Chad thinking on his feet BY RICH CIMINI / DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER It hasn't taken Chad Pennington long to master Jets' new no-huddle offense. It was a second-and-16 from the Jets' 47-yard line. Chad Pennington fired a 15-yard "out" to Laveranues Coles, who made a diving catch along the Lions' sideline. While the entire stadium marveled and wondered about the play - Wow! But did he stay inbounds? - Pennington's mind already was on to the next down.Not giving the Lions any time to challenge the play or set their defense, Pennington rushed the Jets' offense to the line, called his own number and picked up the first down with a quarterback sneak. The Lions looked completely befuddled. "That was a huge swing in the game," rookie Kellen Clemens, one of Pennington's understudies, said yesterday. "That was all Chad, keeping on top of things mentally."Eric Mangini calls them "Chad plays," and there are usually a handful in each game - awareness plays in which the savvy Pennington finds clever ways to outfox the opponent. He's the football version of Tom Glavine: He won't blow you away with his fastball, but he still finds a way to get you. A cerebral quarterback often gains a reputation for being a "game manager." Some believe that label has a negative connotation, as it sometimes conjures up images of journeyman passers with marginal arms, but Pennington doesn't mind it at all."I take pride in being able to manage a game effectively, because what that means to me is that you know how to win the game," said Pennington, who takes a 25-19 career starting record into Sunday's game at the Browns (1-5).Pennington has good, if not stellar statistics - he's the eighth-rated passer in the NFL - but there are no numbers that quantify the way he has operated Brian Schottenheimer's no-huddle offense. The controlled no-huddle puts an enormous strain on the quarterback, but there haven't been many glitches. Consider his to-do list before every play: Receive the play from the sideline; relay the call, the formation and the cadence without the benefit of a huddle; make sure the other 10 players are aligned properly; read the defense and decide whether to check into another play. All in less than 40 seconds. "It's a new offense for everybody," Clemens said, "but Chad already is playing like a guy who has been in this offense for a few years."Pennington has found ways to create hidden yardage. At times, he will use a hard count, attempting to draw the defense offsides. Hey, it works; he has drawn 11 offsides flags this season,including three in last week's win over the Lions."I think quarterbacks can use cadence as an effective tool to gain free yards," Pennington said.If he senses fatigue or a lack of focus by the defense, Pennington will shift into a hurry-up, trying to catch the defense in a weak moment. He can force the defense to burn a timeout (that happened twice against the Colts) or he can run a quick play, hoping to catch the defense in snooze mode. Pennington did that at the Lions' 3-yard line, calling a quick pass to Jerricho Cotchery. It nearly worked. Cotchery dropped the ball. Otherwise, he would've walked into the end zone.According to Pennington, an effective game manager understands the importance of third-down situations, the turnover battle and field position. He also must be able to identify the strengths and weakness in a defense.Pennington spends an inordinate amount of time in preparation; he's often the last player to leave the facility. It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your quarterback is? "He studies all the time," Mangini said. "He's here all the time." Said Clemens: "He likes to have all the answers." The rookie paused. "For the most part," Clemens said, "he does." Originally published on October 27, 2006 > http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/story/465594p-391763c.html
Now that's real reporting. No gossip, no conflict, no agenda, just a good look into a facet of the Jets that all of us are seeing on a weekly basis but don't have the access to really understand the intricacies involved. I hadn't thought about it before but the amount of information that has to be passed in the open in the no-huddle is really quite amazing. Gives me even more respect for what Chad and Schottenheimer have pulled off this year.
It really is remarkable what this offense has done in its first year. It is exciting to think about what it will be like next year with a full year of experience for everyone & most likely some more talent..
:beer: Now that was a good read. The fact that Penny is off the leash running the offense has been very uplifting, and most likely one of the main reasons we are overachieving on offense. The guy has been labeled a smart QB, but what good is that if you don't let him use his skills on the field. When defeating your opponent, it is important to use your full skillset. I remember when Herm was talking about Chad getting time and saying that he thinks too much. lol Apparently all that thinking is paying off. :up:
A coach and coordinator that play to the quarterback's strengths. That let him use his best tool, his brain, for the job. Why couldn't he have done that all along? Bottom line is that Pennigton is geting it done and is the leader for this team. I couldn't be more happy.
Looking back at those criticisms from Herm, it's rather ironic that almost the whole time the guy running the offense was always out thinking himself.
And while we're posting Cimini articles, here's the other one on the Browns - Don't be shocked if Cleveland rocks http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/465606p-391767c.html BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Let's be honest: the Browns stink on offense. They're also in disarray, having changed play-callers this week. An easy mark for the Jets? Maybe not. They suspect the Browns will be energized by the switch to offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, who replaced coordinator Maurice Carthon. After 1-1/2 seasons of offensive futility, Carthon resigned under pressure Tuesday. "For them, it can go one of two ways," LB Jonathan Vilma said. "They can either fold it up, call it a day and fold up the season, or they can rebound from it, try to fight and try to make a playoff run. We feel they'll probably go with the latter and really try to make a statement at home." The Browns are ranked 32nd in total offense, and they've topped the 17-point mark only once in six games. But the change to Davidson seems to have boosted team morale. Carthon wasn't popular among the players, many of whom trashed him this week in the Cleveland papers. "Anything that is new tends to reinvigorate people a little bit," Jets LB Matt Chatham said. "I'm sure they're having one of their best weeks of practice and they've recharged the battery." Davidson is a first-time play-caller, so he has no tendencies for the Jets to study. They suspect that, as an offensive line coach, he will try to emphasize the running game, taking some pressure off mistake-prone QB Charlie Frye. ONE-MAN'S GANG: Coach Eric Mangini has lightened up the last two weeks. Instead of practicing in full pads on Wednesday and Thursday, as they did early in the season, the Jets have gone to "shells" (helmet and shoulder pads) on Thursday. Players say it has made them fresher. Was that a response to input from the players? Not exactly, according to LG Pete Kendall, one of six captains - a group that meets every week with Mangini to discuss team issues. "It's not a democracy here," Kendall said, smiling. "It's not like Congress, where if two-thirds of the captains like something, it gets overturned. It doesn't work quite like that. "It's a dictatorship - a benevolent dictatorship." SHOWING IMPROVEMENT: DE Shaun Ellis (back) and RT Anthony Clement (back) were added to the injury report, but they should be fine. They both practiced and they're both listed as probable. ... Mangini hinted that CB David Barrett (hip), RB Cedric Houston (knee) and C Trey Teague (ankle) could be ready to return. Originally published on October 27, 2006
