Mark Sanchez Expected to Start for Jets Sunday vs. Bears

Multiple sources are reporting that New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez will be ready to go when the Jets play their biggest game of the season against the Chicago Bears.

After starting off strong, the Jets have been tailing off a bit in recent weeks and need a win against a much-improved Chicago team if they’re going to make the playoffs. Without Sanchez, it’s unlikely an aged Mark Brunell would be able to lead the Jets past the Bears strong defense.

“It felt good, really good,” Sanchez told reporters after Friday’s practice. “I felt better than yesterday. I warmed up well. I threw it just like I did the week before and throughout the season. The treatment has been working. I felt better than the two days prior and I’m going to be ready to play on Sunday.”

There are also reports floating around that Sanchez has been told he cannot injure his shoulder any further by continuing to play. I’m not sure how a partially-torn ligament can’t become fully torn should he land the same way he did the first time, but I also don’t have “M.D.” after my name.

If the Jets are going to go anywhere, they’re going to need Sanchez to play well. The team, overall, really is not that talented and make up for it by playing as a team and for head coach Rex Ryan. They also thrive off a mistake-free Sanchez.

LaDainian Tomlinson started the season off strong, but he’s dropped off in the latter portion of the season. Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, and Jerricho Cotchery are a group of No. 2 receivers as far as I’m concerned. When the big plays need to be made, these guys are hit or miss.

Holmes can take it the distance against the Cleveland Browns, but dropped a perfectly-placed ball against the Miami Dolphins that wound up costing them the game. No. 1 receivers — Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, DeSean Jackson, Greg Jennings, etc — don’t drop balls like that.

The same can be said for the defense which lacks a key pass-rusher and, with Darrelle Revis suffering through an inconsistent season, a true superstar.

But with Sanchez in the line-up, the Jets should beat the Bears and show the league why they should once again be considered a top contender in the AFC.