Mark Sanchez, Matthew Stafford Out for Week 14

One of the toughest adjustments for rookies in the NFL is getting accustomed to the 16-game grind. The Jets' Mark Sanchez and Lions' Matthew Stafford are finding out just how difficult that transition can be.

Both rookie QBs will be out for Week 14 with injuries, their respective teams announced Wednesday.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan announced Wednesday that Kellen Clemens would start for his team's game at Tampa Bay on Sunday, as Sanchez deals with the sprained right PCL that he suffered last Thursday in a win over Buffalo in Toronto. New York was optimistic that Sanchez would play earlier this week, but Sanchez did not practice Monday or Wednesday.

"Sanchez is a little upset with this decision, but I think it's in the best interest of him. I think it's in the best interests of our football team that we make this decision and do it now," Ryan said. "Mark is progressing nicely. ... He wants to play in the worst way. He's going to play, it's just not going to be this week."

Sanchez's situation apparently has regressed since earlier this week -- or the Jets have opted to play it safe with their banged-up superstar, who was already wearing a brace on his left knee prior to Thursday's injury. Either way, Clemens will get the nod this week, his first start since 2007. Clemens threw two passes in relief of Sanchez against Buffalo, completing one for 14 yards.

Detroit will also make an injury-influenced quarterback switch this week when it travels to Baltimore, benching Stafford, who's dealing with a lingering left shoulder problem, for Daunte Culpepper.

"We had a pretty good idea on Monday that this is how it was going to be," Lions rookie head coach Jim Schwartz. "Actually, on Monday, I told both Daunte and Matt on that this was going to happen -- just for their ability to prepare and go forward."

Stafford suffered a slight separation of his non-throwing shoulder during Detroit's dramatic Week 11 win over Cleveland, and has started each of the Lions' two games since then. But he appeared to reaggravate the injury last Sunday in Cincinnati, when he was tackled after throwing a pass and landed hard on that same shoulder. Culpepper came in for Stafford and finished the game.

Culpepper was expecting a start on Thanksgiving Day against Green Bay -- Stafford sat out practice leading up to the game. But Stafford decided he could go shortly before kickoff, leading a disappointed Culpepper to have a somewhat-heated exchange with Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew.

""It feels great, but the thing is, I get paid to be ready whenever, and I'm ready now," Culpepper said. "We've got a great work week ahead of us, a great opportunity to play a great game. When you've got an opportunity, you've got to take a hold of that and grab it and go with it."

Culpepper started in Weeks 5 and 6 for Detroit when Stafford was dealing with a knee injury. He has completed 37 of his 65 pass attempts on the year for 433 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.