Strictly the numbers

I agree bigtime.  We know what we have with Chad Pennington a QB who cant win you games or throw the deep ball but can complete passes and manage the clock we last year he lost the ability to manage a game by throwing many 4th qtr INTs.

I cant stand when people compare Chad to Kellen Clemens its so annoying they forget that Chad is a 9 year veteran and It was Kellens 1st year starting and he only started 8 games.  Kellen showed promise last season he won more games and displayed tremendous poise in the 4th QTR by leading many comebacks.

he beat the Steelers who was a top 5 team then.

We would have won against Washington in Cotchery caught the ball

We would have beat baltimore if McDroppins caught either 2 TD passes.

If those things happened Kellen would have a record of 5-2 and we would not be having this discussion so often.  I think Chad is a great guy and really knows the game but you also need physical ability and chad doesnt have that.  Kellen went threw an entire offseason with detailed information about him and you know he worked on his mistakes.  he got experience which is pivital to young QB's.

Kellen gives us the best chance to compete heavy next year, Chad is past his prime and damaged goods.

Despite his injury problems over the last few years, the Jets management has seemed satisfied with him enough to not pursue a major free agent or first round draft pick QB (such as Jay Cutler, a first year starter) to compete with him or replace him outright. He does have 2 wildcard playoff victories, though the Jet D played very well in both games.

The recipe for success for Chad is a solid running game with play-action and short passes and overall good game management. He's not a gunslinger who can rack up yards in a 4th quarter comeback and will fail in that capacity.

Kellen was drafted in the 2nd round of 2006 and was considered a developmental project. I think he was put into the starting job too early and Mangini is creating a controversy by bringing Chad, the likely favorite to start, into the mix. If I was Chad, I would walk without the starting job, so I expect him to make waves if he's not the starter. He's unlikely to accept a back-up/mentor role. But if Kellen wins the starting job in camp, it should be the indication that he's ready to go.

To me, it's nothing personal. The optimistic results could be:

1) Chad wins the job and keeps it throughout the season by staying healthy and playing classic Chadball (yes, dink n dunk). Kellen learns what Chad has to offer, mainly play-action and game-management skills. Jets have a winning record. Chad increases his free agent value for 2009. and signs with another team. Kellen starts in 09.

2) Kellen wins the job. This is a signal that he's as ready to go as he's going to be. There are some hiccups but he also brings his greater arm strength to the table, improving the Jets vertical attack and outside passing game. Jets have a winning record and Kellen is the incumbent franchise QB. Ainge is allowed to develop. Chad is traded early season for a mid-round pick.

The pessimistic outcome is:

3) Kellens wins the job in camp, Chad demands trade. But Kellen doesn't play well and it ends up being a long season with much free agent money spent and only 6 or 7 wins to show for it or they may turn to Ainge, a total unknown at this point.

My preference is to have Chad start for one last year and then to have Clemens and Ainge compete in 2009.

casual fan how is Kellen being taken in the 2nd round a developmental project?  Those types of picks are made in the low end of the draft not as high as the early second round.  Kellen would have been taken in the 1st round if not for breaking his ankle.

Kellen was thrown in at the right time, he has been in the system for 2 years and it was never Mangini or Schottenheimer intention to have him "save" the season, it was basically to give him starting expereince and to truely latch on to the speed of the NFL.

I NEVER want to see Chad start he sucks plain and simple and there is noway to sugar coat it.  If not for dropped pass kellen would have won 5 games.  Based on Stats LLC 5 of Kellen INT were not results of bad throws but by tipped/dropped passes by recievers.

Chad took a major step back last season and wasnt even able to perform Chad Pennington football correctly which is sad because thats the easiest to perform. 

The team is now tailor made for a young QB.  We rebuilt to offensive line to actually give him time to throw, the run game will be improved, we got a playmaking TE (and we all know chad never uses the TE), the defense has been revamped.  All these improvements lean towards having a young QB.

Kellen has the athletic ability, a strong arm, and is accurate when given time look at his college stats, he will be a good professional QB.