I don't think most JETS fans accept mediocrity. I think we realize the situation we're currently in, and have put ourselves in, to deal with what we have. And what we have an intelligent, confident, leader in Chad Pennington who as of right now, gives this New York JETS team the best chance to win. Besides, aside from Kellen for all we know Tannenbaum could be eying up next year's Quarterback's that could be the future face of the franchise. Your mediocrity quote is safe here, but if you were a Miami fan or of the likes, I would lash out like Jim Norton.
Last season there was some hubbub about Chad changing his throwing motion, that he had been arm-throwing previously and that this new 'full-body' throwing motion was going to give him more power on the follow-through... and it appeared to have worked in some situations early in the season. By mid-season Chad appeared (to me) to have abandoned the new technique and gone back to the way he was throwing previously, although I am not a QB analyst and haven't sat there watching tape of him throwing early and mid-season next to each other so I'm not a great source. But the fact that Chad had been (admittedly) arm-throwing for the majority of his career with such an 'unquestionable' QB coach as Hackett forming his basic skillset in his 'formative years' (not to mention that a new throwing motion had to be trained into him in his 6th year as a pro) bothers me a lot.
I don't question Chad's intelligence, confidence, or leadership abilities at all. They didn't disappear with his shoulder surgeries. His zip on the ball did disappear with the surgeries, however. Before he got the two surgeries, I defended his weak arm - then, it didn't matter, because as long as he continued to excel with his other passes, it really made absolutely no difference. Now, however... he cannot zip the ball in on 10 and 15 yard outs. They still glide to the receiver, leaving them to be intercepted or tipped, or leaving the receiver in position to be demolished when he catches the ball... example? Christmas game last year, where Jets players, specifically Coles, nearly got killed multiple times because they had to wait for the ball on 15 yard outs. Pennington's arm is going to get us hurt. Now as far as him being the best option at the time, it probably is true, but it will only hurt us in the long run because Clemens is just rotting away on the bench. And even though Chad probably is the best option at the time, he is not capable of winning the Jets a Super Bowl.
I love Shottenheimer in the system as an OC; but it helps Chad even more that he was a solid QB Coach in San Diego. He's developing plays to cater to Chad the same way Walsh catered to Montana = enter West Coast Offense.
I hear you with the surgeries and his overall zip, or lack thereof, being lost after both. I also think Chad most probably will not be at the helm when we win in 2009 or 2010. I do remember the Christmas game. It was actully that mother phucker Zac Thomas who laid that hit on him. I hate Thomas and I'm glad Taylor nails his sister daily...I wish it was Vilma. But then Vilma could also be subject to having 100 kids due to his supernatural powers.
Have you ever noticed when you throw a football or baseball the harder you throw the less accurate you are. I'm not saying Chad has a cannon arm or it is weak. But the majority of your QB's with cannon arms are not very accurate.
It may be that Clemens is rotting away because he isn't ready yet? Chad isn't going to cost much until next year. If Clemens isn't ready than and Chad doesn't improve we might have to either pick a QB in the draft or go after a FA. Right now Chad is clearly better than Clemens and it's essentially a free year for us with him. I don't think if Clemens isn't ready throwing him out there is going to necessarily help him? If I was convinced Clemens was our QB of the future maybe but maybe they don't like what they see yet?
I am out of all discussions about chads arm this year......cant do it anymore....I think we should all agree to drop the topic
It probably is because he isn't ready yet, but I'd still like to see him get experience starting a game. Hopefully we'll be in position with the last game or two of the season where we can start Clemens with playoffs/HFA clinched... or maybe the unfortunate case of a lost cause season, although I'd rather see it come down to the wire and have Chad pain my eyes.
I'm not looking for a cannon arm or an arm that can go deep necessarily, I'm looking for an arm that can put some zip on the ball. There is a difference between the two.
So you would rather have Eli? He throws the ball with zip. Not necessarily near his receivers, but he throws it with zip
No, I'd rather have the Chad that we used to have. Where did I say all that was needed was zip? I'd like an intelligent quarterback with zip, not a dumb inbred hick with zip.
Why would anybody expect that after 5 years of lobs and dinks and dunks that Chad would suddenly come out throwing lazers? Is Tom Glavine going to throw 96 tomorrow? Does anybody expect him too? Same story.
The not capable of winning a super bowl is lost on many on this board. We will find out what we have in Clemens when it is to late. Coles will not last past this year because of his best friend Chad. Denver is a perfect example of realizing Plummer was not going to get them to the S/B and took a step back to let Cutler get some Reps to see if he was the future. Going into this year they have a better shot than us of going to the S/B because they gave the kid a chance. We are on our way to another mediocre season with a mediocre Qb and this time next year the same people will be defending Chad again after we get stomped in the first round of the playoffs or miss the playoffs all together.
Well at least you're looking at it from a positive perspective. I'm not saying Chad is bringing us to the promiseland in 2008; but it's a legitimate argument to make that this season could very well turn out to be one of our best since losing to Pittsburgh in 2004. Schedule wise, we have our work cut out for us, but we only added to what we had last year and the players are more comfortable with the system in which they play; i.e. the 3-4, Shottenheimer's misdirection calls, Mangini's expectations and focus on a weekly basis etc.
