Patriots 49, Jets 19: Mark Sanchez reaction

Mark Sanchez might have been a bright spot for the New York Jets on Thursday night against the New England Patriots, which, considering he threw an interception and coughed up a fumble that was returned for a touchdown, is saying something.

The fourth-year quarterback completed 72.2 percent of his passes for 301 yards and a touchdown, but he made the two costly mistakes and was generally helpless to stop the 49-19 onslaught of the Pats. Sanchez said in his post-game press conference the majority of the team's mistakes were their own fault, and that at 4-7, they still have five games to turn the season around.

"We have some games coming up where we really have to eliminate some of this self-inflicted stuff. You
eliminate some of those turnovers and we're right in the game. If we do that, we take care of the football,
myself included, we really have a chance at this thing. I think Coach (Ryan) said it best to the team and
to (the media) that (in) these next five games, you have to give it everything you've got, really empty the
tank and just put your head down and work and see what happens at the end of five weeks. Not worry
about anything else, let everything else just fall into place and try and rip off five wins in a row and it starts
next week."

Sanchez took a moment to talk about what SB Nation's Martin Rickman termed "The most Mark Sanchez play ever," where the quarterback slid into the backside of Brandon Moore on a busted play, fumbling a ball that Steve Gregory returned to the house for a score. The play was apparently supposed to go to the fullback, which Sanchez elaborated on:

"I was thinking a different play in my head, (so it was) just a mental error there. So as soon as I realized there was nobody to hand it to I started to run toward the line and tried to cover it up and just get down, and I slid right into Brandon Moore. That was kind of an unfortunate deal there. I’m not a big believer in luck, but that was pretty unlucky. It was really too bad.

"(It was unlucky) just sliding right into (Moore). I was just trying to get down, the play was over, just say uncle and do the right thing. And go back, second-and-10, and fight another down and then the thing came out, so you just have to take care of the ball."

He said there was nothing to do to avoid being booed besides play better, and that he ignored the late-game cheers for his backup, Tim Tebow.

"The same way I’ve handled it before and just block it out. I don’t think about it. (I) just keep playing, keep fighting for our guys and just continue to work, try to get better and eliminate some of these mistakes that have hurt us."

Tebow did not play, as he was sitting out with a previously undisclosed injury.