- It's all about maybes for the New York Jets.
Maybe the first-week home blowout at the hands of New England wasn't as indicative of season-long failure as it seemed.
Maybe the Patriots' clandestine sideline videotaping provided enough of an advantage to explain away a 24-point schedule-opening debacle.
Maybe Chad Pennington's ankle isn't as hurt as it looked while he gimped clumsily off the field resembling a third-quarter drunk on a Section 301 stairway.
And maybe a subsequently inconvenient road game against one of the league's most ferocious defenses isn't the doomsday assignment it appears.
Or, then again, maybe it's time for the woebegone J-E-T-S to start constructing their 2008 draft board.
Pennington, who turned heads last season by starting 16 games for the first time, is listed as questionable for Sunday's 4:15 p.m. meeting with the Ravens at Baltimore's M & T Bank Stadium - site of a dreadful 13-3 loss in since- departed QB Brooks Bollinger's first start in 2005.
If Pennington can't go, the dial would turn to second-year New York understudy Kellen Clemens, who seemingly narrowed the gap between the two with a strong preseason and then went 5-for-10 in mop-up duty during the 38-14 loss to New England.
Clemens has never started an NFL game.
Bollinger's ill-fated starting assignment two seasons ago came after Pennington's most recent serious injury, a torn rotator cuff suffered in a loss to Jacksonville. Later in the same game, back-up Jay Fiedler was also lost for the year, leaving Bollinger in charge.
New York ended the season at 4-12.
The Ravens, meanwhile, are coming off some Week 1 disappointment of their own - in the form of a 27-20 loss in Cincinnati on Monday night. Baltimore nearly sent the game to OT, but was foiled when Todd Heap dropped a would-be TD pass from Kyle Boller in the final minute.
Boller had replaced starter Steve McNair, who was sidelined with a pulled groin in the fourth quarter and is listed doubtful for Sunday. Boller, who lost his starting job when McNair arrived prior to last season, was 2-for-6 for 19 yards and an interception on Monday.
SERIES HISTORY
The Ravens lead the all-time series with the Jets, 4-1, including the aforementioned 13-3 home win when the teams last met, in Week 4 of the 2005 season. The Jets' lone triumph in the series was a 19-16 overtime win at the Meadowlands in 1997, and New York is 0-2 in Baltimore since last winning there, against the Colts, in the 1983 season.
Ravens head coach Brian Billick is 3-0 in his career against the Jets. New York's Eric Mangini, who was an assistant in Baltimore under Ted Marchibroda during the 1996 season, will be meeting both Billick and the Ravens for the first time as a head coach.
WHEN THE JETS HAVE THE BALL
If he plays, Pennington can take another step toward predecessor Vinny Testaverde on the team's all-time passing yardage list, where he now stands fifth at 12,140 yards - 357 behind Testaverde. But whether it's Pennington or Clemens, the Jets will likely lean heavily on newcomer Thomas Jones, who went for 42 yards on 14 carries in his New York debut. Wideout Laveranues Coles caught seven passes for 59 yards in the loss to the Patriots, with a pair of touchdown receptions.
Baltimore allowed just 236 total yards to the Bengals, but the defense was consistently put behind the 8-ball by an offense that committed six turnovers. Look for lots of bodies in the box against either Jets QB, including defensive end Jarret Johnson, who recorded the team's lone sack on Monday. Injuries could play a role for the Ravens as well, with linebacker Ray Lewis listed as questionable with a triceps injury and safety Ed Reed hampered by an ankle problem.
WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL
Running back Willis McGahee made a habit of beating the Jets during his days with Buffalo, then began his career with the Ravens last week with 77 yards on 19 carries. He's gone for 663 yards in his last five games against New York, scoring three touchdowns over that span. Wide receiver Derrick Mason has 16 catches for 187 yards in two career games against the Jets, including a 133- yard effort while with Tennessee in December 2003. Mason had seven catches for 76 yards against the Bengals.
The Jets were lit up for 431 total yards in the Patriots embarrassment, including the two-touchdown rejuvenation of WR Randy Moss. Defensive end Kenyon Coleman made 10 tackles in his first game with New York, while cornerback Darrelle Revis became the first rookie to start at that position for the Jets since Ray Mickens in 1996. Revis had five tackles against New England. Up front, mammoth defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson is probable despite a knee problem.
FANTASY FOCUS
Neither team is known for its offense, though McGahee's resume' of effort against Gang Green could be a worthwhile reason to give him a start. For New York, neither Coles nor tandem-made Jerricho Cotchery figure to run up numbers with the issues at quarterback. The Ravens' defense, as usual, is a quality commodity and a pretty good bet for this week against a seemingly anemic foe. The Jets' defense, on the other hand, would be a desperation play at best.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
A healthy Pennington against a replacement Boller might tilt the scales toward New York, even against a traditionally rabid defense. With the Jets' quarterback hurting and the prospect of a rookie in his first start against Lewis & Co., however, a slow-paced smothering by the Inner Harbor is a much more likely scenario. Expect the Ravens to bring eight and nine men into the box to snuff Jones and force Pennington or Clemens to make the positive impact neither look able to provide.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Ravens 20, Jets 10
© 2007 The Sports Network
USA
Your Talkback on this Story