(8/3) Cimini: Sharp Chad shoulders confidence

[Sperm Edwards]

Sharp Chad shoulders confidence

By RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Chad Pennington (10) is taking control of Jets quarterback

battle, thanks in part to martial-arts training in offseason.

Little-known fact about Chad Pennington: To rebuild the strength in his twice-repaired throwing shoulder, he used nontraditional methods during his rehabilitation. For instance, he dabbled with martial arts.

"When you've rehabbed as long as I have, it can get monotonous, so you're always looking for a different exercise, a way to get better," the Jets quarterback said.

Pennington may never reach black-belt status, but his creative - and purposeful - approach is paying immediate dividends.

Training camp is only six days old, but Pennington has established himself as the clear front-runner in Eric Mangini's so-called four-way quarterback competition. Privately, the Jets see it as Pennington's job to lose.

Mangini doesn't appear to be close to naming the starter - chances are, he will wait at least two preseason games - but he likes what he sees from Pennington. But not enough to say he's the guy.

"No, I haven't made up my mind yet," Mangini said yesterday, claiming he intends to stick with the four-man rotation for the time being.

Indeed, if Mangini had arrived at a decision, it wouldn't make much sense to continue the rotation, which includes Patrick Ramsey, Brooks Bollinger and rookie Kellen Clemens.

The rookie coach has to let it play out; he can't make a commitment too early. What if Pennington is outplayed in the preseason, but still gets the job? That would undermine Mangini's credibility. He has told his players that every position is up for grabs.

"Really, it's exactly the same as it was," said Mangini, sizing up the competition.

Pennington said he hasn't received any word from the coaches about his status. Ditto, Ramsey.

After a rough opening practice, Pennington has rebounded nicely, showing more command of the offense than Ramsey, his primary competitor.

In a two-minute drill last night in practice, with music blaring from sideline speakers, Ramsey struggled with the second-team offense. It was disjointed, with false-start penalties and confusion. The coaching staff is concerned about his mental errors.

Pennington, working with the starters, ran things smoothly. Bollinger and Clemens got very few reps last night, which might be telling.

The question with Pennington, of course, is whether he can handle the pounding of a game. As for his arm, it seems to have responded well from surgery, but it's early, and it's hard to predict how it will hold up through the dog days of camp. So far, the accuracy is there. His arm strength, as always, is marginal.

Pennington has been careful not to make any bold statements about his promising start, but it's obvious his swagger is returning.

"I do have confidence and my confidence is growing," he said, adding: "I didn't know what to expect through this offseason and going into training camp. This is a new situation for me, even though I experienced one shoulder surgery. When you have two, it's a totally different experience."

Tight end Chris Baker said the velocity on Pennington's passes doesn't seem any different than his pre-surgery velocity. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said he can't tell the difference between Pennington and other quarterbacks, which may not be a good thing.

"Sometimes when I catch a ball and come back (to the sideline), I tell the wrong quarterback, 'Good ball,'" he said.

Originally published on August 3, 2006