outplays Sanchez, Jets fans will be calling for Kellen Clemens.

The key to victory for the Buffalo Bills is getting Jake Delhomme to throw. But can they? Delhomme and Sanchez are tied for the NFL lead in quarterback turnovers with 10 interceptions and two fumbles apiece. The Bills' defense proved it could catch when it snagged five interceptions -- and another on special teams -- against the Jets.

The problem, though, is that Delhomme might not throw often enough. The Carolina Panthers can run, and the Bills own a run defense that's projecting among one of the worst in league history. The Bills are allowing an average of 181 rushing yards a game. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have the Panthers ranked eighth in rushing offense.

The New England Patriots have recorded consecutive shutouts only once in franchise history. Not to jinx the Patriots' defense, but they would match a club record Sunday by blanking the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Wembley Stadium. The only other time the Patriots have recorded back-to-back shutouts was in December 1982 against the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks.

The Patriots are facing their second straight winless opponent. They shelled the Tennessee Titans 59-0 last week in Gillette Stadium. Next up is a team that averages 14.8 points per game, 27th in the league. The New York Giants shut out the Buccaneers at home in Week 3.

The Dolphins need to hit the turf running out of their bye week. There won't be any time to wade back into the season. They get to play the undefeated New Orleans Saints.

The Dolphins had built up some nice momentum. After an alarming 0-3 start, the Dolphins climbed back to divisional relevance with confidence-restoring victories over the Bills and Jets.

Just as the Dolphins were getting rewarded for their efforts, the NFL forced them to take a Sunday off. The extra week of first-team reps no doubt will help quarterback Chad Henne get comfortable in the starter's role. But the Dolphins must avoid a slow start against the Saints and pick up where they left off.

Kris Jenkins' absence will force systemic changes to the Jets' defense. The behemoth nose tackle was so big he has his own gravitational pull. With Jenkins out of the lineup, the Jets' constellation will shift around, probably gravitating more to a 4-3 than the 3-4 scheme he anchored.

Jenkins is irreplaceable, and with nose tackle the keystone of a 3-4 defense, the wise move will be to change the front. Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas is a former defensive end.