Jets announce that Greg McElroy will start vs. Chargers

AP

Mark Sanchez has been benched. Tim Tebow has been bypassed. Greg McElroy is the New York Jets’ starting quarterback.

McElroy, who has played in only one game in his NFL career, has been announced as the starter for the Jets on Sunday against the Chargers. Jets coach Rex Ryan made the decision after Sanchez had a disastrous four-interception game in a Monday night loss that eliminated the Jets from playoff contention.

Although Ryan has insisted all season that Tebow is the No. 2 quarterback and McElroy is No. 3, it’s telling that Ryan chose not to go to Tebow after benching Sanchez. Ryan apparently doesn’t think there’s any chance that Tebow has any future as the starting quarterback of the Jets, while McElroy could potentially emerge as the starter in 2013, if he plays well over the final two weeks of 2012.

One thing the Jets haven’t made clear is whether Sanchez has been demoted all the way down to No. 3 on the depth chart — in which case he probably won’t even be active on Sunday — or if he is still ahead of Tebow. Frankly, Ryan would probably be doing Sanchez a favor if he made him the inactive No. 3 on Sunday. The fans in New Jersey will be brutal toward Sanchez if they’re given the chance.

But no matter who’s No. 2, Ryan has decided that McElroy, who replaced Sanchez and led the Jets to a come-from-behind win over the Cardinals in his one and only regular-season appearance, is the new No. 1.

Sarge4tide wrote: Just announced

By the way, I was the only Jets fan at the Jaguars game last week with a McElroy jersey, I hope this pic opens

http://sarge.wikispaces.com/file/view/mcelroy.jpg/ 393381164/mcelroy.jpg

3m Adam Schefter ‏ @ AdamSchefter

Jets name Greg McElroy QB - big ramifications.

nyjetsdan16 wrote: This move might cost Rex his job to say the least.  If McElroy lights it up and all those playoff scenarios play in our favor, there will be rumblings of what might have been.
Love Rex but he is one stubborn S.O.B

Sarge4tide wrote: Just announced

By the way, I was the only Jets fan at the Jaguars game last week with a McElroy jersey, I hope this pic opens

http://sarge.wikispaces.com/file/view/mcelroy.jpg/ 393381164/mcelroy.jpg

Jetman55 wrote: I still think he's Glenn Foley part 2, but we'll see.

I also think the Jets will work with Sanchez to get him off the Jets or eat the deal like they did Faneca.  I know it's a $13 mill hit to cut him, but we ate almost $6mill to eat Faneca's deal...just seems like we're going to do it again.

I don't see us waisting a roster spot on him next year.

Kellen11Clemens wrote: I hope Mcelroy plays great for the following reasons: I'm really hoping he's the answer at QB (of the 3 current QBs, he has the best shot), I still want to see the team go 8-8, and it would make Rex look like an even bigger idiot and he'll privately know he made a mistake not going to him earlier.

Now that Rex has benched Sanchez during a game and benched him before the game, we have officially moved on. Better late than never, but honestly believe if McElroy were Jets QB a minth ago, we'd be a wildcard now. An average Jets QB and this team is in the playoffs. They were 6-7 and a game out with Sanchez for crying out loud!

Sometimes we have to learn things the hard way.  Honestly, the dark cloud that is Mark Sanchez has been lifted off the team.  Watch them play out of their minds for the final two games (against bad teams).