New York Jets: Geno Smith Falters As Mark Sanchez Suffers Injury

The New York Jets are about to start the 2013 NFL regular season in bad shape. On Saturday night, rookie QB Geno Smith turned the ball over three times only to be replaced by Mark Sanchez who was then injured.

Sanchez injured his right shoulder on a hit by Marvin Austin and left the game immediately. Trainers applied ice to Sanchez’s arm and took an x-ray.

The teams QB1 was having a decent run with 5 of 6 completed for 72 yards. Sanchez will now undergo an MRI to determine the extend of his injury.

Coach Rex Ryan said of his quarterbacks condition:

“Unfortunately, the best play that he makes, probably all of preseason, he ends up getting hurt on it. We’ll see the severity of the injury later.”

While Sanchez is believed to be suffering from “severe soreness,” there are still no reports out of the Jets locker room.

Mark Sanchez is no stranger to shoulder issues, having suffered from severe pain in 2011, which nearly led to surgery. Sanchez avoided going under the knife after doctors prescribed a stringent rehab program.

Coach Ryan said he always planned to put Sanchez in the game, although observers note that the QB appears to rush through a warmup before running out onto the field.

Ryan didn’t say why he chose to play Sanchez behind a second-team offensive line that allows for several quick hits against the quarterback.

After the game Ryan was asked if he acted irresponsibly for which he said, “We talked about the [quarterback] competition, and that was something that I felt was important. If it wasn’t important, then I wouldn’t have put him in there. I would not have put Mark in if it wasn’t important.”

During the game, Geno Smith ended with 16 of 30 passes for 199 yards, including a 22-year touchdown pass to Ben Obamanu. He also took a safety in the fourth quarter after stepping out of bounds to avoid pressure.

The New York Jets already play host to the turnover prone Sanchez, something they hoped to avoid by drafting Geno Smith in the second round. At this point, it looks as if turnovers will remain a large part of the dialogue between players and fans in New York City.