Analyzing the Sanchize: Mark struggles in embarrassing loss to Packers

While Mark Sanchez was hardly the only one to blame–or the main person to blame–for the Eagles embarrassing loss today, he didn’t exactly help the cause. Here are my in-game notes on “The Sanchize”.

First Quarter

• Sanchez, and the Eagles offense as a whole, got off to a strong start, looking like they were going to be able to go blow-for-blow with a red-hot Packers offense.
• I don’t love the helmet-to-helmet rule on the sack, like Troy Aikman said on the broadcast, but Sanchez’s first time getting sacked should have been a  helmet-to-helmet. Also, Matt Tobin got blown up.
• Sanchez missed Jordan Matthews and instead took another sack to end the second drive. Sanchez may as well have taken the hit and thrown the ball, because he ended up getting drilled anyway. All he had to do was hit Matthews, who was wide open–it wasn’t like him throwing with pressure would have been some sort of interception risk.

Second Quarter

• Jordan Matthews was open on third and six on the Eagles fourth drive, and probably should have caught the ball that was thrown his way. That said, Matthews was wide open, and Sanchez unnecessarily put the ball about a step too far, which didn’t help Matthews. Still, Matthews should have reeled the ball in.
• For as bad as his throw that Ertz caught was, that’s how much better his throw to Jordan Matthews to really put the Eagles into plus territory was. Unfortunately, he missed Riley Cooper in the endzone on second and ten (threw it way over his head) and the Eagles ended up having to settle for another field goal.
• Sanchez was 10/16 for 148 yards in the first-half. He didn’t throw any interceptions, but he probably should have hit Cooper in the endzone. Then again, he got just about no protection on third-down, and the Eagles offense faced an uphill battle just about the entire first half.

Third Quarter

• Sanchez got Jeremy Maclin involved on the first drive of the second half, which much like the first drive of the game, started out promising. It ended with Sanchez and McCoy having a handoff miscue, and McCoy turning it over on a fumble. McCoy didn’t take Sanchez’s help getting up, probably a sign that he wasn’t expecting the handoff in the first place.
• Even after the fumble, the Eagles were able to get a stop and force the first punt of the day. It didn’t matter though, as the Eagles would go three-and-out, highlighted by another Sanchez overthrow on third down.
• The next possession, Sanchez looked-down Brent Celek, allowing Julius Peppers to come straight in and pick the ball off and take it to the endzone. That was “Jets Sanchez”.
• I’m hoping it was just the cold weather, because Sanchez’s overthrows tonight were abysmal. Riley Cooper was WIDE open and Sanchez still overthrew him. He turned around the next play and probably missed another touchdown by overthrowing Sproles.
• Sanchez did finally “throw a touchdown” when Jordan Matthews broke off of a tackle and ran into the endzone. Too little, too late.

Fourth Quarter

• For good measure, Sanchez threw a second pick early in the fourth quarter. I understand Jeremy Maclin slipped, but Sanchez threw the ball off his back foot, and–who else?–Tramon Williams picked it off. Brings back bad memories.
• Jason Kelce’s snap wasn’t good at all, but Sanchez should have the very least been able to fall on the ball, if not just catch it in the first place. Instead it went 49 yards in the other direction. Fun.

Post-Game Takeaways

• You can’t just ‘plug and play’ against a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers. Chip Kelly’s offense is great and all, but when you are playing someone that’s going to go down as one of the top ten quarterbacks to ever play the game, who happens to be playing some of the best football of his career, a system isn’t going to win out. The player still needs to perform in the system.
• I’m not going to overreact with Mark Sanchez, just like I didn’t last week. He’s a good backup, who is a below-average starter in this league. Even if he was in Bill Walsh’s offense, he still isn’t someone whose going to help you beat elite teams.
• Mark Sanchez and Nick Foles are not in the same book. Sanchez needs to rebound and hold things over for a couple of weeks, but he is not a long-term answer. I’m not ready to write Nick Foles off yet, despite how underwhelming he played this season. In the meantime, it’s time for everyone, Sanchez included, to regroup.
• My biggest thought heading into next week, is that it is great that Sanchez and Jordan Matthews have such good chemistry, but teams are going to start jumping routes and keying in on Matthews. Sanchez needs to spread the ball around more, because while he might get away with it next week against the Titans, he won’t in two weeks against Seattle.