Sanchez won't start long: Toomer

Sanchez won't start long: Toomer

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Former Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer (below) says Mark Sanchez ‘is not a great quarterback’ and doesn’t think Sanchez will be the starting quarterback for the entire season.

The Jets have repeatedly said that Mark San chez is their starting quarterback and Tim Tebow is the backup. But former Giants wideout Amani Toomer has other ideas.

Toomer, now a TV analyst, expects Sanchez to finish 2012 on the bench, while quarterback/lightning rod/matinee idol Tebow emerges as the starter by seasons end.

I think they (the Jets) fully believe in him, Toomer said at the NFLs pop-up store opening in Manhattan on Monday. I dont see Sanchez being the starter for the entire season.

Then again, Toomer has long believed that Tebow is better than Sanchez. Watching Tebow drive the Broncos into the playoffs as Sanchezs Jets floundered only strengthened Toomers belief in the scrambling quarterback with the erratic arm.

I still feel that way, Toomer said. Heres a guy, all the pundits say what he cant do, that he cant play. These are guys he probably looked up to growing up. All of a sudden, you get your opportunity to be on the big stage, and all these guys are talking bad about you, and hes still no matter what happens in the fourth quarter he makes plays and wins games. Theres something to be said about that.

I think the Jets realized that when it happened to them in Denver, Toomer added, referring to Tebows 17-13 come-from-behind win over Gang Green in mid-November.

Not that Tebow is the model QB. Toomer admitted that hed be very upset if he were on the receiving end of Tebows inconsistent passes, but he added that being upset is not an uncommon event in the NFL.

And beating Sanchez out for a starting job shouldnt be a great challenge either, Toomer said.

Hes not a great quarterback, Toomer said. I dont think its a stretch to say that.