Jets News Saturday 10/13

[BP]

Brian Schottenheimer defends Chad Pennington

BY KRISTIE ACKERT

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, October 13th 2007, 4:00 AM

Chad Pennington has been scrutinzed the past few weeks ...

... but Jets' offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer says the criticism is unfair.

If Pennington continues to struggle, Kellen Clemens (l.) may take over.

After days of Chad Pennington being critiqued for his inability to throw the long ball, his offensive coordinator said the Jets quarterback is being unfairly criticized.

"I think playing quarterback is about a lot of things and the ability to throw the ball accurately and things like that are more important," Brian Schottenheimer said yesterday. "He's doing a nice job, he throws a good deep ball and gives the guys a chance to go get it, so I don't necessarily see the issue with it. The most important thing with me is that it is accurate and it's catchable."

The close scrutiny of Pennington and the Jets' offense should continue tomorrow when they play host to the Eagles. The Jets (1-4) not only need to get more production from Pennington, but also establish the running game to turn around an offense that is averaging 282.2 yards per game, fourth-worst in the league.

After the 35-24 loss to the Giants last week, the criticism of the Jets' play-calling grew, with it being called predictable and conservative. Pennington took the brunt of it, with detractors focusing on his inability to throw deep. The Giants were able to stop both the run and Pennington's favored short passes by flooding the box with eight men on defense, and Pennington threw three interceptions.

Pennington's quarterback rating has taken a hit. Before facing the Giants he had completed nearly 77% of his passes for five touchdowns and had two interceptions for a rating of 105.8 through three games (he sat out Week 2 with an ankle injury). One game later, his rating is down to 89.3, 23rd in the NFL.

In his semi-monthly meeting with reporters, Schottenheimer defended Pennington but admitted the Jets also needed to balance out the offense.

"The running game is not where we want it to be, I think we can get better. I think like anything we identify as a problem we are working to address it and fix it," Schottenheimer said. "We want to get both Thomas (Jones) and Leon (Washington) carries, we want to get the running game going, but a lot of it has come down to situation in the game."

The Jets brought in Jones, who helped lead the Bears to the Super Bowl last year, to improve the running game. After rushing for 110 yards on 25 carries in the Jets' win over Miami, Jones has had just 25 carries for 71 yards in the last two games. The Jets are averaging 77.0 rushing yards per game, fourth-lowest in the league.

EYEING EAGLES: S Erik Coleman said after practice yesterday that he is "hopeful" he will be able to play tomorrow against Philadelphia. Coleman, who missed last week's game with a concussion, was listed as questionable on yesterday's injury report. Unable to discuss the injury because of team policy, he simply said: "It's up to the coaches. I would rather be out there and help out." ... Eagles RB Brian Westbrook (abdomen), T William Thomas (knee) and G Todd Herremans (knee) were listed as probable, while S Brian Dawkins (neck) was listed as out.

[BP]

ONE-MAN TEAM

JETS WARY OF PHILLY'S WESTBROOK

By DAN MARTIN

IT'S A BIRD ... Eagles RB Brian Westbrook, tries to break free of a tackle by the Packers' A.J. Hawkearlier this season. Westbrook, returning from an abdominal injury, and the Eagles hit Giants Stadium

October 13, 2007 -- After a week of studying film of the Eagles' offense with running back Brian Westbrook on the field and without him because of an abdominal injury, Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma described the difference succinctly.

"We saw how they struggled in the game versus the Giants and how they threw 56 (points) up when they faced Detroit," Vilma said after practice yesterday. "That's how big of an impact he has."

Unfortunately for the Jets, Westbrook, listed as probable, should be back for tomorrow's game, unlike the last time the Eagles visited Giants Stadium, two weeks ago. That day, the Eagles looked lost against the Giants in a 16-3 defeat.

"I'm sure that in analyzing the game, there were probably some more elements besides one player (being out)," Eric Mangini said.

True, but few players are more valuable to an offense than Westbrook is to Philadelphia's. The explosion the Eagles had on that side of the ball against the Lions was keyed by the Villanova product. He ran the ball 14 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns and caught five passes for 111 yards and another score.

He left that game with the abdomen injury and then sat out the next, the loss to the Giants, when the Eagles looked hopeless. As much as Osi Umenyiora's dominance of overmatched lineman Winston Justice played a role in the outcome, so did Westbrook's absence. Donovan McNabb was left without his favorite target and most reliable safety valve. Westbrook has since had another week off, thanks to last week's bye.

Vilma likened Westbrook to San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson.

"The way they use him is the way LaDainian is used," Vilma said. "Pass routes, screens, running the ball. They're very similar, the same type of player. Explosive."

If anything, Westbrook has been more effective than his Chargers' counterpart. Despite missing a game, Westbrook is the Eagles' leading rusher and tied for the team lead in receptions. The six-year veteran has gained 5.7 yards per carry.

"You don't want put all your attention on one player, but in this case you have to," safety Kerry Rhodes said. "You have to. You have to know where he is and account for him on every play."

Knowing where he is and actually preventing him from running roughshod are not the same thing.

"That's the challenge," Vilma said. "Trying to contain him."

Westbrook is so impressive that he has fans on the opposing sidelines.

"I enjoy watching Westbrook," said Leon Washington, the Jets' undersized running back. "I take pride in trying to do so many things. It poses problems for the defense. He's great at that."

That's what the 1-4 Jets need to counter. They'd rather no one admire Westbrook tomorrow.

"He's a dangerous player, a dynamic player," Rhodes said. "But we can't let him beat us."

dan.martin@nypost.com

[BP]

Jets in a rush to fix ground woes

by M.A. Mehta

Saturday October 13, 2007, 7:00 AM

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- While it's true offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer hasn't suddenly become clueless, even he said yesterday that something is amiss with a Jets offense that has been hemorrhaging all season.

For all of Schottenheimer's machinations -- he liberally uses the no-huddle and isn't bashful with shifts and motions before the snap, either -- the Jets haven't fooled anyone.

The team's lack of a formidable ground or air attack begs the question: Have the Jets become too predictable on offense?

"You do see some teams not react to the shifts and motions maybe like other teams have," Schottenheimer said. "Each week has been different. Our ability to play fast -- our ability when we do shift to do it in an up-tempo (manner) -- is what really creates the problems, not the shifts themselves. It's how quickly you can do it and make defenses have to adjust."

Evidently, the 1-4 Jets -- who face the Philadelphia Eagles at the Meadowlands tomorrow -- haven't been quick enough through the first five games.

"Teams that we played last year are more familiar with it," running back Leon Washington said. "Obviously if they're more familiar with it, they'll do more to adjust to our formations."

The production on the ground has been downright ghastly. The Jets rank 29th in the NFL in total offense (282 yards per game) and rushing (77 yards). Schottenheimer's unit is tied for 31st in the league in yards per carry (3.0). If that weren't anemic enough, the Jets have just two rushing touchdowns -- and one was from quarterback Chad Pennington.

"The running game's not where we want it to be," Schottenheimer said. "Like anything we look at and identify as a problem, we're working to address it and fix it. We've had some good runs, (but) we've had too many negative runs. What that comes down to is different breakdowns by different people."

Thomas Jones has been a nonfactor, shrinking in importance with each passing week. The eight-year pro has rushed for just 290 yards on 88 carries (3.3 yards per carry) with no touchdowns. Last year Jones -- who split carries with Cedric Benson in Chicago -- rushed for 389 yards on 105 carries and had two touchdowns through the first five games. Since erupting for 92 second-half yards against Miami in Week 3, Jones has had just 25 carries the past two games.

"Against Buffalo (two weeks ago)," Schottenheimer said, "it was a situation where (Pennington) was really hot and was throwing the ball well. So we kind of leaned on that and let Chad continue to play well. That's what you do as a play caller -- go with what's working and mix the other stuff in."

The ground game isn't the only facet of the offense that is struggling. Pennington's lack of arm strength has come into question in recent weeks.

"I can't think of many balls (since) we've been here that Chad's underthrown to the point where I go, 'Wow ... what was that?'" Schottenheimer said. "He throws a good deep ball and gives the guys a chance to go get it. So, I don't necessarily see the issue with it. The most important thing to me is that it's accurate and it's catchable. And sometimes you can quite honestly throw the ball too hard."

Notes: Safety Erik Coleman (concussion) is listed as questionable on the official injury report after having limited participation in practice. He will be a game-time decision.

"It is up to the coaches," Coleman said of his availability tomorrow. "I would rather be out there and help out."

[shodan9999]

Brian Schottenheimer defends Chad Pennington

BY KRISTIE ACKERT

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, October 13th 2007, 4:00 AM

Chad Pennington has been scrutinzed the past few weeks ...

... but Jets' offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer says the criticism is unfair.

If Pennington continues to struggle, Kellen Clemens (l.) may take over.

After days of Chad Pennington being critiqued for his inability to throw the long ball, his offensive coordinator said the Jets quarterback is being unfairly criticized.

"I think playing quarterback is about a lot of things and the ability to throw the ball accurately and things like that are more important," Brian Schottenheimer said yesterday. "He's doing a nice job, he throws a good deep ball and gives the guys a chance to go get it, so I don't necessarily see the issue with it. The most important thing with me is that it is accurate and it's catchable."

The close scrutiny of Pennington and the Jets' offense should continue tomorrow when they play host to the Eagles. The Jets (1-4) not only need to get more production from Pennington, but also establish the running game to turn around an offense that is averaging 282.2 yards per game, fourth-worst in the league.

After the 35-24 loss to the Giants last week, the criticism of the Jets' play-calling grew, with it being called predictable and conservative. Pennington took the brunt of it, with detractors focusing on his inability to throw deep. The Giants were able to stop both the run and Pennington's favored short passes by flooding the box with eight men on defense, and Pennington threw three interceptions.

Pennington's quarterback rating has taken a hit. Before facing the Giants he had completed nearly 77% of his passes for five touchdowns and had two interceptions for a rating of 105.8 through three games (he sat out Week 2 with an ankle injury). One game later, his rating is down to 89.3, 23rd in the NFL.

In his semi-monthly meeting with reporters, Schottenheimer defended Pennington but admitted the Jets also needed to balance out the offense.

"The running game is not where we want it to be, I think we can get better. I think like anything we identify as a problem we are working to address it and fix it," Schottenheimer said. "We want to get both Thomas (Jones) and Leon (Washington) carries, we want to get the running game going, but a lot of it has come down to situation in the game."

The Jets brought in Jones, who helped lead the Bears to the Super Bowl last year, to improve the running game. After rushing for 110 yards on 25 carries in the Jets' win over Miami, Jones has had just 25 carries for 71 yards in the last two games. The Jets are averaging 77.0 rushing yards per game, fourth-lowest in the league.

EYEING EAGLES: S Erik Coleman said after practice yesterday that he is "hopeful" he will be able to play tomorrow against Philadelphia. Coleman, who missed last week's game with a concussion, was listed as questionable on yesterday's injury report. Unable to discuss the injury because of team policy, he simply said: "It's up to the coaches. I would rather be out there and help out." ... Eagles RB Brian Westbrook (abdomen), T William Thomas (knee) and G Todd Herremans (knee) were listed as probable, while S Brian Dawkins (neck) was listed as out.

Yeah , and if his cap figure was less than a $1,000,000, how long do you think he would be around ? Since it is $6,000,000 we need to keep making excuses...