Sportbook online tells us that the New York Jets have named rookie Mark Sanchez as their starting quarterback. Head coach Rex Ryan made the announcement on Wednesday. The Jets should get some attention at the offshore sportbook with Sanchez as their quarterback.
Sportbook online had Sanchez beating out quarterback Kellen Clemens for the starting job. Sanchez was the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft and now he will be starting as a rookie. The Jets begin the regular season as sportbook online indicates on September 13th against the Houston Texans. The Jets are 4.5 point underdogs in sportbook online odds in that game. New York plays the Giants this week in preseason action on Saturday. The Jets are 3.5 point underdogs at the offshore sportbook for that contest with a total of 37.
The Jets will be going with a rookie quarterback in their opening regular season online game for the first time since 1960 when Dick Jamieson was under center. In fact, the last rookie quarterback for the Jets to start any game was Matt Robinson in 1977 but that was not the online opener. And if you think that Joe Namath started his first game as a rookie you would be wrong. Sportbook online info shows that he made his first start as a rookie in the Jets third game of the season in 1965.
The online news about Sanchez getting the starting nod is not a huge surprise. “I feel that the best move for our franchise and our team is to go with Mark as our quarterback,” head coach Rex Ryan said. Sanchez has struggled at time in sportbook online preseason games but he is a better option than Clemens. This is the fourth year for Clemens and he simply does not look like a first string quarterback. “I think Mark gives us the best opportunity to win,” Ryan said.
The Jets are big longshots in online to win the Super Bowl. They are listed at 42-1 in online betting at the sportsbook. They are pretty big longshots at the offshore just to win their own division in 2009 as well. The Jets are 9.5 to 1 to win the AFC East in sportbook online numbers. That is well behind the Patriots who are the overwhelming favorite at the offshore sportbook to win the division.