October 15, 2007 -- IT WAS fourth-and-a-season now for Chad Pennington and the Jets, fourth-and-a-season from the Philadelphia 4, and a pass that Pennington has completed over the years in his sleep, for his buddy Laveranues Coles, was barely knocked away in the left corner of the end zone by Sheldon Brown, and the scoreboard would remain Eagles 16, Jets 9. "Like the way the season's going - six inches," Pennington said. It means R.I.P. New York Jets. It means Wait 'Til Next Year. It means that if Eric Mangini plans on making a Super Bowl run in 2008, he needs to start getting Kellen Clemens ready now. Tom Coughlin, remember, took the ball from Kurt Warner even when the Giants had playoff hope so Eli Manning could play the final seven games of his rookie season and get a headstart on the 2005 season. The 1-5 Jets, tackling dummies in the secondary again, are so woeful on defense that there is no guarantee that a quarterback change would provide the sorely-needed spark, but at this point, what does Mangini have to fear other than fear itself? On a day when the Jets were finally committed to establishing Thomas Jones (24-130 rushing) - except, inexcusably, on third-and-1 at the end, when they tried a quarterback sneak, and on fourth-and-season - Pennington couldn't remember what a play-action genius he used to be, as recently as a year ago. The Eagles dared Pennington (11-21, 128 yards, 1 INT) to beat them in the second half and he could not. The deep ball is not used as a weapon - it is used solely as an obligatory tactic to keep the defense honest. The deep out is too often a wing and a prayer. The elite quarterbacks don't settle talking what the defense gives them; they take what they want. There is no margin for error with Pennington, who suffered his sixth interception in the last three games when his underthrown lob down the left sidelines from midfield for Brad Smith was intercepted by Brown midway through the third quarter. A media horde surrounded Clemens and blitzed him with questions about replacing his mentor. Clemens, asked if this was an uncomfortable position for him to be in, chuckled and effortlessly audibled to the speak-no-evil playbook. "It's a careful situation, definitely," he said. "Myself and the whole team, we support Chad, he works hard, he's a very good quarterback. Right now it's very important for this team to remain a team." Someone wanted to know when he would know about a change. "I know that right now there's no talk of it," Clemens said. He threw one pass as a rookie, started one game this season. But the Jets wouldn't have passed on Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler to draft him if they didn't think he would be ready by now. "I would say that I have made progress since a year ago at this time, yes," Clemens said. Seated at their lockers, their shirtless backs to the rest of the room, Clemens and Pennington had chatted quietly before Pennington headed for the showers. "Just kind of a quarterback discussion about various things; nothing real specific," Clemens said. Now Pennington, a medical marvel, a gallant leader who plays hurt and brings honor to his craft and to his sport, faced the music. Because he is who he is and has done what he has done for the franchise, no one had the heart to ask him about the merciless boobirds who were waiting for him when he trotted back from the sidelines toward the huddle with 1:40 left in the third quarter. "Right now I'm just numb," Pennington said. "Not a lot of answers." Pennington was asked if he expects to start in Cincinnati. "Whatever happens happens," Pennington said. "That's why Coach Mangini is the head coach, and I'm a player ... that is totally out of my control." Mangini was not about to pull the plug immediately after the game. "It doesn't come down to one player," he said. But you can't change the other 23 players. "You understand that when you lose, it comes on your shoulders first," Pennington said. "Right, wrong or indifferent, whether it's your fault or not, it's on you, as a quarterback ... I can handle that." For Clemens, the future is now
Serby is on target here --- if the Jets hope to be serious contenders NEXT year - it is time to put Clemens in and see what he can do. He noted that's what the Giants did two years ago - and if you watched Manning last night throw 3 straight passes resulting in gains of over 19 yards - you know what the deep passing threat means to an offense.
How is this Pennington's fault. The very few PA passes we ran were successful. I didn't know Chad was the OC also, and if he is, that needs to change. BTW, I was watching a thing on Brady last night and his completion percentage. Does anybody notice how wide open the WR are. Randy Moss was wide open in the endzone for the 1st TD and nobody was within 5 yards of him. Brady could have thrown it underhand. Just a thought.
Red, are you reading the same article I am? Serby was talking about the final play - and no, he didn't call the play - but the execution was awful. He's also noting that when you can't go deep, the play action is useless...
It use to amaze me also, how they are always open even when they didn't have the receivers they have now....but it helps when you know what defense the other team is calling......CHEATERS!!! :breakdance:
Yet, if it's Chad's ball those 5 yards are made up in the time it takes the floater to get there AND it's not in a position where the WR can run with it... It's a Jump Ball where the Wr goes up possibly for the last time in his career as the DB crushes the laid out wr.
Take a look at a football field. If you have 11 guys defending 6 to 15 yards down the field you have a fairly small space to cover. At 15 yards the WR are in a space of 7,200 square feet, at 30 yards the space is 14,400 square feet. The reason WR look so much more wide open when you have a down field passing game is the amount of space that's available goes up by 160 feet for every additional foot a QB can stretch the field. That's if everything else is equal which of course it isn't. Chad is restricted in going to the sidelines as well because of his arm which pulls the amount of space down that the WR and defense are working in.
Exactly, great post. Thank you. This argument that our receivers dont separate or other teams receivers have more separation is BS. Know what you're saying when you say it. LC and JC are limited on passing routes, they can only go so far down field and only go so far against the side line. Chad has no arm, it effects EVERYTHING. Our receivers are so one dimensional because of Chad. LC would be a top 3 WR with a real QB, no doubt in my mind. Coles is so limited because of Chad?s arm, there are probably over 50 routes Coles can not run because of Chad?s arm.
Everything Everything Everything! All of the guys who post that "it isn't Chad's fault" need to understand this. The Oline, the running game, separation, play selection, et al. It all is effected by Chad's inability to throw downfield or to get the ball into ANY tight spots using arm strength, because he has NONE!
90% of the throws Brady made against Dallas, Chad can make. We aren't talking about 15 yard outs. These are crossing routes and posts. These are the easiest throws in football and it is why Brady's comp % is 72. I am not putting blame anywhere or defending a position, it is just an observation. Randy Moss was so wide open in the back of the endzone that brady could have literally threw it underhand. I believe the play was inside the 10 yard line, so I don't see it as a field issue. Also, you cannot tell me that if a NFL receiver runs a go route or or post that the safety will simply let him go because Chad is the QB. That is a bunch of crap. If this was the case, every receiver on the team would be bitching and moaning because the don't get the ball. It doesn't matter who the QB is or what his limitations are if you do not clear areas and complement other routes, there are going to be a bunch of defenders around.
Only in the second half.... The Pats are a good team in the 1st half of games, and the best I've ever seen in the 2nd... Great coaching? Or something extra? Just a thought
I never said that Chad can make 90% of the throws Brady makes, I said Chad could make 90% of the throws Brady made against Dallas.
no, Chad cannot make 90 percent of the throws Brady makes EVER! Because he can't get the ball there with velocity or get it downfield. Did anyone watch Manning zip the ball into the receivers' hands last night? Can Chad to that even with time? No, he can't physically do it. Can he shoot the ball out into the flat while the defense is on it's heels? No, he can't, and by the time the ball gets to the receiver the defense has recovered (not just the coverage guy but everyone) so there is nowhere to run even if the ball gets to the receiver before it's deflected away or intercepted. This is the crux of the problem - Chad - due to injury to an already below average arm - cannot throw well enough to be an NFL quarterback anymore...case closed!
the change will come after the bye week - unless the jets win convincingly the next 2 games........ and the QB puts points on the board. jil
I hope you got some inside info on that Jil. This team is becoming the reincarnation of Kotite's best effort and I'm in mortal danger of regarding this team like that as well. I'm getting sick and tired of the Jets doing everything they can to copy the Patriots or some other team. Mangini isn't Bellichek. Pennington isn't Brady and the Jets aren't the Patriots. Time to go once again, in a new direction.
I think you are right Jil, and unfortunately we'll have to suffer until then. Why do these coaches need to cover their asses instead of doing what they need to do when they need to do it?
i think playcalling is the biggest problem offensively. next would be the inconsistency of the o-line. they need to open holes for jones and protrect chad. they can't do one one week and the other the next.
