But I never said this was a Cinderella story. I said this was a playoff team, but I never alluded to the dream that he was a playoff-caliber quarterback.

He’s a rookie, folks. This is what rookies do.

See: Joe Flacco

See: Matt Ryan

While they both had impressive overall numbers on the season last year, they both also had their share of week performances. They both also caved in the playoffs. (Flacco more-so, but you get the idea.)

The point is, to realize that we didn’t give Sanchez enough credit for how prepared he was to start the season, and now when it’s turned around, we’re giving him too much flak now that he’s getting rattled.

Sure, he played without Jerricho Cotchery on Sunday. But that’s no excuse. Quarterbacks don’t play like this. Not unless they have a good reason.

And when Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are combining their efforts for 300+ rushing yards to help the offense pull itself out of a four-interception hole, there are no good reasons.

Blame the kicker, too. Blame the loss of Kris Jenkins. It doesn’t matter.

As long as you get back around to the fact that the Jets stopped the run, knocked Trent Edwards out of the game, ran the hell out of the ball, only to see Sanchez blow it with the “icing on the cake”, “cherry on top” fifth interception.

But even with all of that information, I still don’t see the argument for a benching.

For what? To save the offense? The team? The season?

With who, Kellen Clemens?

Mark Sanchez, love him or hate him right now, is the best player for the position. He’s the man for the job. But this all needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

He’s a rookie, and just as he led a 3-0 near-flawless charge, he’s now dealing with a horrible, pathetic turnover streak.

But New York, Rex Ryan, he’s your quarterback. Don’t yank him. Don’t bench him. Don’t kill his mojo. Not when what we saw just three or four weeks ago had some of us thinking Super Bowl. Or, at the very worst, playoffs.

The Jets are still 3-2. They’re still a half-game back in their division, and they still have the tie-breaker over New England. And going forward they should still have their rookie quarterback leading the way, with an entire city behind him.

No, you read it right. The little 5’8” running back from Chadron State is getting his first real crack at the NFL. That’s right, folks. An active roster spot, actual playing time, and a shot at proving himself with the big boys.

Oh, but this time it will be at receiver.

Woodhead, who impressed in his final pre-season game with over 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns, was signed to the Jets practice squad early in September.

However, until the Jets traded away Chansi Stuckey and learned they could be without starting receiver Jerricho Cotchery, he wasn’t needed. Especially since he wasn’t even a receiver.

While Woodhead was a fan and team favorite, and impressed the coaching staff, he was simply the odd man out as the fourth running back on a team with three solid, proven backs. That, and the fact that he isn’t an elite special teams player, led to his release and eventual placement on the practice squad.

That brings us to this whole “receiver” talk.

Woodhead had been practicing in week two with the practice squad in a “Wes Welker” role, impersonating the Patriots receiver to help prepare the defense. Apparently the role-playing helped more than just the defense.

With injuries and impressive practice work combining their efforts, reports state that Woodhead could be activated this week, possibly placing him on the roster for the Jets game against the Buffalo Bills.

It’s become apparent that Woodhead is much too shifty, elusive, and fast to not be used in this league, while his size and lack of bulk hinders his productivity and potential as an in between the tackle runner.

But all of those positive attributes can be put to good use if his transition from running back to receiver pans out.

With injures to Cotchery and Brad Smith, we could find out as early as this Sunday if Woodhead has a future in this league.

And if you know anything about this kid, you’ll know that all he needs is a chance.

He’s small, came out of Chadron State (where?) as an undrafted rookie, and hung around on New York’s roster last year after sustaining a knee injury.

Just another tiny guy coming out of nowhere, undoubtedly destined to fade out of the league before he ever actually gets in, right?

Almost.

You’d have to agree with all of Woodhead’s doubters about a few things. He’s only 5’8 and listed as around or under 200 pounds.

He’s never faced elite competition. And while his college numbers are earth-shattering, they don’t mean quite as much a they did a few years ago, now that he’s trying to prove he belongs with the big(ger) boys.

But all of that is moot now. Especially after Thursday night’s performance.

True, it’s only pre-season, and it was mostly against the second and third team defense, but if we’re being fair, it was still impressive.

Woodhead started off the night with a rush for -5 yards, added a few carries to get back over 0 yards, and then proceeded to blow everyone away.

With a 55-yard burst around the right tackle, Woodhead ran for a touchdown and made his name known, no longer just to the Jets’ community, but possibly to the entire NFL.

But he didn’t stop there.

He added another 44-yard run that set-up another touchdown, caught a 10-yard pass, and plunged into the end-zone for a three-yard score, furthering the belief that this little guy has enough speed, agility, and versatility to be effective in this league.

Enough about his school and competition.

Cincinnati Bengals’ Bernard Scott was a D-II back last year, yet he was a 6th round draft pick, and has somehow already locked up the back-up spot behind Cedric Benson.

Enough with his size.

Maurice Jones-Drew, Darren Sproles, Leon Washington (a Jets player, mind you), and Jerious Norwood are all almost the exact same size and weight.

They all have the same attributes. The difference? They all have certainty as members of an NFL roster, and even more, they all have huge roles in their respective offenses.

Don’t talk about speed.

A 55-yard touchdown isn’t easy to be had in this league. Neither is another 40+ yard run in the same game.

Woodhead’s 4.3 40 time adds to his excellent speed and athleticism, eliminating the final road-block in his quest for an NFL team to take notice.

Even his teammates know how talented he is. Jerricho Cotchery, Dustin Keller, and even head coach Rex Ryan have all backed him, applauded his athleticism and work ethic, and voiced their hopes that he’d make the team.

Cotchery even went as far as to say that, while everyone else was excited to see Michael Vick play extensively, he and his teammates couldn’t wait for the “Woodhead show”.

What a show it was.

But will it be the last time we see Woodhead run rampade in a Jets uniform? Or even the NFL?

Unfortunately, that’s a very real possibility.

But Woodhead remains humble, gives all the credit to his line and the rest of his offense, and just hopes that all of his efforts gain him a shot for a season to stick around and continue to prove he’s “got it”.

But if you’ve been watching him with an un-biased approach, you already know the answer to that question.

With Thomas Jones over 30, Leon Washington having contractual issues, and Shonn Greene not yet proving himself, it wouldn’t be a poor choice to keep an electric and hard-working player at the position.

The question is, which makes more sense?

Giving a dedicated, talented player a chance, or showing him the door?

The Jets accepted the fact that Eric Mangini wasn’t quite the “genius” everyone thought he was, and after saying good-bye to Brett Favre, began a true transformation.

With the hiring of Rex Ryan and drafting of Shonne Green, the Jets proved that they were heavily committed to running the football and shutting down teams with an aggressive defense.

Top it off with a new franchise quarterback, and the Jets have the makings for a competitive playoff team that could contend for years to come.

The question is, will one of those year’s be 2009?

Read on to see five things to watch for this season.

5. Mark Sanchez vs. Kellen Clemens

Sanchez was highly touted, and rightfully so, and is easily the best quarterback on the Jets roster, already despite being a rookie. While Kellen Clemens is a “veteran”, very little about his game would actually suggest it. Sanchez may not be polished in some respects and have NFL-ready game-managing skills, but he’s a true gamer, and has better instincts than Clemens.

Despite Clemens being dubbed the “opening day” starter for the pre-season, it’s unlikely he holds onto the job.

Sanchez can make things happen on the run, has a better arm than Clemens, and would give New York a Joe Namath, young-gun mystique that it hasn’t had in almost 40 years.

Look for the rookie to win the job.

4. The Rex Ryan Era

Ryan new how to build defenses and get them to perform at the highest level in Baltimore, so why would that change in New York?

The only difference now is the colorful Ryan has the ability to choose all of his players, rather than have his personnel decisions handed down to him and made for him.

Ryan knows talent, and he knows potential. But the best part is that he knows, with a deeper understanding than most, that there’s a difference between the two.

Eric Mangini left a solid corps of players that Ryan can easily work with, while some former Baltimore defenders, Jim Leonhard and Bart Scott, who were both successful in his system, joined the team.

Another thing to note is that Mangini has been around contending teams that had in-experienced or rookie quarterbacks. Just look at Joe Flacco.

The tools are there on both sides of the ball, and if we go by history, the Jets should be very competitive.

3. The Progression of Vernon Gholston

After being a rookie bust in 2008, while registering just 13 tackles, Gholston finally has life.

With Rex Ryan in town, he should receive the best guidance and teaching he’s ever gotten, and should every change to succeed in Ryan’s aggressive 3-4.

Gholston is even the starter to start the season, and he was picked to be Calvin Pace’s replacement after Pace was suspended for four games.

It may be difficult to hold off Pace when he gets back, but Gholston is too athletic to not make things happen in a Rex Ryan system.

Anticipate a break-out season for the second-year player.

2. Can Thomas Jones Do It Again?

Before Brett Favre, Jones was just cracking 1,000 yards and scored one measly touchdown in 2008. With Favre? Jones is still relishing in a 13-touchdown Pro Bowl season.

Post-Favre? You tell me.

Jones is 32, more than likely just hit the highest numbers he’ll ever get, and has fierce talent around him weighting for more carries.

Leon Washington, despite being in contract discussions, is still a home-run threat every time he touches the ball, making it an almost certainty that his touches will increase.

Throw in the rookie, Shonne Green, the Jets pre-determined “closer”, and Jones is suddenly in a very quiet RBBC.

If that is indeed the case, which it plainly is, there’s no way Jones scores over 10 touchdowns again, and could even struggle to top 1,000 yards.

But hey, if it means a division title, who cares, right?

1. Can Jerricho Cotchery Survive On His Own?

Probably not.

Cotchery isn’t particularly fast, and isn’t overly reliable in traffic or on deep balls.

To be honest, Cotchery has been living in an elite receiver’s body, but has put in very average results.

It didn’t help that he has never had any truly elite help to take the focus off of him, but being the top (and only) option sure doesn’t hurt your stock, either.

There is no true second receiver behind Cotchery that is scary to opposing defenses, while Dustin Keller and Leon Washington are the only other effective options in the passing game.

If another receiver can’t emerge from the mix to help out Cotchery, he may fold up. Like a lawn chair.