GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: WASHINGTON (4-3) at NY JETS (1-7)

NFL: WASHINGTON (4-3) at NY JETS (1-7)

<h3>Clemens replaces Pennington as Jets starting QB</h3>







Washington (4-3) at NY Jets (1-7) Sunday 1:00 pm EDT

<div class="pre">EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- New York Jets coach</div>Eric Mangini has passed the torch to Kellen Clemens.

The second-year quarterback will take over for Chad Penningtonon Sunday, when the Jets look to break a five-game losing streakagainst the Washington Redskins.


For several weeks, Jets' fans have been asking for a quarterbackchange and Mangini finally bowed to their wishes.


The move could be the end of a era and puts Pennington's futurewith the Jets in question. He had been the Jets' starter sinceWeek Two of the 2002 season.


While battling injuries throughout his career, Pennington hasbeen an inspirational leader for the Jets. Last season, hereturned from rotator cuff surgery that caused him to miss mostof the 2005 and led New York to the playoffs with a 10-6 record.Pennington was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year

But with the Jets just 1-7, a change probably was needed. Itwill be the second career start for Clemens, a second-yearplayer out of Oregon.


"This is the bad part of losing," Pennington said. "It's a teamgame. When you lose, changes have to be made, and sometimesdrastic changes have to be made, whether it's that person'sfault or not."


The 24-year-old Clemens, who has a stronger arm than Penningtonstarted in a 20-13 Week Two loss to the Baltimore Ravens.Pennington was sidelined with an ankle injury.


"Chad is a captain, he's been the leader of this team for a longtime," Clemens said. "I respect him and look up to him. At thesame time, whatever quarterback is in there needs to have acertain sense of command of the huddle and of what's going on,and I'll do my best to do that."


The Jets could be a good opponent for the Redskins, who arelicking their wounds following last week's embarrassing 52-7loss to the New England Patriots.


"How we deal with this?," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "Idon't know. I think it's something we have to play out and seehow we all react."


The defeat dropped Washington two games behind first-placeDallas (6-1) and 1 1/2 games in back of the New York Giants (6-2)in the competitive NFC East.


Facing a 3-4 defense for the first time this season, Redskins'quarterback Jason Campbell struggled to get untracked againstthe Patriots, fumbling three times. The fumbles led to 17points.


Washington's running game also had its problems as ClintonPortis rushed for just 27 yards on 11 carries. Overall, theRedskins managed just 47 yards on the ground.

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL TD NYJ
LEON WASHINGTON 86 YD KICKOFF RETURN
(MIKE NUGENT KICK)

WASHINGTON 0
NY JETS 7 14:47 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL
WASHINGTON 0
NY JETS 7 14:41 LEFT, 1ST QTR

WAS BALL ON WAS 30 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL WASHINGTON 0
NY JETS 7 10:40 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL FG WAS
SHAUN SUISHAM 46 YD

WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 7 9:54 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL
WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 7 9:54 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NYJ BALL ON NYJ 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 7 4:20 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL FG NYJ
MIKE NUGENT 29 YD

WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 10 1:58 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL
WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 10 1:52 LEFT, 1ST QTR

WAS BALL ON WAS 39 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 3 3
NY JETS 10 10 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: NYJ - TD, LEON WASHINGTON 86 YD KICKOFF
RETURN (MIKE NUGENT KICK), 0:13. NY
JETS 7-0
WAS - FG, SHAUN SUISHAM 46 YD, 5:06. Drive:
10 plays, 42 yards in 4:53. NY JETS
7-3
NYJ - FG, MIKE NUGENT 29 YD, 13:02. Drive: 15
plays, 69 yards in 7:56. Key plays:
15-yard roughing the passer penalty
on Redskins' Landry to Washington
38; T Jones 12-yard run to
Washington 26; Clemens 14 NY JETS
10-3</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 10 14:06 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL
WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 10 13:59 LEFT, 2ND QTR

NYJ BALL ON NYJ 21 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL TD NYJ
JOSEPH KOWALEWSKI 1 YD PASS FROM KELLEN CLEMENS
(MIKE NUGENT KICK)

WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 17 9:21 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL
WASHINGTON 3
NY JETS 17 9:15 LEFT, 2ND QTR

WAS BALL ON WAS 31 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL FG WAS
SHAUN SUISHAM 40 YD

WASHINGTON 6
NY JETS 17 0:28 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">CORRECTION

NFL
WASHINGTON 6
NY JETS 17 5:25 LEFT, 2ND QTR

WAS BALL ON WAS 37 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL
WASHINGTON 6
NY JETS 17 5:25 LEFT, 2ND QTR

WAS BALL ON WAS 33 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">CORRECTION


NFL FG WAS
SHAUN SUISHAM 40 YD

WASHINGTON 6
NY JETS 17 5:28 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL WASHINGTON 6
NY JETS 17 5:25 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: WASHINGTON at NY JETS

<div class="pre">NFL TWO MINUTE WARNING, 1ST HALF

WASHINGTON 6
NY JETS 17

WAS BALL ON NYJ 20 YD LINE
2ND AND 7</div>