The Eagles lead the NFC East, and are in a good position to make a playoff push. But they need a strong second half showing from the whole team, and especially the man under center, Mark Sanchez.

Since former starter Nick Foles is out indefinitely with a broken collarbone, Head Coach Chip Kelley will have to make some adjustments to maximize his new QB’s potential.

We all know that the Jets struggled for years under Sanchez, but so have Geno Smith and Michael Vick. So it might not be entirely a quarterback problem up there in New York; maybe it has something to do with a management and coaching issue.

But that’s all just speculation, until Sanchez proves he has the talent and capacity to lead a team to success.

In 2014 Mark Sanchez has another chance for glory, another chance to pull his name from out of the muddy cesspool that so many other underachieving quarterbacks have failed to keep afloat in.
Will he be able to put up the numbers that he was drafted to produce? Or is his time up; is 2014 his last belly flop that will etch his name into the long list of football failures?

Your Sports Editors debate.

Dave:
Sanchez looks like a quarterback with more potential than is apparent at first glance. When he was drafted fifth overall by the Jets in 2009, the gunslinger was considered too inexperienced by many NFL scouts and even his coach, Pete Carroll. Throughout his college years he had spent long periods on the bench due to injuries, time that he could have been using to gain experience on the field.

At Southern California he had many successes, including a Rose Bowl victory over Penn State in 2008. Sanchez won MVP that game for outstanding offensive play.

His first two years with the Jets he reached the AFC championships twice, only the second QB to do so after Big Ben Roethlisberger.

But his next two seasons demonstrated the worst that the Jets and Sanchez had to offer. In 2011 the team went 8-8 and followed that up in 2012 with a 6-9 record. The quarterback was anonymously criticized by teammates as having no work ethic or ability to improve.

After a 2013 preseason injury the Jets cut the struggling QB. The Eagles signed him early in 2014, although he wouldn’t play until Foles went down in week 9. His first game, a 31-21 victory over the Texans, was a success, and Kelley praised his new QB saying he is a “hell of a quarterback.” He threw for 202 yards, two scores and two picks in the game.

I think that Mark can find success in the NFL again. Kelley is an outstanding coach, and just about anyone you plug into his offense can look good.

But I don’t think that Sanchez will be outstanding, or become an elite quarterback. The success he had last week will make him the apple of every Eagles fan’s eye, at least until he screws up. But if you’re asking me, that will come rather sooner than later.

He seems to have trouble with consistency, and has never averaged better than 57 percent passing in his NFL career. He seems to find success in the post season, averaging a QB rating of 94.3 through his six total games. But don’t expect Mark to be the next Joe Montana.

If he can take Philly on a run and make the playoffs then he will be well on his way to redeeming himself, but I think his career will look a lot like Eli Manning’s when it’s all said and done. He’s good when he’s good, but it can get ugly real quick.

Cale Ahearn:
Now that quarterback Nick Foles is sidelined for essentially the rest of the regular season, it will be on quarterback Mark Sanchez to step up and help lead this team to the playoffs. While the Philadelphia Eagles have been successful thus far this season, currently sitting in first place in the NFC East, starting Sanchez will bring a different dynamic to the team.

Yes, Sanchez is known for his “butt-fumble” from his time with the New York Jets, but he also helped the Jets to two straight AFC Championship Game appearances. Overall, Sanchez’s tenure with the Jets is remembered as a failure, which led him to become the back-up quarterback in Philadelphia.

When Foles was injured in the first quarter against the Texans last week, Sanchez entered the game and immediately struck, completing a 74-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin on his first pass attempt. Ultimately, Sanchez finished the game with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but the Eagles won the game, which is the primary goal.

Now, the Eagles will face a tough portion of their schedule, playing both the Green Bay Packers and defending champion Seattle Seahawks in the coming weeks. However, I think Sanchez’s results may surprise.

I expect that Sanchez will have the best season of his career the rest of the way. He is surrounded by talented players for the first time in his career, as the Eagles have weapons like running backs LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles to help take the pressure off.

Also, the offensive system is completely different than the one Sanchez ran in New York, and really relies on your receivers making plays more than a quarterback making plays with his arm. Plus, the speed at which the Eagles run plays allows for Sanchez more opportunities to put up bigger numbers.

While I wouldn’t expect Sanchez to get confused with an All-Pro player, I do think he can help the Eagles win some key games, and still make the playoffs. Ultimately, if the Eagles make the playoffs, Sanchez’s time as a starter will be deemed a success.

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