I like a big arm and an athlete at QB...but I'm sorry, Clemens reminds me of Nagle. Deer in the headlights. I hope he asserts himself and takes the next step, but if not, I think Chad can take us to the playoffs with this line in front of him. HE DOES NEED TO STOP THROWING PICKS HOWEVER.
It really wasn't fair to him last season, playing from behind and having to throw on every down. He's a great play-action QB and honestly, if he does start, he should be much better this season. In the past, all his long throws happened on play-action. He really didn't get much of a chance to do that this season. The one problem I see is his creativity. Around the league, he has a reputation for reading coverages by the book. For example, if it's a cover-2 defense, he looks in the middle and checks down often. Teams have gotten their INT's by disguising their coverages and then going to where they know he'll be throwing it. Hopefully, he'll improve that skill and stay one step ahead.
What impressed you so much? Was it the 3 offensive points? That was pretty damn impressive! Or maybe it was the string of successful drives he led! His drives in that game ended as follows: TO on Downs PUNT TO on Downs Halftime Punt Fumble Punt FG (yay!) Missed FG ZOMGZ! If Nugent made that FG, we would have scored 6 points on O!!! Downs He dropped back to pass 38 times.... He compiled 184 yards.... That's 4.8 YPA... That's just DISGUSTING!
The sad thing is he couldn't do much better when he had a good line and HOF running back either. Please all you Cp supporters tell me what was so impressive about his stats against the Pats? The guy is done!
Quote: "...no way chad is the starter. Kellen won more games in his first year than chad did last year 3:1 ratio, and he had all the same weapons. Chad threw away games in the fourth quarter. The jets have already made the transition. Kellen has much, much, much more physical ability than chad but needs some time and an O-line in order to improve his decision making and accuracy...." You are predicting how the competition will come out this year on the off season. But if you are right NOW, then the NYJ CS would be foolish to hold an all-out QB competition this off-season. The guru Francesa (I don't know how many years he played as a pro, maybe you do) says that a QB controversy in the off-season makes for a messed up team. I don't know, there was a QB controversy (oops, too much Francesa Kool-Aid), uh, competition in 06 and we didn't do so bad from the mess-up. You have to admit, that when we all paint ourselves into a corner for Chad or for Kellen, this is going to be an interesting year as the NYJ CS weighs in, and then the season brings in the real show...! Isn't this fun?
I don't think you can determine how Kellen will perform when he actually has a chance. If you believe he had a chance behind this 07 OL then perhaps you were actually watching the Madden 06 game. You have to give a QB a fighting chance to do his thing. The 07 OL never did this for either Chad or Kellen for very long. I think this is what the NYJ FO is trying to do something about: Give both QBs a fighting chance, and see what happens.
Quote: "...The one problem I see is his creativity. Around the league, he has a reputation for reading coverages by the book. For example, if it's a cover-2 defense, he looks in the middle and checks down often. Teams have gotten their INT's by disguising their coverages and then going to where they know he'll be throwing it. Hopefully, he'll improve that skill and stay one step ahead...." I have heard this criticism discussed in the media too. But I think it is probably very difficult to discern what bad throw is caused by no time, what bad throw is caused by fewer viable options, and what bad throw is caused by disguised coverages. By the way, I think that disguised coverages will only work on a smart team once or twice because when the CS sees it they will respond to it -- that is if they have any other available options. Personally, I am hopeful that when they try to disguise their pass coverages this year, then Chad of Kellen (whoever wins out in the off-season competition) will check into a nice run-it-down-your throat man-killing drive. It is really so discouraging for a defense to have too much alternatives to defend on EVERY play...
If an O-Line can prevent pick 6's on out routes, fine Chad can start again-- but until that happens i'm taking the kid with the flashes of escapability, arm strength, poise, and has anyone seen this kid take the Jets on game winning drives- something Chad almost never did? Baltimore game included even though Justin McFuck couldnt hold on to the ball.
What some of you are failing to realize is that even with a better O-Line, Chad still has physical limitations. He cannot throw the deep ball with any great consistency, showed last season that he can't make the important sideline to sideline throws, does not put any zing on the balls which in turn puts his receivers in harms way (Coles hit anyone?) as they wait for one of his signature floaters, measured in days rather than MPH, to make their way downfield. Sure, he can dink and dunk with the best of them. But when your reads are more predictable than ever (some D players have commented that his eyes are easier to read than in years past), you don't have zing on the ball, your accuracy is suspect and play action isn't what it was in years past, what do you really have to offer the team? Oh wait, I forgot, he's "Cerebral" and a great leader. Sorry, you can't sell me anything off the Chad bandwagon anymore- his time has come and gone.
The OL gives the offense successful choices and takes all the certitude out of the defense -- sort of like washing out the starch. The Defense doesn't know what to defend first -- will they run, with they throw deep, are they trying to trick us, is he going on the quick count, who's going to get the ball. A lot of good questions, and no answers, make for a worried bunch. This is what an OL makes happen when they pass block AND run block well.
When your realm of possibility is shut down by 80% (by the OL) then I would agree, your eyes are very easy to read. There is not very much for them to look at.
Chad just might get his job back IF BShotts decides to stay with the dink & dunk offense. If BShotts wants to stretch the field and NOT get his Wr's killed, Chad isn't the QB you want. I just don't understand the Clemenshate around here. The OLine sucked in '07 for both Qb's so why not let Clemens play with a upgraded line and then evaluate him. However, with all this money the FO has shelled out, the pressure for a winning record might just force them to give Chad the job again without a true TC competition.
It's not just last year- unfortunately it's been a "progression of suck." Chad is simply not the athlete he was a few years ago. Give me the Chad we knew in his prime, smart but limited and I'd say sure, training camp competition is the best for all parties. However, he's damaged goods now, he lacks the poise, discipline, confidence we saw in seasons' past- teams know that he's very "beatable" and mediocre at best. Chad does not give this team the best chance at making the playoffs. I would much rather see what Clemens can do behind a retooled line and not via mop-up duty halfway through the season. If, after 5 or 6 games into the regualar season we see that Clemens hasn't changed at all from last season, and that the problem was him rather than the supporting cast, I'll be alot more concerned. And for what it's worth- Brad Smith shouldn't even have the word "quarterback" in his vocabulary.
It was so clear from last season that Chad is simply better than Clemens. I'm not sure why anyone would choose to start a QB based only on the fact that he's younger because it's not even close on talent.
See, no he didn't. He completed some passes but he was completely ineffectual. It is the illusion that Chad propogates with his game. He completes a lot of 3 yard dump offs on 3rd and 8 and winds up with a good QB rating, but he does nothing to score points or move the team. Then when the pressure is on he throws a pick. Throw in the fact that he does not have the ability to bring his team back. It is totally mind-blowingly bewildering that anyone could have actually seen Pennington play and still want him as the starter. It is simply ludicrous.
