WHEN NFL teams become cryptic about important issues, it almost always means they’re in trouble or scrambling for answers. When it comes to their unsettled quarterback situation, the Jets are both – in trouble and scrambling.
Granted, at 3-11 and with two more games left before this season comes to a merciful close, you might ask, “How much more trouble could they be in?”
But this is bigger than 3-11. This is about their future at the most important position on their roster. A read between the lines in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots unearthed something significant.
There’s a reason why Eric Mangini stayed with Chad Pennington for the rest of the game Sunday in Foxborough – even after Kellen Clemens had gone to the locker room to have his injured rib checked and returned to the sideline physically able to return.
Because Pennington gave Mangini and the Jets their best chance to win the game.
While, in fairness, Clemens hasn’t yet been afforded enough time to show a complete enough body of work, unfortunately for the Jets it’s become rather clear since he was handed the starting job seven weeks ago that Pennington still gives the Jets their best chance to win on Sundays.
That was very apparent Sunday when Pennington had the offense in more of a rhythm than Clemens has had it for much of his playing time.
This is not meant to be a complete indictment of Clemens as a starter, because he certainly hasn’t gotten the kind of help he’s needed from the offensive line, receivers and running game. But, at 2-4 as the starter and with a 52 percent completion rate and four TDs and 10 INTs, the Jets were hoping for more – enough to show he can be their starter in 2008 and beyond.
That, after all, was the reason for benching Pennington in favor of Clemens in the first place – so Clemens could have half a season to show what he can do and perhaps solidify himself as next season’s starter.
For all of the fans who demanded Pennington be benched as they clamored for Clemens and his superior arm strength, we ask you this question: Give us some tangible examples where Clemens’ arm strength has benefited the Jets so greatly?
It hasn’t. Yes, arm strength is a factor for any quarterback, but it’s not the most important factor to success.
Pennington, who’s been a winning quarterback in this league because of his other gifts, such as smarts and anticipation, has proven that.
When Mangini was asked if he feels he already has “enough of a body of work” with Clemens to make some offseason decisions with regard to the quarterback situation, he said, “I haven’t really been looking at it like that. I’ve been looking at it more in terms of each game and not in terms of what we’re going to be doing after the season comes to a close.”
Mangini has to say that for a couple of reasons.
First, it stays consistent with his mantra of staying in the present with each game and not looking ahead.
Most important, it’s quite obvious he hasn’t seen enough of Clemens to determine whether he has his quarterback of now and the future.
That opens a can of worms Mangini and GM Mike Tannenbaum were hoping wouldn’t see the light of the can opener. It leaves the Jets with uncertainty at their most important position.
It raises three frightening questions.
* Will Clemens be better next year?
* Can they go back to Pennington after benching him?
* Do they need to move in another direction by drafting a Matt Ryan or Brian Brohm or Andre Woodson?
These are questions the Jets hoped they wouldn’t have to deal with when they handed the starting job to Clemens with hopes that he would seize the opportunity and prove himself.
Now the Jets have to make a decision. Do they stay committed to Clemens? Go back to Pennington and build around him? Or start over?
For a team that has plenty of other problems to address this offseason, that’s a daunting issue to deal with, and it’s the reason Mangini has been so cryptic about the status of Clemens’ ribs and who’ll start Sunday against the Titans in Nashville.
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The Jets yesterday released defensive end Eric Hicks and offensive tackle Adrian Jones.