Yet, three days removed
from the disappointing loss to the Bengals, Eric Mangini once again
designated Pennington his starter.
"Chad (Pennington) will be the starter this weekend," Mangini said
during his Wednesday press-conference. "I went back through the tape,
looked at it and felt very good about the decision¬ making process.
There were quite a few plays that I really liked, especially the
third-down scramble that he had. That is classic Chad. He steps up
in the pocket, he's under pressure, his ability to throw off that
significantly bigger defensive lineman, find the sticks, get the first
down and try to keep the drive moving."
Completing 20 of 31 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns,
Pennington was far from awful last weekend. Yet, in what appears to be
the theme for the season, the topic dominating the headlines this
week, once again, was the security of his job.
At 1-6, the Jets chances of earning a playoff spot are nearly
non-existent. However, the team still seems far from waving the white
flag on the season. They remain convinced that Pennington gives them
the best chance to win, and until they begin thinking otherwise,
Clemens will remain as the backup. A role he seems comfortable with.
"I absolutely support Chad 100 percent." Clemens said after the
announcement was made. "I know that this team does. He is a great
player, a great competitor and a good teammate. We are all behind
him. It is important for us to get a win this week"
Although Mangini has named Pennington his starter, he was not as
adamant about his decision this week as he has been in weeks past.
Should Pennington struggle, Mortensen's proclamation of a week ago may
prove true after all.