Mark Sanchez

Tonight's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets is more than a showdown between traditional AFC strugglers who suddenly have the playoffs within reach, more even than two former USC stars going toe to toe. It's a quarterback versus his ball boy. That's right, Jets rookie Mark Sanchez was a ball boy at Santa Margarita High in Mission Viejo when Palmer was the starting quarterback. The two wound up playing for the Trojans, and both were first-round picks: Palmer No. 1 overall in 2003, and Sanchez fifth in April.

Tim Tebow might be No. 2 on the New York Jets' quarterback depth chart, but -- in the opinion of Time magazine -- he's No. 1 in the NFL. Tebow is the only NFL player on the magazine's top 100 most influential people in the world. He's one of six athletes to make the list, along with the NBA's Jeremy Lin, soccer's Lionel Messi, golf's Yani Tseng, tennis' Novak Djokovic, and South African amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorious. According to Time: "No athlete fed America's sports obsession more than Tebow.

Tim Tebow is now a member of the New York Jets, a team that recently signed Mark Sanchez to a three-year contract extension. That means the Jets' roster now includes two quarterbacks who were starters in 2011. That could turn into quite a dilemma for Coach Rex Ryan. So let's try to help him out. First, let's take a look at what he's getting in Tebow. In 11 games as Denver's starter last season, Tebow went 7-4 to help salvage the season for a team that started 1-4. He had 18 touchdowns (12 passing, six rushing)

Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid on Wednesday addressed last week's report in The Times , citing two unnamed sources, that the Eagles were interested in signing Peyton Manning, and that Reid threatened to walk away from his job if he didn't get more personnel control. As he did in a press release Friday, Reid emphasized that "Mike's my guy," in reference to quarterback Michael Vick, and that he has had personnel control "over the years. " "I've got the final say," he said.

Mark Sanchez leads the New York Jets to comeback victories all the time ? the clock winding down, the crowd ringing in his ears, the do-or-die pressure ? And then another day of practice is over. "I can't tell you how many times we've worked on the throws, worked on the situations with timeouts," Sanchez said Tuesday. "We've put it up on the scoreboard. It's a mock situation. [Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer] is on the headset. We put the crowd noise in there. It's about as real as it gets.

Just because the NFL is encountering its most turbulent time in decades, that doesn't mean all Jets are grounded. Quite the opposite. More than a dozen members of the New York Jets are participating in an informal passing camp in Mission Viejo this week, organized by Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. The quarterbacks, receivers and running backs — without the help of the franchise — are breaking down video from last season, poring over cobbled-together playbooks, then throwing and catching on the field at Mission Viejo High, Sanchez's alma mater.

Tim Tebow is on his second team in three NFL seasons. He's backing up Mark Sanchez, who has worn out his welcome with some New York Jets fans after a shaky season. And Coach Rex Ryan will have a lot of explaining to do if this whole quarterback situation doesn't work out. OK, that sounded kind of negative, didn't it? Sorry about that. It really is possible that Ryan's plan of Sanchez remaining the starting quarterback but with Tebow taking as many as 20 snaps a game -- and possibly serving in other roles on offense as well -- could work out brilliantly.

Memo to the half a dozen Jersey boys selected Saturday in the opening round of the NFL draft: Leave a light on for Mark Sanchez. The USC quarterback now will play his home games in East Rutherford, N.J. Whereas teams from all over the country snapped up six players born in the Garden State -- Eugene Monroe (Jacksonville), B.J.

The New York Jets might have to try to clinch a playoff spot this weekend without Mark Sanchez . Jets Coach Rex Ryan said Thursday that Sanchez's sore shoulder is worse than he first thought, though he still expects the quarterback to start Sunday at Chicago. If not, 40-year-old Mark Brunell would get the start. "This one could be more of a game-time type decision than I thought it would be," Ryan said. The Jets (10-4) will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Bears (10-4)

As of Wednesday night, USC quarterback Mark Sanchez appeared headed for the NFL. What he does after talking with Trojans Coach Pete Carroll will be known this morning. Sanchez is scheduled to hold a news conference at USC's Heritage Hall, and unless he changes his plans he is expected to announce that he will enter April's NFL draft.

Tim Tebow is on his second team in three NFL seasons. He's backing up Mark Sanchez, who has worn out his welcome with some New York Jets fans after a shaky season. And Coach Rex Ryan will have a lot of explaining to do if this whole quarterback situation doesn't work out. OK, that sounded kind of negative, didn't it? Sorry about that. It really is possible that Ryan's plan of Sanchez remaining the starting quarterback but with Tebow taking as many as 20 snaps a game -- and possibly serving in other roles on offense as well -- could work out brilliantly.

When the Jets traded for Tim Tebow last week, one of the most vocal critics was Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath. "I think it stinks," the former Jets star told USA Today. He said starting quarterback Mark Sanchez, who had just been signed to a three-year contract extension, should consider the trade "a slap in the face. " But Namath dialed down the disdain a bit Monday in an interview with Fox Business Network, saying, "I have changed my mind slightly" on Tebow, who was introduced as the backup in a predictably over-the-top news conference.

Tim Tebow was introduced Monday as the New York Jets new backup quarterback to shaky starter quarterback Mark Sanchez. We already saw a similar situation in Denver last year, with Tebowmania being more than former Broncos starter Kyle Orton could withstand. Will the same thing happen with the Jets? Or will the extra pressure help Sanchez return to the form that helped him lead the team to back-to-back AFC championship games in 2009 and '10? Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss whether Tebow will be a help or distraction for the Jets.

Tim Tebow is a good guy. We already knew that. But just in case we needed any reminders, he provided plenty during his introductory press conference as the New York Jets ' new backup quarterback Monday at the team field house in Florham Park, N.J. He went out of his way to downplay any conflict with starting quarterback Mark Sanchez , who fell from grace with the New York fans after a rough season last...

Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain dislocated his right ankle while playing with his son at a local spot that had a trampoline, jeopardizing his immediate future after yet another odd misstep for New York's bullpen at spring training. There was no timetable for Chamberlain's return. The team did not say whether the 26-year-old pitcher was using the trampoline equipment when he was injured Thursday. Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said Chamberlain had surgery and would be hospitalized at least a few days.

Tim Tebow is no longer a Denver Bronco, but he understands the reasons why and is looking forward to his time with the New York Jets. In a conference call with the media late Wednesday night, Tebow was gracious about the trade and his time in Denver. "I understand what the Broncos are going through, what they're dealing with," Tebow said. "Not many times do you have the opportunity to sign somebody like Peyton Manning. What a great quarterback he is, he's just one of the best ever to play the game.

So what's the pressure on USC's Mark Sanchez going to be like now that he's playing quarterback for the New York Jets? Boomer Esiason can give him a hint. Fifteen years ago after an especially disappointing loss to Miami, Esiason, then the Jets' quarterback, was making the seven-mile drive from the Meadowlands back to Manhattan. While he was slogging through stop-and-go traffic at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel, the car next to him was violently rear-ended.

Tonight's nationally televised game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers probably means more to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers than they're letting on. . . . The Lakers were embarrassed on Christmas Day, though not as shamefully as their foam-finger-throwing fans. . . . Among the five players who've scored at least 28,000 points in their NBA careers -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Karl Malone , Michael Jordan , Wilt Chamberlain and, as of this week, Shaquille O'Neal -- only Jordan didn't score any for the Lakers.

One of the amusing things about Tim Tebow going to the New York Jets is that for as long as he's relevant there, we're going to be treated to humorous headlines -- and occasional clunkers -- in the New York tabloids. The Thursday editions of the Daily News and the Post traded, predictably, on religious themes, given the high profile of Tebow's faith. The Daily News cover featured a close-up of the quarterback's smiling face and the headline: "Gang Green gets Tebow AMEN!"

The New York Jets traded for Denver quarterback Tim Tebow on Wednesday, but the unexpected transaction looked for much of the day like an embarrassing fumble. New York agreed to deal for the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, but the trade nearly fell through because the Jets didn't realize they would need to reimburse the Broncos for $5.1 million in advance salaries paid to Tebow for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons. That problem reportedly has been resolved, with the Jets agreeing to pay half of the compensation back to the Broncos.