It’s Jets vs. Dolphins, Mark Sanchez vs. Chad Henne

It’s a tale of two old foes, and two young quarterbacks.

Tonight’s game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, among the NFL’s more bitter division rivals, marks the “Monday Night Football” debut of the Jets’ Mark Sanchez and the Dolphins’ Chad Henne.

Both players have something to prove.

Sanchez, who looked sharp in his first three games, is coming off a four-turnover performance in a loss at New Orleans. How will he bounce back?

In the wake of the Jets’ first defeat of the season, Sanchez told reporters he needs to do a better job of keeping his emotions in check.

“The most important thing was to get away from the emotional side,” Sanchez said. “Don’t get upset, frustrated or mad at yourself. You have to move on. . . . Don’t change anything, don’t cut corners, don’t beat myself too much. Just keep playing.”

And tonight he will be playing with an additional offensive weapon. The Jets last week traded for Cleveland receiver Braylon Edwards, a big-name downfield threat who is slated to start right away.

The biggest on-field knock on Edwards is his inability to hang onto the ball. Since 2007, he has had 30 drops, tied with Denver’s Brandon Marshall for the most over that span.

Henne, a second-year player who replaced the injured Chad Pennington, was solid last Sunday in his first start, a 38-10 victory over Buffalo. The Dolphins took the pressure off him by running the ball -- they gained 250 yards on the ground -- and attempted only 22 passing plays. Henne didn’t have an interception, but he was sacked six times.

The Jets offer a far stiffer challenge, as their defense is ranked fourth compared with Buffalo’s 27th.

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sam.farmer@latimes.com

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