Chad Pennington had his sweet revenge on Eric Mangini and the New York Jets as the Miami Dolphins won the AFC East with a 24-17 victory.
And so the much-publicized story of the 2008 New York Jets' season comes to the most dramatic end one could possibly imagine.
Unfortunately, the story was the same as it has been over the last month for New York—Brett Favre made terrible throws, the defense looked unprepared, and opportunities to change the game were left on the field.
The better team won.
Miami's season will continue into the playoffs for the first time since the 2001 season, with a legitimate opportunity at the Super Bowl.
Hindsight is 20/20
Chad Pennington effectively made the entire New York Jets organization look stupid.
There's no kind way to say it. He was supposed to be the quarterback that couldn't get it done in high-pressure situations, and left his best football behind him—two repaired shoulders ago.
Being the resilient man he is, he's made all of us look foolish for ever questioning if he should even be the starter in 2008.
Given the information, Pennington was the quarterback who folded in must-win games, was benched halfway through 2007, and whose check-down routes were often jumped by waiting defensive backs.
That was the Pennington reality after 2007. Anyone that says otherwise is a liar.
With his Dolphins completing a historic turnaround and heading to the playoffs, every single one of the Jets' faithful is hanging their heads in shame.
Not everyone was excited for the Brett Favre move. But fans rolled with the team as expectations grew.
The trade can now be considered an irrefutable failure. Not because of Pennington's success, but because of Favre's inability to play like the Hall of Fame quarterback he's supposed to be.
Favre fans will do their best to shift the blame to the Jets receivers, to the playcalling, and anything else that doesn't effect the way he throws the ball. When the smoke clears, only one thing will be obvious—Favre led the league in interceptions all by himself.
The veteran playmaker was supposed to be the man to put the Jets over the top.
Now Jets' fans are looking at an offseason with one of their most emotional low-points since being eliminated from the playoffs in 1998.
Eric Mangini's Future
In an interview with SNY after the game, Jets' owner Woody Johnson declined to give a glowing endorsement of Eric Mangini and his future with the team.
When asked, Johnson said Mangini's future is something they "will be taking a look at" and a decision will be reached before the end of the week.
With one year left on his contract, some would expect Mangini to finish out his final season and produce some kind of results.
However, after being given a team with so much talent and personnel he selected, there will be legitimate questions as to whether or not he should return as the Jets coach.
Playoffs Were Gone Before the Opening Kickoff
The Jets needed help to make it to the playoffs. But the playoffs were out of reach since the beginning of December.
It doesn't matter that New England defeated Buffalo at home. And it definitely doesn't matter that Baltimore steamrolled Jacksonville like a team that wanted to go to the playoffs.
It is absolutely inexcusable for an 8-3 football team to finish the season at 9-7.
Anyone watching closely will tell you that it appears as if New York's Super Bowl happened in New England when they defeated the Patriots in overtime.
Momentum carried them through Tennessee, but the Jets couldn't finish the season.
After those games, the offense had been figured out, the defense began to look tired, and the decisions made by the coaching staff weren't those of men trying to win.
The creativity was gone, aggression was non-existent, and the Jets will be watching the playoffs from home this season.
On the bright side: New England will be, too.
Angel Navedo covers the New York Jets for Examiner.com. His work can also be found on NYJetsFan.com, where he is the Head Writer, and on MyGridironSpace.com—a premier social networking site built exclusively for NFL fans.
He is also a Senior Writer at the Bleacher Report, where he is one of the New York Jets Community Leaders.
22 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
Sean Crowe 6 months ago
Please, please, please fire Mangini. I hate the storyline of him vs. the Pats. I hate the fact that he's a head coach in the NFL even though he was a poor defensive coordinator who had the play calling duties taken away from him his only season as a DC.
And I especially would hate being in the position of having to root for a team he coaches again...
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
Man, from your keyboard to Woody Johnson's inbox. I hate NFL storylines regardless of the situation, but from the beginning I hated the "Belichick disciple" talk. We got a guy with no identity accept the one he adopted.
It's like a child trying to emulate his father reading a newspaper, except the kid keeps holding the damn thing upside down and doesn't know what he's looking at.
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Rain Man 6 months ago
I want this moron fired NOW! 8-3, and it goes south from there, INEXCUSABLE! We look stupid for releasing Chad Pennington now, and I have a feeling, it's gonna haunt the Jets for a LONG time.
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
I agree, Rain. We can do our best to try and downplay it, but Chad has a few more good seasons in him.. and until he wears out his welcome, we should expect him to be a thorn in our sides for a long time.
Can't even be mad at him though. It proves how this team doesn't know how to utilize talent. Players leave the Jets and become Pro Bowlers. Ask BJ Askew.
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HD Handshoe -- BlockONation.com 6 months ago
I'm glad you did.....I always like Pennington a lot even on the Jets. He's solid, consistent, and a winner!
Thanks for giving him to us....now he's our MVP!
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Will Shepherd 6 months ago
I feel so dirty for rooting for the Jets tonight. If only Brett could have played the game like a future hall of famer instead of some bum off the street. Why do people think he is gods gift to quarterbacks? I never understood, being from New England I've always hated him though. Could just be my bias, but what is the fuss? He never impressed me. If you play for 35 years you're bound to set a bunch of records. Whatever, he let me down and now I'm mad.
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
It's his fun-loving nature, right? That matters, doesn't it?
I don't want to take anything away from him. To play as long as he has is an accomplishment in itself. But he made it clear to me that he's not smart enough to run an offense. Pure football instincts? He has it by the pound.
But when he requested the Jets to scale back the offense with less motions and shifts, it drove me insane! Apparently the only thing he likes off-balance is his footing when he's trying to throw the ball.
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L.J. Burgess 6 months ago
Favre syndrome...
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
It's contagious.
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Henry Gula 6 months ago
Angel, I feel your pain, I feel the pain that all Jets, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Broncos fans (seeing that I am one) are feeling tonight. The Broncos just finished their collapse getting their asses kicked by the Chargers. The Jets were never the same after losing to the Broncos. (at that point the Broncos looked like they could be a super bowl contender) but in any case, after the Jets lost that game, it was all downhill, and after we won that game, it was all downhill, strangely enough. The Jets just kind of came apart at the seams, but that was really Favre. Let's be basic: he wore his 40-year old arm out. Today the strength looked a little better, but the accuracy wasn't there. I really think that Favre was, in the end, what killed you guys. And defense, was, definitely what killed the Broncos. Hey, if Mangini gets fired by the Jets, I'd like it if the Broncos tried to get him to be defensive coordinator...
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
A defensive coordinator would do wonders out there. But I don't know if Mangini would be the guy. He's the head coach of a team that doesn't believe in more than a three-man rush.
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Henry Gula 6 months ago
Haha it probably wouldn't matter. The Broncos haven't gotten a sack in about a month anyway. You think Mangini is gonna get fired?
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
I do think so. He's got one year left on his contract, but coaches don't get contracts like players do. There's no "give them one more year, and franchise them in the end" for coaches. He either gets an extension or gets fired.
And like I wrote in an article questioning his job security the other day—I don't think the front office wants to go through another coach replacing coodinators like that's going to change the culture. He can blame his coordinators, but as the HC things had to go through him. The Jets' lack of preparation, and poor utilization of the talent we had was terrible.
How do we have a back who averaged nearly six yards a carry only receive 76 carries the whole season? Leon Washington received six carries against the Fish and scored a touchdown with it! He received one carry against the Bills and took it 47 yards for a TD.
Most coaches get the very best out of every player. Mangini ended up looking like a guy mystified by Brett Favre.
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Adam 6 months ago
I love how Pennington had a bunch of completions down the field in his old stadium. What "noodle arm"?
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
The same noodle-arm Dolphins' fans criticized him for when he was with the Jets. It was never a question of IF he could get the ball down field. It was if he could get it there fast enough, and with accuracy. He threw balls 40+ in the air before, but they had to stay in the middle of the field for a fast guy to catch.
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HD Handshoe -- BlockONation.com 6 months ago
I NEVER thought Pennington had a noodle arm. I admit it, even when he was a Jet and as much as I hate the Jets, I have always had a bit of a man crush on Chad Pennington....even more so now that he's leading my team into the playoffs for the 1st time in 8 seasons!
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HD Handshoe -- BlockONation.com 6 months ago
Miami's season will continue into the playoffs for the first time since the 2001 season, with a legitimate opportunity at the Super Bowl.
*****************************
I hope you're right Angel...
GO PHINS!
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
The one argument I had against Chad was his inability to win must-win games. He folded for us in New York when we needed him. With Miami, it looks like he's over that hump. The rest of playoffs are must-win situations for him, and he's good enough to keep everyone around him grounded.
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Rain Man 6 months ago
I don't think we used Chad right when he had him.
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Angel Navedo 6 months ago
That's for sure. But isn't that the Jets' story? I mentioned BJ Askew before, but it's not the only time. Hugh Douglas? Santana Moss?
Everyone forgot how fast Laveranues Coles when he went to Washington. And here we are using him as a possession receiver.
Whatever it is, the Jets let players go we can't utilize and watch them emerge as stars elsewhere.
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Chris J. Nelson 6 months ago
Why the hell don't I get this many comments? Haha
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Chris F 6 months ago
Jets fans are some of the most vocal in football. ;)
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