Mark Sanchez helps make Jets-Cardinals totally unwatchable, then mercifully gets benched

It's tough to watch an NFL game with one incompetent quarterback.

When there are two incompetent quarterbacks, it becomes the Jets vs. Cardinals, an entirely unwatchable mess of a contest. At least Jets coach Rex Ryan gave any poor souls watching that game a break when he finally yanked Mark Sanchez.

Sanchez threw three interceptions on the Jets' first five possessions. Even for Sanchez, who has made laughable mistakes into his trademark, that's bad. Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes had two of those interceptions. The Jets finally couldn't take it anymore. With 4:48 left in the third quarter, the Jets put in backup Greg McElroy. Tim Tebow is out with an injury. The Jets fans cheered wildly when McElroy was warming up on the sideline, then continued to cheer when McElroy came on the field for his first NFL appearance. Sanchez was 10 of 21 for 97 yards and three interceptions when he got pulled. McElroy immediately moved the Jets downfield and threw his first NFL touchdown, a 1-yarder to Jeff Cumberland. That gave the Jets a 7-3 lead, and New York held on to win 7-6 in one of the ugliest games of this, or any other, NFL season.

Arizona did almost nothing despite all of Sanchez's problems, which says a lot about the Cardinals' own quarterback issues. Ryan Lindley, a rookie sixth-round pick who is the third starter Arizona has had this season, finished the first half 6 of 20 for 48 yards and an interception. He finished completing 10 of 31 passes for 72 yards. Yikes.

During one stretch, the quarterbacks combined for 10 passes -- one was complete, six were incomplete, and three were intercepted.

The first half ended with the Cardinals leading 3-0. That might be three more points than either offense deserved.