GimmeShelter Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Pennington is more grit than glitter HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- NFL quarterbacks are like US presidents and the economy -- when things go well they tend to get too much of the credit; when things don't go well, they receive a disproportionate share of the blame. Like any athlete subjected to the scrutiny of New York fans, the Jets' Chad Pennington gets plenty of blame, but credit has been tougher to come by despite the seventh-year quarterback leading his team to a 10-6 mark and an unexpected playoff berth. Instead of acknowledging the gutsy quarterback, who was named the Associated Press's Comeback Player of the Year after returning from rotator cuff tears in back-to-back seasons to set career highs in completions (313), attempts (485), and passing yards (3,352), Jets' fans have focused on Pennington's lack of a big arm and big-city cachet. "I don't know what it'll take," said Jets guard Pete Kendall, a Weymouth native. "I think he took a big step toward [gaining acceptance] this year, winning the award and overcoming all the adversity. I guess it is a fickle thing, support from the public, particularly here in New York. It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately market, just like it is in Boston." What Pennington has done -- when healthy -- is win, even if it hasn't always been pretty (this season he has 17 TD passes and 16 interceptions). His .585 winning percentage (31-22) as a starter is the best in franchise history, better than Joe Namath's. Since becoming New York's starter in the fifth game of the 2002 season, Pennington has started at least 12 games in three seasons, including this year, when he played 16 games for the first time. The Jets have made the playoffs each of those three seasons. In the two seasons since 2002 he didn't play 12 games -- 2003, when he missed six games with a fractured left wrist, and last season, when he tore his rotator cuff in Week 3 -- New York went 10-22. Part of the problem for the 30-year-old Pennington, who hails from Knoxville, Tenn., is that he has more Southern grit than Broadway glitter. You won't find him in the gossip pages or out gallivanting around Manhattan. He's a family man with two sons. "Chad is a homebody. I get him out once a year and that's on my birthday," said wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who enjoys a great rapport with Pennington on and off the field. Pennington would have plenty to toast, if he were that type, given the adversity he's overcome. Despite his solid track record, he found himself taking a $6 million pay cut to be part of a four-way competition for his job. Unsure how Pennington would respond from a second surgery in eight months to repair his tattered throwing shoulder, first-year coach Eric Mangini kept his options open in training camp as the Jets traded for Patrick Ramsey, used a second-round pick on Kellen Clemens, and retained veteran Brooks Bollinger. Not exactly a vote of confidence for Pennington. "Sometimes during the rehab and sometimes during the competition, I think I had to look at it as if the slate was wiped clean and what I had done in the past did not matter anymore," said Pennington. "In this business, the past is exactly that, it's history. It's about how you perform, how you produce, how you handle your business in the now." Instead of sulking, Pennington set about proving himself again. He was a staple at the Jets training facility in the offseason, combining rehabilitation for his shoulder with learning a new playbook. "It didn't matter what time I was passing through, if Chad was getting rehabbed, he was multitasking with his playbook," said Mangini. "It was like a mobile study center, where he was getting worked on and working at the same time." The biggest knock on Pennington is that he has a Pop Warner arm, but he compensates with precision and guile. Pennington is the second-most accurate quarterback in NFL history among those with at least 1,500 attempts (65.1 completion percentage). Pennington's patience and accuracy paid off Nov. 12 at Gillette Stadium, as he led 15- and 16-play scoring drives and finished 22 of 33 for 168 yards and one touchdown in a 17-14 New York win. "When a quarterback knows where he's going with the ball, he can throw it earlier than some kid with a big arm," said Kendall. "There are plenty of guys with a big arm who flamed out because they didn't know how to run an offense. They don't know where to throw the ball. They can't diagnose the defense pre-snap and make an adjustment after the snap. A lot of the intangibles that Chad has most quarterbacks don't have -- his ability to lead an offense and to read defenses." And Mangini says his quarterback can hit the deep ball when he has to. "It is like anything else with Chad Pennington; if you underestimate him, he is going to end up hurting you," said Mangini. Don't underestimate Pennington's ability to deliver in the postseason. In the playoffs, Pennington is 2-2 with an 84.4 rating and a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (6 TDs, 3 INTs). In 2004, he was two missed Doug Brien field goals away from leading the Jets to the AFC Championship game. He knows he might not get many more chances. "Some professionals go through this league and play 10, 11, 12 years and never reach the playoffs," said Pennington. "When you have a chance to be in the playoffs, you want to take advantage of it. You don't want to be one-and-done. This only happens every once in a while." Sort of like Pennington being given the respect he deserves. "Everything he's accomplished this year he's earned it," said wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. "He won the job. It was a difficult road ahead in the offseason to be able to fight through what he was going through. "He's led this team in an incredible way this year and everyone on the team has fed off him, not just the offense, everyone on the team." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Lets win something first, these cinderella Pennington stories in the papers are getting old. Its a great story, we get it. But if we lose today, who honestly gives a rats a$$? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drago Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 i wish jet "fans" would stay off his back, how many times does he need to take them to the playoffs for the new yorkers to stop calling him "noodle arm" I mean boston fans, feel free to call him what you want, as long as you understand Brady was taking a Big Long hmmm in the arse for a pregame warmup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GimmeShelter Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 Lets win something first, these cinderella Pennington stories in the papers are getting old. Its a great story, we get it. But if we lose today, who honestly gives a rats a$$? We're expected to lose today. If that happens the season is still a huge success and a major building block for the years to come. We get it Barton...you hate Chad and Arod.....give it a rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 We're expected to lose today. If that happens the season is still a huge success and a major building block for the years to come. We get it Barton...you hate Chad and Arod.....give it a rest. hahaha I dont hate either player. I just dont see us ever winning "the big one" with Chad, and if we lose again today I seriously have to question how you can think otherwise. Great. We're expected to lose. So that means if we do lose, Chad gets a pass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSJ Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Great article! It is fans like Barton that make athletes not want to come to New York and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSJ Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 hahaha I dont hate either player. I just dont see us ever winning "the big one" with Chad, and if we lose again today I seriously have to question how you can think otherwise. Great. We're expected to lose. So that means if we do lose, Chad gets a pass? Barton, take Pennington out of the equation for a second. Which playoff team has worse offensive personel than the Jets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Ok. So now I get it, Chadinettes. If the Jets lose today, all is well. The Jets were supposed to suck, but we played in a playoff game. Yippee! Hang a star on Chads head, wadda guy! Lets just go out and beat the f'n pats. These old recycled cinderella Chad stories are just a big bore after the 25345645th time you've read one this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GimmeShelter Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 hahaha I dont hate either player. I just dont see us ever winning "the big one" with Chad, and if we lose again today I seriously have to question how you can think otherwise. Great. We're expected to lose. So that means if we do lose, Chad gets a pass? No....he gets his share win or lose. I guarantee though a loss will result in you placing ALL the blame on the QB. Enough..let's root this one home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Barton, take Pennington out of the equation for a second. Which playoff team has worse offensive personel than the Jets? RB aside, the Jets are up there. Alot of teams would love our offensive line (giants) and our WRs (pats). We need a RB, no doubt about it. Its a big time missing piece. Look, all I am saying is. These stories are meaningless. Its about today, not penningtons rehab in the offseason etc etc. We need to win today, and if we do not, who gives a fack about these cinderella Chad articles.....???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 No....he gets his share win or lose. I guarantee though a loss will result in you placing ALL the blame on the QB. Enough..let's root this one home. I'll only put blame on him if he plays like s h i t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSJ Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 RB aside, the Jets are up there. Alot of teams would love our offensive line (giants) and our WRs (pats). We need a RB, no doubt about it. Its a big time missing piece. Look, all I am saying is. These stories are meaningless. Its about today, not penningtons rehab in the offseason etc etc. We need to win today, and if we do not, who gives a fack about these cinderella Chad articles.....???? As a whole the Jets (subtracting the QB's) have the worse offensive personel in the playoffs. The OL has 2 rookies starting who have never gone through a full NFL season, a journeyman in Anthony Clement, and Brandon Moore who is average at best. Yes the WR's are tough little possesion WR's. Chris Baker is average at best. Yes, the sum of the RB's are better than the parts. But still the Jets will have much different personel next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columbia Jet Fan Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Back to the article...... I thought it was a good piece but I think the guy is exaggerating the extent to which the NY media has burried chad this year. Yes Chad got killed last year and in the off season, which was kind expected, but I thought the NY media has given Chad a lot of credit this year. I think NY embraces Chad and wants him to succeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugg Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Ok. So now I get it, Chadinettes. If the Jets lose today, all is well. The Jets were supposed to suck, but we played in a playoff game. Yippee! Hang a star on Chads head, wadda guy! Lets just go out and beat the f'n pats. These old recycled cinderella Chad stories are just a big bore after the 25345645th time you've read one this season. Don't want to have this argument today. Let's put this argument in the gagrage with the Christmas decorations and bowflex machines and auot parts until the season is over, okay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tparich Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 hahaha I dont hate either player. I just dont see us ever winning "the big one" with Chad, and if we lose again today I seriously have to question how you can think otherwise. Great. We're expected to lose. So that means if we do lose, Chad gets a pass? Just curious. Which QBs playing right now can you see us winning "The big one" with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemehl Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 hahaha I dont hate either player. I just dont see us ever winning "the big one" with Chad, and if we lose again today I seriously have to question how you can think otherwise. Great. We're expected to lose. So that means if we do lose, Chad gets a pass? He's about to win the Big One today!!!!!! I have all the faith in the world,this is Chad's year!! p.s. that picture of brady in the sports bra is fantastic!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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