(8/3) Cannizzaro: CHADDABOY

[Sperm Edwards]

CHADDABOY!

NOT HIS JOB YET, BUT

IT'S LOOKIN' GOOD FOR PENNY

By MARK CANNIZZARO

MAKING HIS MOVE: Chad Pennington (10) and Patrick Ramsey drop back during last evening's practice. Though Eric Mangini insists it's still a four-man race for starting QB, they were the only ones to get reps in the red-zone and two-minute drills, and Pennington shined.

August 3, 2006 -- If the Jets have decided on their starting quarterback for 2006 season, they're doing a terrific job of concealing it. The Jets yesterday, across the board, denied a published report that stated they've already decided on Chad Pennington as their starter and that it remains a four-player competition.

However, at their evening practice, much of which was spent working on red zone and two-minute drill simulations with loud music blaring from speakers lining the field, Pennington and Patrick Ramsey took all the work.

Pennington worked with the first-team offense against the first-team defense and Ramsey working with the second-team offense against the second-team defense.

In terms of performance, Pennington won in a landslide, looking much more poised and polished than Ramsey, who failed to lead his team to a score despite multiple chances in the two-minute drill.

Pennington, at one point ironically driving the team while Pearl Jam's tune with the lyrics "I'm I'm still alive" wafting through the 90-plus-degree air, led his team to a TD on an acrobatic catch of a deflection by WR Reggie Newhouse, who caught the ball while on the ground.

Earlier in the day, Eric Mangini was very matter-of-fact in shooting down a published report that said he'd already decided on Pennington.

"I have not made my mind up yet," Mangini said. "The [quarterback] rotation will continue and there is no change on that situation."

Pennington, meanwhile, seems to have a quietly confident vibe about him.

"Coach Mangini [while in New England] has had to coach against us when I was the quarterback and played against us when I was the quarterback," Pennington told The Post. "I think he knows what I can do. I think the biggest issue is health and being able to stay healthy and durable and show that I can lead this team. "I have enough games under my belt and enough game film for people to look at it and see my body of work."

When told everyone is waiting with bated breath to see how he reacts to the first jarring hits, Pennington said, "A lot people don't understand the injury and how the injury happened. It wasn't a normal hit. You never see it really. It was very freakish. "I feel very confident in how the strength and conditioning program and medical staff has prepared me as far as being durable and taking hits. I've been able to put on a few more pounds that'll help me be more durable. I really don't have any questions or concerns about that."

Despite Mangini's statement that the job is an open competition between Pennington, Ramsey, rookie draft pick Kellen Clemens and Brooks Bollinger, Pennington has been thought of by most in and out of the organization as the clear-cut favorite.

He and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer hit it off early on and have forged a pretty strong bond. Pennington is the leader Schottenheimer craves for the position.

The most likely scenario, barring any physical setback, is Pennington being officially named sometime after the second preseason game.

Mangini is sticking with the open competition until further notice. That seems to be the way everyone is playing it.

"Everything is the same," Pennington said. "I don't know where I am as far as the other quarterbacks are concerned and I don't know when [Mangini] will make the decision."

Said Ramsey: "From my understanding, nothing has changed. We're going to continue the same way we've been doing things. I went into this camp expecting what the coaches have told us and that's that this is a competition. It's been very evenly split up throughout camp."

Obviously, Mangini wants to see his QBs in game action. The Jets open their preseason next Friday night in Tampa.

"I'm looking for a person to step up and show that they should be the starter," Mangini said. "Someone has to win that spot. As soon as someone does, then that's the point where we'll make a decision."

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[PatsFanTX]

Pennington, at one point ironically driving the team while Pearl Jam's tune with the lyrics "I'm I'm still alive"

Let's see what happens when he has to take the red jersey off.

[Sperm Edwards]

Let's see what happens when he has to take the red jersey off.

dooshey.

[BwanaZulia]

It is great to read all the reports about him being back.

I can't wait to see him in action in the pre-season games.

BZ

[faba]

The injury prone Chad has to show he can play injury free- we will not know that until live game action.

[Sperm Edwards]

It is great to read all the reports about him being back.

I can't wait to see him in action in the pre-season games.

BZ

Agreed. I can't believe he's still out there. I still have serious doubts about him making it through a whole season or having the arm to keep the defense honest. So on that front I was probably hoping he wouldn't be able to compete with the non-surgically-repaired shoulders in camp.

But Tx's smart-ass (however valid) comments aside, it's hard to not like this guy. With that shoulder he is beating out two QB's who (while clearly not elite NFL QB's right now) clearly have serious NFL-strength arms.

[Maxman]

Chad is my early favorite to win the Super Bowl MVP this year. It is between him and Derrick Blaylock (hard to tell at this point what the goal line offense will look like).

[raffyD]

Chad wins comeback player of the year, hands down!

[SoFlaJets]

Let's see what happens when he has to take the red jersey off.

dead on Tex-you're absolutely right-it's what a million Jets fans want to know

[jetophile]

I think I'll panic and swallow my own tongue every time the ball is snapped.

[#27TheDominator]

Why is everybody so worried about Pennington getting hit? The WORST thing that happens is he gets hurt and one of the other stiffs replaces him. It's not like we are putting all our eggs in one basket making a playoff run. That was last year.

[jetophile]

Why is everybody so worried about Pennington getting hit? The WORST thing that happens is he gets hurt and one of the other stiffs replaces him. It's not like we are putting all our eggs in one basket making a playoff run. That was last year.

That's sort of a conflicted statement. I'd say I get worried he'll take a bad hit because the second sentence follows the first.

I'm not from the 'Chad is made out of glass' school of thought. Sometimes it's just the luck - bad luck, that is - of the draw. The broken hand vs. the Giants? A fluke, the way he hit the ground. The injury vs. Jax? Any QB who had their arm pinwheeling in an arc and had the motion interrupted would most likely have suffered the same fate (OK, so he shouldn't have had his arm dangling out there like a cat toy, but still). My thing with Chad was his penchant for taking a header. Yo, SLIDE, yo. Holy Cr*p, every time I saw that, I wanted to stab myself in the face. Oh, look, there he is vs. Buffalo getting his very first torn rotator cuff in just that very way. Now isn't that special?

[#27TheDominator]

That's sort of a conflicted statement. I'd say I get worried he'll take a bad hit because the second sentence follows the first.

So you are worried that he wins the starting job because when he gets hit he might get hurt? So what? If he gets hurt then Ramsey plays. Or Clemens if he's ready. Until then, if he's the best guy then go with him. Ride as far as he goes and when he breaks use somebody else. I don't think he'll get hurt that easily, but I'm still a little worried the shoulder is ready for all the reps. That would be the only reason not to start him if he is the best Qb in camp. To make sure he is fully healed and not doing more damage by playing so soon.

[JetCane]

Fat CANNIZZARO was at the practice today, with his back turned to the field, yapping with some ballgirl.

CP got no reps today.

I'll put up a report in a little while if you want.

[Maxman]

Fat CANNIZZARO was at the practice today, with his back turned to the field, yapping with some ballgirl.

CP got no reps today.

I'll put up a report in a little while if you want.

Please!

[JetCane]

Stop groveling, Max.

my arm still hurts from yesterday.

[SeniorFlaJet]

Fat CANNIZZARO was at the practice today, with his back turned to the field, yapping with some ballgirl.

CP got no reps today.

I'll put up a report in a little while if you want.

I want!

[jetophile]

So you are worried that he wins the starting job because when he gets hit he might get hurt? So what? If he gets hurt then Ramsey plays. Or Clemens if he's ready. Until then, if he's the best guy then go with him. Ride as far as he goes and when he breaks use somebody else. I don't think he'll get hurt that easily, but I'm still a little worried the shoulder is ready for all the reps. That would be the only reason not to start him if he is the best Qb in camp. To make sure he is fully healed and not doing more damage by playing so soon.

You're misreading me. In no way did I say I didn't want Chad to win the job. I'm probably one of a small handful that refused to bury him, but since I'm fairly new to posting here, I can't expect anyone to know that.

So I'll start over. I get nervous when he gets knocked around. I hope if he gets knocked around he gets up unscathed. If he's healthy, I want him to play. He's a warrior, he deserves his chance to say never say die unless he really is flat out incapable of helping the team.

A post of mine from another board from way back when: "I'd love nothing better than to see the comeback story of the century. Pennington, the underdog's underdog. Now that's a treat. And, I'd love to see a smirk on that apple-pie face of his if he is blessed enough by both random chaos and miraculous healing to pull it off. I don't know, I always have this nagging feeling in my gut that true success not coming to fruition with him at the helm reeks of unfulfilled destiny. Call me sentimental, but I have a hard time forgetting the mojo that was. Go ahead, trounce out the hospital balls. But that's the thing - they WERE hospital balls. Literally.

If he doesn't give us all an amazing jolt of surprise, all the naysayers will say "I told you so." Fair, yet easy enough. If he does, MOST of the naysayers will say "I didn't want to jinx it by saying my true feelings out loud." Fair, yet easy enough. Me, I'm realistic yet quietly hopeful. Pony up if Ope pulls a fast one. That's all I have to say about that."

[#27TheDominator]

You're misreading me. In no way did I say I didn't want Chad to win the job. I'm probably one of a small handful that refused to bury him, but since I'm fairly new to posting here, I can't expect anyone to know that.

So I'll start over. I get nervous when he gets knocked around. I hope if he gets knocked around he gets up unscathed. If he's healthy, I want him to play. He's a warrior, he deserves his chance to say never say die unless he really is flat out incapable of helping the team.

A post of mine from another board from way back when: "I'd love nothing better than to see the comeback story of the century. Pennington, the underdog's underdog. Now that's a treat. And, I'd love to see a smirk on that apple-pie face of his if he is blessed enough by both random chaos and miraculous healing to pull it off. I don't know, I always have this nagging feeling in my gut that true success not coming to fruition with him at the helm reeks of unfulfilled destiny. Call me sentimental, but I have a hard time forgetting the mojo that was. Go ahead, trounce out the hospital balls. But that's the thing - they WERE hospital balls. Literally.

If he doesn't give us all an amazing jolt of surprise, all the naysayers will say "I told you so." Fair, yet easy enough. If he does, MOST of the naysayers will say "I didn't want to jinx it by saying my true feelings out loud." Fair, yet easy enough. Me, I'm realistic yet quietly hopeful. Pony up if Ope pulls a fast one. That's all I have to say about that."

Okay, sorry. I'm a little nervous about him taking hits too. My point was there are people who think he shouldn't start because of his lack of durability. That may be a reason not to offer a guy a big contract (Abraham) but once he's here you play him.

Now how about the report about tubby chatting up the ball girl?

[Ryno the Jet]

Wow, very insightful article, yawn. I could have written that, and i am thousands of miles away from camp.

Nevertheless, I am rooting for Chad. I have been pretty tough on him the last two years (I ripped his arm off of my carboard standee and threw it in a tree in my font yard last year when he went down, and I said some rude drunkin stuff to him in Carolina last year when he got off the bus), but I think I was just taking out all my frustrations on him. To tell the truth, I was extatic when the Jets drafted him, and, yes, I was one of the idiots screaming for his premature entry. The guy has a head for the game, and I do not feel we have seen the best of Chad. The fact that he is still so gung-ho tells me he's a player. We'll see how this new line protects him, and if the Jets can piece together a running game. Regardless, I will keep dropping homer statements like: "This team will be much improved as apposed to last years squad, and I would not be surpirsed if they are competing for the AFC East title come December." This Penny is heads up, boys and girls; can't mean nothin' but good luck for the Jets!

[Bugg]

QBs have come back from injuries. Phil Simms' career was basically a few good seasons and one great Super Bowl interspersed wtih some horrendous luck with injuries. Rich Gannon came back froma shoulder injury similar to Pennginton's, but did so once, not twice.

We'd all like nothing better than to have that Cinderella Man-typst story take place. But it just doesn't look likely. The odds are against it. And through no fault of his own, after the Raiders figured out he couldn't throw deep effectively, the guesswork was gone in defending against him.

I think we all want this team to win, and if Pennington were a part of that, great. But if between injuries and physical limitations Mangini determines that he isn't making the team better, so be it. Seems clear so far Ramsey isn't the man. That could change. But get the sense it will be Pennington's job to start the season with Clemens getting a shot sometime midseason, unless Pennington is lights out fantastic and the Jets are really in it.

[PeterNorth09]

Amazing how up until recently 99% of the fans on this site hated Pennington and thought he was the anti-Christ and that Kellen Clemens was the future. Now that it looks like Penny might play again and be effective it's hugs and kisses all over again. You got to love the consistency.

[Ryno the Jet]

Amazing how up until recently 99% of the fans on this site hated Pennington and thought he was the anti-Christ. Now that it looks like he might play again and be effective it's hugs and kisses all over again.

You do a lot more than hug and kiss all of your unprovens. Sorry, but I am a fan of the Jets, and I will back this regime until they f'it up.

[PeterNorth09]

You do a lot more than hug and kiss all of your unprovens. Sorry, but I am a fan of the Jets, and I will back this regime until they f'it up.

I don't know if you in particular have been bashing Penington but there has been ALOT of Pennington bashing on this site throughout this past year. The guy is a good QB when healthy, unfortunately he's had many injury problems. That being said all I've ever heard about the past 6 months or so is how Pennington is garbage, has a weak arm and we can never win anything with him. It's great having the selective memory and forgetting about 2002 and 2004. Had it not been for Doug Brien he would have gotten us to the AFC Championship game.

[Sperm Edwards]

I don't know if you in particular have been bashing Penington but there has been ALOT of Pennington bashing on this site throughout this past year. The guy is a good QB when healthy, unfortunately he's had many injury problems. That being said all I've ever heard about the past 6 months or so is how Pennington is garbage, has a weak arm and we can never win anything with him. It's great having the selective memory and forgetting about 2002 and 2004. Had it not been for Doug Brien he would have gotten us to the AFC Championship game.

On ST & def, Santana Moss & Reggie Tongue almost got us to the AFC Championship game. Everyone on offense was a liability.

[#27TheDominator]

QBs have come back from injuries. Phil Simms' career was basically a few good seasons and one great Super Bowl interspersed wtih some horrendous luck with injuries. Rich Gannon came back froma shoulder injury similar to Pennginton's, but did so once, not twice.

We'd all like nothing better than to have that Cinderella Man-typst story take place. But it just doesn't look likely. The odds are against it. And through no fault of his own, after the Raiders figured out he couldn't throw deep effectively, the guesswork was gone in defending against him.

I think we all want this team to win, and if Pennington were a part of that, great. But if between injuries and physical limitations Mangini determines that he isn't making the team better, so be it. Seems clear so far Ramsey isn't the man. That could change. But get the sense it will be Pennington's job to start the season with Clemens getting a shot sometime midseason, unless Pennington is lights out fantastic and the Jets are really in it.

When exactly did the Raiders "figure him out?" I assume it was in 2002-which game-the playoffs? Is that why Chad beat them during a down year in '03? Or why he had a 65% completion rate with 16 tds and 9 picks in a playoff season in '04? Everybody knew he didn't have a big deep arm from the start. Didn't take a genius (who was it-Gruden?) to figure it out. I don't think he has to be fantastic. Just adequate. I'm not a huge rookie QB fan and I don't see any reason to appoint Clemens the "franchise." He seems like a nice pick with a nice arm and I hope he turns into a nice pro QB, but I don't see any reason to appoint him as "the future."

[Alk]

I think I'll panic and swallow my own tongue every time the ball is snapped.

Something tells me that you probably will only swallow your tongue once.

[Smizzy]

Chad is my early favorite to win the Super Bowl MVP this year. It is between him and Derrick Blaylock (hard to tell at this point what the goal line offense will look like).

lol. Can you win one of those on IR?

[Sperm Edwards]

stupid post coming up...

[PatsFanTX]

Had it not been for Doug Brien he would have gotten us to the AFC Championship game.

Why do you continue to spew this bull$hit?

The #1 reason why the Jets did not play in the AFC Championship game was because of PennyBoy's pathetic performance against the Steelers.

Your "phenom" led the Jets to exactly 3 points in 5 quarters of football.

Again, Doug Brien did not lose that game, your vastly over rated, under achieving QB did.

[PatsFanTX]

stupid post coming up...

dick

[Sperm Edwards]

[PatsFanTX]

This is getting friggn' scary.

Spermy seems to know me better than I know myself.

[joewilly]

stupid post coming up...

how did you know sperm

it's not really bullspit tx. if the kick goes thru, the jets go thru.

no it wasn't pennys best game but it was enough if the kick is good. twice.

moss dropped a pass he shoulda caught across the middle

[PatsFanTX]

how did you know sperm

it's not really bullspit tx. if the kick goes thru, the jets go thru.

no it wasn't pennys best game but it was enough if the kick is good. twice.

moss dropped a pass he shoulda caught across the middle

joewilly,

PennyBoy was out there for 75 (or whenever OT ended) minutes of the football game.

If he generated just one touchdown during that time, it never would have come down to Brien's kicks.

Brien has always been used as a scapegoat for that loss. But the real people who were responsible for that loss are Hermy "take a knee" Edwards and PennyBoyWonder with his pathetic performance.