Sanchez showed poise

One half into his first AFC East game, Mark Sanchez showed little of the accurate arm and fancy footwork that have brought such high expectations for the University of Southern California product. Patriots tackle Mike Wright sacked Sanchez on the opening play, and the slow start continued as Sanchez ended the half with just three completions for 15 yards.

But the man who took the helm for New York to open the third quarter was comfortable in the pocket, intelligent with his reads, and confident in his throws in leading the Jets to two straight scores, and ultimately, a victory.

“He didn’t look like it was only his second game,’’ said Jets tight end Dustin Keller, who caught a 9-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the second half to give New York a lead it would not relinquish. “[Sanchez] is a very accurate passer. He’s going to put it where it needs to be when it needs to be there.’’

Sanchez did just that on his strike to Keller, floating a touch pass over safety Brandon McGowan to a soft spot in the zone defense and hitting the tight end deep in the back of the end zone. The play brought the Jets back from a 9-3 halftime deficit and capped a 1:03 drive that included a 45-yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery.

“Up front, I mean are you kidding me?’’ Sanchez said, giving credit to his offensive line for protection. “On that touchdown pass I held the ball, I reset it, I reset it again, I patted it twice and then I ended up throwing it. With a guy like [Keller] you put it up and away and he’ll do the rest.’’

“He made me practice it with him like 10 times,’’ said Keller of the pass. “I told him my knees were aching and tired, so he better put it where it needs to be.’’

Though the rookie was hesitant to take credit for the team’s second-half comeback, Sanchez’s presence in the pocket paved the way for the Jets to take the game over. On New York’s next series, Sanchez completed two passes for first downs as the Jets marched on an 11-play drive that resulted in a 24-yard field goal by Jay Feely.

Sanchez very nearly threw his second touchdown pass of the game on that drive, delivering a sharp pass beyond two defenders and into the outstretched arms of Chansi Stuckey along the right side of the end zone. After the play was initially ruled a touchdown, it was overturned by a challenge. On the next play, Sanchez audibled and found Stuckey open in the end zone, but the receiver tripped trying to locate the ball and it fell incomplete.

“That’s a gotta-have-it. That’s pitch and catch and that’s on me,’’ Sanchez said. “Some people were saying he might have stumbled coming out of the break. I ain’t buying it. I don’t care if I’m a rookie, I don’t care if I’m a seventh-grader, I’ve got to make that throw.’’

Despite taking the blame for missed opportunities, Sanchez did almost everything right in the second half to open up the passing attack and bring his team back. He finished 14 of 22 for 163 yards in helping the Jets break the Patriots’ eight-game winning streak at the Meadowlands.

“It was night and day,’’ Stuckey said of the difference between the first and second halves. “He settled down and he gave it to the playmakers and let us do what we do.’’

By doing just that Sanchez made the boastful Jets weeklong show of bravado look more like a display of confidence.

“Sometimes we talk a little bit or something like that, but only because we have confidence in our football team,’’ said Jets coach Rex Ryan. “We believe it to be true that we’re an outstanding football team.’’

Sanchez is taking the right approach to all the talking between the teams after moving New York to the top of the AFC East.

“Whatever is said during the week, I probably won’t be the one saying it,’’ Sanchez said. “I’ll be studying.’’

Two games into his pro career, the studying seems to be paying off.