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CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Rex Ryan and the New York Jets are willing to wait a while on picking Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith as the starting quarterback. Not just for the regular season, but for the teams next preseason game Saturday night. "I think its too early to say," Ryan said Tuesday when asked if either is ahead right now. "And just to say, this guy is leading or whatever, again the competition is not complete. I think well go through the competition and Im confident the right decision will be made." As for this weekends home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, both Ryan and offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinweg said there are "variables" involved, including Smiths recovery from a mild ankle sprain. Smith was injured in the teams preseason opener at Detroit last Friday night, but has not missed any practice time. Smith was able to move around the field with only occasional signs of a limp Tuesday. "I appreciate him pushing through that thing," Mornhinweg said. "Now, when youre nicked up, youve got to play well, as well. Otherwise, you might as well be in the doggone training room. And, hes done some good things this week even though hes gimping around just a little bit." Sanchez got the start in the opener, and it was generally expected that Smith would open the game against Jacksonville under centre so the Jets could get a good look at him. Thats not necessarily a given at this point, though, as Sanchez has gotten most of the first-team snaps this week. "There are a lot of variables in that," Mornhinweg said. "Some are depending on health, and some are depending on how they practice and some are depending on the big-picture plan tentatively set up before we started camp." Mornhinwegs comments echoed those of Ryan, who also earlier in the day insisted no decision had been made, and that Smiths health would be considered. The Jets also had two more full days of practice in Cortland before the game, so there was plenty of time to make a call. "Is it a factor? Certainly its a factor," Ryan said of Smiths ankle. "Is it the primary one? I dont know. A lot of factors go into it. Lets get to where we feel good about the decision and its a complete decision." Sanchez is not the most popular player in the eyes of many fans, who have grown impatient with his inconsistent play. Ryan insisted, however, that the potential for boos at home Saturday will "absolutely not" play a factor in the decision. "I certainly hope that we can move past it and we can focus on whats in front of us and give not just Mark, but all of us a fair shake," he said. "This is your football team, but you certainly have a right to do whatever you choose. If you want to boo whoever it is, our fans certainly have that right. To me, yeah, I absolutely hope that doesnt happen. "I hope that everybody is behind us 100 per cent." With the Jets undecided on this weeks starter, it makes sense that the team also is no closer to determining who will be under centre in Week 1 of the regular season against Tampa Bay on Sept. 8. During most quarterback competitions around the NFL, teams will make a decision heading into the third preseason game as most of the starters play into at least the third quarter. But, Ryan indicated theres a chance the Jets could still be waiting to make the call going into that game against the Giants. "We never put a timetable on it," he said. "Thats usually it, but its not set in stone that thats an absolute must, that that has to happen. We may still be in the evaluating stage for all the positions." When the Jets reported for camp in Cortland nearly three weeks ago, Ryan suggested it would be better to have one of the quarterbacks take the lead in the competition "sooner rather than later." There has been no clear-cut choice so far, through one preseason game, and Sanchez and Smith are still very much locked in a tight competition. Sanchez and Smith have both had their ups and downs throughout camp, but neither has been overly impressive. Sanchez started the preseason opener the same way he ended last season, making a maddening mistake as he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Ziggy Ansah. "It cant happen again," Ryan said. "Theres no doubt." Sanchez bounced back in a big way and finished his three possessions with an impressive scoring drive that was capped by a touchdown pass to Jeff Cumberland. "Ive been proud of him on a couple of different occasions," Mornhinweg said of Sanchez, who had a rough start to the teams scrimmage two weeks ago but finished with a touchdown drive. Smith has also impressed the coaches at times, especially with his arm strength and quick rate of picking up the offence -- although he dipped a bit in recent practices. "I think hes certainly had his moments where hes looked great and not just the first week, but he looked good in the game," Ryan said. "He was 6-of-7 passing, so I dont know if thats it. Did he have a couple of rough days? Absolutely, but everybodys had some rough days." Mornhinweg also said he wasnt able to do much of an evaluation on Smith in the first game because he was focused on several aspects of the offence and not just the quarterback play. "He handled the huddle well, all those things," Mornhinweg said. "Probably looking back on it, it was probably a pretty good first experience. He got in, he completed a few balls and now hes got to push through this thing."Ryan Pulock Islanders Jersey . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. John Tavares Jersey . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. http://www.islanderssale.com/authentic-anders-lee-islanders-jersey/ . -- Sergey Tolchinksy scored his second goal of the game 3:56 into overtime as the Sault Ste. Clark Gillies Jersey .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Jordan Eberle Islanders Jersey . After slipping from the summit during the week, the Gunners overcame struggling Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains second-half brace.LOS ANGELES -- Although Trevor Lewis doesnt score much, the Kings grinding forward is doing it in bunches lately.His latest goal barely beat the clock and sent Los Angeles to a win in its final home game for three weeks.Lewis had a goal and an assist, and Jeff Carter and Alec Martinez scored on the same power play early in the first period of the Kings 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.Lewis is a two-time Stanley Cup champion who plays a key supporting role for the Kings, but he has never scored more than nine goals in the NHL. He has five already this season, including a goal with 0.5 seconds left in a second period otherwise dominated by the Senators.Ive still got it a little bit, Lewis said after scoring his third goal in four games, calling it one of his best offensive stretches since his junior career a decade ago. Hopefully, I can keep it up.Peter Budaj made 19 saves and earned an assist, and Marian Gaborik scored his first goal since Feb. 12 to cap the Kings final home game before a nine-game stint on the road until New Years Eve.The Kings seized an early lead after Mark Borowiecki received a 5-minute major for boarding Tyler Toffoli, who went to the dressing room after getting his face driven into the glass. Carter scored his 12th goal early in the power play on a quick wrist shot, and Martinez scored in the final seconds with a long shot that ricocheted off goalie Mike Condon.When we get an opportunity to go on the power play for 5 minutes, weve got to take advantage of that, Martinez said. That situation a few years ago comes to mind. Thats why special teams are important.Los Angeles famously scored three times during a 5-minute power play in Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center, propelling Martinez and the Kings to their first NHL title.Condon stopped 15 shots in the fourth loss in six games for the Senators, who couldnt climb out of the early hole created by the Kings special teams after Borowiecki ran iinto Toffoli from behind.dddddddddddd.Its a penalty, for sure, Borowiecki said. I feel bad about putting our team in that (situation). Never mean to hurt anyone or put anyone in a bad spot, but anyone that plays my brand of hockey is going to have a couple of those a season.Zack Smith trimmed the lead early in the second period by ending his 13-game goal drought, but the Senators struggled to beat Budaj in the second stop of their swing through California.Budaj, the former Montreal goalie who rose from the AHL this season to take over for injured Jonathan Quick, even got an assist on Carters goal for his first point since April 4, 2012.Weve had success coming back, Ottawa coach Guy Boucher said. Guys were showing character, and we were doing it, but I think the biggest deflator was the end of the second period. We have to be prepared in those last few seconds.Gaborik capped the win in the third period on an exceptional shot. The Slovak wing missed the final two months of last season and the first six weeks of this season with injuries.Veteran forward Chris Neil played his 1,000th game for Ottawa, joining Daniel Alfredsson and Chris Phillips as the only Senators to reach the mark.Game notes Kings coach Darryl Sutter got his 200th victory with the franchise. Only Andy Murray (215) has more. Asked if the milestone meant anything to him, Sutter replied: Nope. ... Andy Andreoff returned to the Kings lineup after missing 17 games following an upper-body injury in late October. Devin Setoguchi also was back in the lineup, and the Kings scratched Kyle Clifford and Nic Dowd, who had played in 24 straight games. ... Borowiecki fought Matt Greene shortly after getting out of the penalty box. Toffoli returned to the ice late in the first period.UP NEXTSenators: At the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.Kings: At the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. ' ' '