Jets Outlast Nugent & Pennington

JETS 20

DOLPHINS 14

This was supposed to be easy folks. Brett Favre was supposed to dismantle the Dolphins and Chad Pennington was supposed to disapear. Well for three quarters that is exactly what happened. It appeared that the Jets would walk away with an easy win, but that was not the case.

Why? Mike Nugent. With the game tied at seven, the Jets faced a 4th and 13 at the Dolphins 30 yard line. Logic would tell you that they would kick the field goal and take a 10-7 lead. But Nugent couldn't go because he claimed to have had a leg injury. He missed a cheap shot field goal late in the first quarter becasue of it.

So Favre and the Jets came out. Favre rolled out and heaved the ball into the air, and into the hands of Chanis Stuckey for the touchdown. The Jets then had to try for two, becuase of Nugent's inability to kick the ball. The conversion failed and the Jets held a 13-7 lead.

It appeared that this moment would go by the waist side. In the third quarter the Jets completed a nine play 69 yard drive that ate up nearly six minutes, ending with a six yard run by Thomas Jones to give New York a 20-7 lead.

Game over right? Pennington for the first three quarters looked like typical Chad, dinking and dunking all over the field and failing to move the Dolphins, but then in the final quarter something sparked the former Jet. Chad moved the Fish all the way down the field, completing a short 13 yard pass to Ronnie Brown and a key 14 yard pass to Anthony Fasano to move the Fish to the Jet goaline.

Still the Jets stood strong. Pennington was sacked on 2nd and goal by Calvin Pace, dropping the Fish to the 16 yard line. Later, Dwight Lowery, who had a huge preseason, knocked down two Pennington passes in the end zone, turning away Miami and giving the Jets the ball back.

But, the Dolphins would not relent. When the got the ball back, Pennington moved down the field again, this time connecting with David Martin for a 11 yard touchdown to bring Miami to within six points.

Favre failed to move the Jets on their next possesion, and Miami got the ball back with under two minutes to go. Pennington completed short passes to Ricky Williams, Brown, and Greg Camarillo to get Miami back into the redzone. Pennington heaved up a pass to the endzone but it was knocked down by Eric Coleman. On thrid down, Pennington threw one into the back of the endzone, but it was picked off by Darrell Revis to ice it for New York.

Nugent was spared his gaff, and Pennington walked off a loser. As for Favre he had a good day in his first start as a Jet. His two touchdown passes were typical Favre. One from 56 yards out to Jerricho Cothery to give New York a 7-0 lead early.

Next up for New York...the Patriots, who may not have Tom Brady playing for them. Should be fun.