<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Chad has to earn starting job backBY KEN BERGERNewsday Staff WriterJune 16, 2006Practicing in full view of the media for the first time in his attempt to come back from a second right shoulder operation, Chad Pennington was poised for the first 11-on-11 reps of minicamp yesterday.When the starting offense gathered near midfield, a quarterback with a red jersey got the play from offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and strode to the huddle. But it wasn't Pennington; it was rookie Kellen Clemens.Was it significant that Clemens, and not Pennington or Patrick Ramsey, was the first quarterback to take his turns with the rest of the starting offense? "I knew you were going to ask that," said Pennington, who bristled at the question from a TV reporter. "Good for you. Maybe you can create a story, I don't know."On Pennington's first day with two practices since last August, two things became abundantly clear: 1) Pennington's competitive fire is burning as fiercely as ever, and 2) he's going to need it.For the first time since he replaced Vinny Testaverde as the starter in 2002, Pennington finds himself in a fair, even competition. And while he was able to make all the throws asked of him on the first day of coach Eric Mangini's mandatory minicamp, he no longer looked like the unequivocal leader of the offense.He was merely one of four quarterbacks taking his turns."The feeling of coming out here every day and competing isn't different," Pennington said. "It's different to the outside world because Coach has made it clear that it is an open competition, and that's fine."With the offensive installation still in the early stages, Pennington, Clemens, Ramsey and Brooks Bollinger focused almost exclusively on the short passing game: quick slants and outs.Unofficially, Pennington attempted only three throws beyond 25 yards.The longest came about only because cornerback Derrick Strait blew a coverage resulting in a 35-yard completion to Laveranues Coles.Pennington said he remains on a "pitch count," but neither he nor Mangini would specify how many throws he's limited to per day. The quarterbacks split the reps evenly in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, but Pennington was relegated to handoffs during the individual portions when the other quarterbacks were throwing to receivers.As for the rotation, the afternoon session supported the assertions of Pennington and Mangini that all four quarterbacks are taking equal turns with the starting offense. Pennington got the bulk of the first-team work in the afternoon practice."Right now am I where I want to be? Absolutely not, because I understand the long process of getting back." Pennington said. "My whole goal is to come back strong for training camp and be ready."Clemens' command and arm strength looked good, but he struggled some in the team drills. Both Pennington and Clemens thrived late in the afternoon session, directing the starting offense to field goals in the two-minute drill."I can't afford to let one day slip by where I come off the field and say, 'You know what? I didn't get better today,'" Pennington said.By all indications, he got better yesterday. Today is another day on a long road back.Notes & quotes: RB Curtis Martin, coming back from knee surgery, participated on a limited basis ... C Trey Teague is out for at least the minicamp with an unspecified left leg injury. Mangini declined to characterize the nature or severity ... RB Derrick Blaylock also did not participate because of a leg injury Mangini said he sustained last week ... The starting offensive line looked like this: left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, left guard Pete Kendall, center Nick Mangold, right guard Brandon Moore and right tackle Adrian Jones ... Sione Pouha worked with the first unit at nose tackle. Dewayne Robertson worked at nose and end.</div>
Sounds like Pennington is worried about a little competition with a rookie. I think this is a good thing for the Jets, they have 3 quarterbacks capable of playing well.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sheriff Gonna Getcha @ Jun 16 2006, 11:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Sounds like Pennington is PISSED.....I have a feeling Ramsey will have a great year </div>I have a feeling that he wont start more then 4 games.
I really would love to see Clemens start. I honestly could care less about Ramsey or Pennington. Pennington isn't trustworthy, and when he is healthy he doesn't succeed to what is needed. He would have been a lot better without these injuries.
I don't think Clemens in at day 1 is really the right choice. Just watching Boller struggle from day 1 without watching a veteren or tutor do it was just painful.
one thing that might be interesting would be if Bollinger won the starting role, with Clemens as the backup...there has to be a team that would take Ramsey for a crappy draft pickim not saying it would work, but it would be interesting
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (chang @ Jun 16 2006, 09:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't think Clemens in at day 1 is really the right choice. Just watching Boller struggle from day 1 without watching a veteren or tutor do it was just painful.</div>The Jets have a starting role problem. You can't just deny a rookie a starting job because he doesn't have experience. Look at Big Ben, Tom Brady, etc. They are still young and have won Super Bowls in their first few years of play. Rookies need early experience, which is why I don't see why Clemens shouldn't get a shot. Besides, Boller will be a mediocre QB whether or not he has experience. I'm not saying every QB will be good.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Jun 16 2006, 05:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>there has to be a team that would take Ramsey for a crappy draft pick</div>Yeah, it was us. :glare:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Jun 16 2006, 05:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>one thing that might be interesting would be if Bollinger won the starting role, with Clemens as the backup...there has to be a team that would take Ramsey for a crappy draft pickim not saying it would work, but it would be interesting</div>Bollinger will make 4th string or be cut. he was horendous last season.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Jun 17 2006, 04:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Jun 16 2006, 05:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>there has to be a team that would take Ramsey for a crappy draft pick</div>Yeah, it was us. :glare:</div>Well... the Redskins spent a first rounder on him if it makes you feel better.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Street @ Jun 18 2006, 08:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Jun 16 2006, 05:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>one thing that might be interesting would be if Bollinger won the starting role, with Clemens as the backup...there has to be a team that would take Ramsey for a crappy draft pickim not saying it would work, but it would be interesting</div>Bollinger will make 4th string or be cut. he was horendous last season.</div>He wasnt horrendous, he did rather well considering the circumstances. He was playing without half his offensive line (Fabini, Cavka, Mawae) , 2 of his main targets (Chrebet, Baker), 2 runningbacks (Martin, Blaylock) and so on...His problem was that he wasnt being given any time to throw the ball since half of his offensive line was injured and that he was stuck with a horribly conservative gameplan due to Herm Edwards. He was really making strides towards the end of the season though IMO. In his last 4 games, he was 2-2, 699yds, 59.8% comp%, 4 TD, 1 INT with 84 yds rushing. Not to mention he led the Jets to 97 points in that span.And Johnny, the only thing that makes me feel better is the thought that Ramsey is probably a bit better then some 3rd-stringer 6th round pick. Lets just hope we werent supposed to pick the next Brady there. lol
CLEMENS OUTPERFORMS ALL<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Rookie Clemens emerges in Jets' QB battleSunday, June 18, 2006BY DAVE HUTCHINSONStar-Ledger StaffHEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- After three days and five practices, the Jets have learned this about their quarterback situation: When you have four QBs on your roster who can make a case to be the starter, you really don't have a starting quarterback.Instead of the situation coming into focus at the conclusion of the veterans' minicamp yesterday, it is more uncertain than ever.In fact, rookie Kellen Clemens was the most impressive of the foursome, outperforming veterans Chad Pennington, Patrick Ramsey and Brooks Bollinger. And it wasn't even close as the media got its first up-close look of the competition.Clemens, a second-round pick out of Oregon, displayed an exceptional arm, moxie and the leadership ability of a veteran. He has what people describe as "it."But will rookie coach Eric Mangini have the fortitude to go with an untested, rookie quarterback in the pressure cooker that is the metropolitan area? He has plenty of time and the backing of GM Mike Tannenbaum and owner Woody Johnson, and it will be interesting to see what he does."Each guy is missing some things that you'd like them to see, and some guys are making some throws that you're really happy with," Mangini said. "This is just that period where they're getting used to the offense."Pennington, coming off two shoulder surgeries in as many years, remains the favorite, mostly by default. He's smart and usually mistake-free, which is what Mangini wants because he hopes to win with defense. Pennington looked okay in drills but isn't 100 percent yet.Ramsey, who was a tackling dummy in Washington under former coach Steve Spurrier, was a mild disappointment. He has the arm but missed several open receivers and his penchant for interceptions reared its ugly head. His frustration boiled over as he was visibly upset at times."You're out there competing and you want to do everything perfect every time," Ramsey said.Bollinger, who appeared to be the whipping boy of the coaching staff, held his own during his turn with the first team in Mangini's rotation system on Friday afternoon. He made several impressive throws and will battle Ramsey for a roster spot. It's a given that Clemens and Pennington, who took a pay cut and will earn $3 million guaranteed, will make the final roster.Mangini summed up his first minicamp this way: "Green but growing." He was pleased with the enthusiasm, focus, work ethic and eagerness of his veteran players.Pro Bowl MLB Jonathan Vilma, who is at his best when blockers are kept off him and he's free to roam sideline to sideline, will again have to fight off 300-pound guards and centers in the Jets' new 3-4 defense. It's not the best fit for him but he's going with the flow."It (two-gaping and taking on blockers) isn't really a major factor because we can switch up and morph into whatever we want to do," Vilma said. "It won't be a big issue."We'll see.QB-turned-WR Brad Smith, a fourth-round pick, has been impressive. ... Rookie free-agent RB Stacy Tutt (Richmond) has raised some eyebrows. ... Third-year CB Derrick Strait quietly had a good camp, as did rookie RB Leon Washington and rookie CB Drew Coleman. ... The Jets start training camp July 28.</div>
I think they should go with Clemens. Ramsey and Pennington have never impressed me, so why rely on them? Go with the rookie...
im starting to think that we should just start Clemens...its not like were going anywhere this year anyway
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Jun 18 2006, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>im starting to think that we should just start Clemens...its not like were going anywhere this year anyway</div>I know this may sounds maybe a bit too optimistic and/or biased, but I think that if our defense plays like last year and our offensive line rookies can hold up to what I have heard about them, I honestly think that we have a shot this season. The Pats and Bills are not doing anything because both sufferred important losses to the team. But, on the other hand in my opinion, the wild cards will not be coming from the East, God help the NFL if one of them does. So, whoever wins the division will be the only one to make the playoffs and I think that the Dolphins are the favorites to win if you look at the team - team comparisons. Especially, with a QB. But, I do think that we are capable of coming in 2nd place, which would be huge for us and a great momentum shift going into next year (2007)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Street @ Jun 19 2006, 09:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Jun 18 2006, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>im starting to think that we should just start Clemens...its not like were going anywhere this year anyway</div>I know this may sounds maybe a bit too optimistic and/or biased, but I think that if our defense plays like last year and our offensive line rookies can hold up to what I have heard about them, I honestly think that we have a shot this season. The Pats and Bills are not doing anything because both sufferred important losses to the team. But, on the other hand in my opinion, the wild cards will not be coming from the East, God help the NFL if one of them does. So, whoever wins the division will be the only one to make the playoffs and I think that the Dolphins are the favorites to win if you look at the team - team comparisons. Especially, with a QB. But, I do think that we are capable of coming in 2nd place, which would be huge for us and a great momentum shift going into next year (2007)</div>Pats will win the divison at 10-6, but they're not going to the superbowl or anything like that IMO.The Jets and Dolphins will battle it out for 2nd/3rd finishing somewhere between 6-10 and 8-8 and the Bills will be lucky to win 4 games. Thats my opinion. It's a bad division and a relatively easy schedule though so I could see us putting togeather a run though if everything goes right. So far so good....well see.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Jun 19 2006, 09:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Street @ Jun 19 2006, 09:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Jun 18 2006, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>im starting to think that we should just start Clemens...its not like were going anywhere this year anyway</div>I know this may sounds maybe a bit too optimistic and/or biased, but I think that if our defense plays like last year and our offensive line rookies can hold up to what I have heard about them, I honestly think that we have a shot this season. The Pats and Bills are not doing anything because both sufferred important losses to the team. But, on the other hand in my opinion, the wild cards will not be coming from the East, God help the NFL if one of them does. So, whoever wins the division will be the only one to make the playoffs and I think that the Dolphins are the favorites to win if you look at the team - team comparisons. Especially, with a QB. But, I do think that we are capable of coming in 2nd place, which would be huge for us and a great momentum shift going into next year (2007)</div>Pats will win the divison at 10-6, but they're not going to the superbowl or anything like that IMO.The Jets and Dolphins will battle it out for 2nd/3rd finishing somewhere between 6-10 and 8-8 and the Bills will be lucky to win 4 games. Thats my opinion. It's a bad division and a relatively easy schedule though so I could see us putting togeather a run though if everything goes right. So far so good....well see.</div>I am not sure if you are aware of the Miami Dolphin's record last regular season. If not then, I will assure you that they were one game away from making the playoffs. With a learning team last season going 9 - 7, I don't see they will be worse. They improved at the QB position by going from a 3rd string on some teams to the 1st string in the pro bowl at times. Brown has just gotten better and Chambers and McMichael were dominant at their positions. Also, the Dolphin's defense is always solid. For the Patriots, I dont see how you see them finishing the same. With Mangini gone, it just gives more work for Bellichek and they lost Vinateri (I know some may say that he is only a kicker and they can be replaced, but he might have won the Patriots maybe two games last season at least and that is what made the playoffs compared to what would not have made the playoffs). They did not improve at any position to be honest with you. So, I just don't see how they will finish the same. I see an 7 - 9 -- 9 - 7 season for the Patriots finishing behind the Dolphins.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Capt. Comeback @ Jun 19 2006, 11:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Question. How the hell do the Dolphins finish ahead of the Patriots, let alone an 8-8 season?</div>Ok, how is this...1. Dolphins last season - 9 - 7. That above .500 record was after starting off to one of their worse starts in this millenium.2. Patriots last season - 10 - 6. As usual in the past 5 - 6 years (With the exclusion of one or two seasons), the Patriots were near the top of the division. But, they did not dominate the division like they used to nor the conference. 3. The Dolphin's pickups this past offseason were much more significant than the Patriot's pick ups.4. The Patriot's losses were much more significant than the Dolphin's losses.5. The Dolphins have such a more explosive offense. Culpepper, Brown, Chambers, McMichael, and an above decent line.I can see the Patriots going 9 - 7, maybe even 10 - 6, but I cannot see the Dolphins doing worse than last year, but only better.
