er did concede that the scenario would | Forum

CORTLAND, N. Sebastian Rudy Jersey .Y. -- Mark Sanchez is getting the first chance to start. Locked in a tightly contested quarterback competition with rookie Geno Smith, Sanchez got the nod on Tuesday to be under centre for the New York Jets in their preseason opener Friday night at Detroit. "Certainly, hes the incumbent," coach Rex Ryan said of Sanchez. "The competition starts off and well see how it goes from here, but it seemed like the natural thing to do." Offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinweg took it a step further, saying there was one clear factor in choosing Sanchez. "The first thing is, hes earned it," he said. "Hes had an outstanding training camp. The second thing is, hes been the starter here and the first game would typically be his, and hes earned it as well. Those things kind of go together." Smith, the teams second-round pick, will also get some snaps with the first-team offence against the Lions, but Ryan and Mornhinweg hadnt determined exactly how the playing time would be distributed. "Mark, this is his game," Mornhinweg said. "Hell start and go with the 1s and then we certainly would like to get Geno in just a little bit with the 1s and then hell take the 2s and well progress from there." Normally in preseason openers, starters rarely play more than two possessions. Both Ryan and Mornhinweg said there is a chance the starters could play a bit longer than usual, given the circumstances. "Well put our 1s out and well play it," Ryan said. "The preseason doesnt end after this first preseason game. Well take it through as much as possible. We said this was going to be an equal competition, and it is going to be a competition and thats exactly what it is." Sanchez, entering his fifth season, and Smith have been rotating practice days with the starters, usually switching up on every third day. Ryan had mentioned Monday that he could change up that rotation by having Smith work with the starters Tuesday, but instead kept Sanchez with the first-team offence. "Really, weve been going every two days," Ryan said, "so well kind of stay with that same kind of rhythm and then both guys will play in the game." For a second straight day, Sanchez was very solid. He was accurate, going 4 for 6 in team drills and zipping some long tosses to receivers in one-on-one drills. Meanwhile, Smith threw his first interception this summer -- working with the second-team offence -- in 11-on-11 team drills, getting picked off by Ellis Lankster after going nine-plus practices, including the scrimmage, without one. He finished 2 of 5 in team drills. "Geno had a terrific start to the camp," Mornhinweg said. "He has dipped just a little bit, and he has to recover. Well see how he rebounds." Ryan is eager to see how both Sanchez and Smith handle Detroits pass rush, especially with protecting the football a major point of emphasis this summer. "Thatll be a good test," Ryan said. "No question about it." ------ NOTES: Despite the Jets using CB Antonio Cromartie on kickoffs at times in practice, Ryan said that wont happen in preseason or regular-season games unless "you need to win a game." As the No. 1 cornerback, Cromartie is one of the teams most indispensable players. "Theres no way were going to use Cro back there," Ryan said. "Weve got some good returners." Ryan said hes always reminded of Jason Sehorn, a former standout defensive back for the Giants who tore his ACL and MCL in a knee while returning a kickoff in a preseason game against the Jets in 1997 and was never the same. ... WR Vidal Hazelton injured his right leg, but Ryan was not sure of the severity. He got tangled up with a cornerback in drills and went down in heap before being checked out by trainers and getting help off the field. Hazelton, who spent last season on Tennessees practice squad, has been an early standout in camp. ... TE Kellen Winslow was back on the field after getting three days of rest, but RB-KR Joe McKnight (head), WR Braylon Edwards (rest day), RB Chris Ivory (hamstring) and LB Josh Mauga (back) didnt practice. ... The Jets placed WR Marcus Davis on injured reserve a day after he was waived-injured. Ilkay Gundogan Germany Jersey . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. Jerome Boateng Germany Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. http://www.germanysoccerpro.com/Toni-Kroos-Germany-Jersey/ . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. RIO: With one of the countrys best individual medal hope Jitu Rais Olympic campaign coming to a premature end on Wednesday, the mood is understandably sombre at the Indian shooting camp.Jitu, making his maiden Olympic appearance, finished 12th among 41 shooters in the qualifying round. Earlier, he had finished eighth among eight finalists in the 10m air pistol event.The president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), Raninder Singh, cut a lonely figure at the end of the competition. He had started the Games talking up the chances of Indias shooters, convinced that this would be the countrys best-ever medal haul.However, with most of the contingent having completed their events, the spectre of returning empty-handed looms. Im very disappointed. I expected a medal today, he says. Jitu may have misread the wind towards the end of the competition. He is a great final shooter so had he made it, he would have done well for sure.I am a little concerned that our athletes may be getting overawed at the Olympic stage. The mental aspect is something we have to look at. Raninder did admit that thhere are some systemic flaws that might need to be addressed. Sami Khedira Jersey. For instance, several shooters bypass the federation to hire personal coaches to train with. The Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme gives funds directly to the athletes, leaving the federation with no input into their utilisation. For instance, first timers such as Ayonika Paul and Prakash Nanjappa have trained with their private coaches and not with those on the rolls of the federation.Raninder also wondered aloud if competing in two different events can end up taking a toll, though he did point out that several countries like China allow their shooters to do so. Jitu had earlier competed in the 10m as well where he finished eighth.As Indias top marksman in both the events, he had the first choice of spot but Raninder did concede that the scenario would be discussed internally. Of the 12 Indian shooters, only Gagan Narang, Chain Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Mairaj Ahmad Khan now remain in the field. ' ' '