Professor

KELLEN'S JELLIN' | By STEVE SERBY | New York Jets

excerpt:

August 11, 2007 -- Eric Mangini and the Jets needed to see something from Kellen Clemens last night in their preseason opener.

They saw something.

They saw plenty in a 31-16 preseason victory over the Falcons.

They saw a second-year quarterback who didn't look like a rookie anymore.

Chad Pennington praised Clemens' work ethic and Mangini hailed his presence and toughness and concluded, "I thought that you're seeing some of that growth tonight."

Clemens showed good command in the no-huddle offense on a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive just before halftime. He got lucky when his underthrown wet-ball lollipop for Justin McCareins turned into a 42-yard gain that helped set up a 2-yard TD pass to diving Sean Ryan with 47 seconds left before intermission.

Clemens, who fumbled a center exchange and quickly scooped it up and ran for 1 yard, was 5-for-6 for 68 yards as the Jets took a 14-10 lead. On the opening drive of the second half, Clemens found rookie wideout Chansi Stuckey, who outfought cornerback Tony Franklin in the left corner of the end zone for a 13-yard TD pass that gave the Jets a 21-13 lead.

Clemens was just getting warmed up: 6-for-6 for 45 yards on his next possession that culminated in a 10-yard TD pass to wide-open Ryan in the right corner of the end zone just before the quarterback was blasted by safety Tony Taylor.

"I've always been a quarterback who's taken some hits," Clemens said, then cracked, "I'm not athletic enough to get out of there so I better stand in there till the last minute and hope something pops open."

Later there was an 18-yard completion to Frisman Jackson before being plastered. Very Pennington-esque, indeed.

"Definitely this is the best feeling that I've had personally since I've been here," Clemens said.

Clemens completed nine straight passes at one point on his way to a 16-for-22, 174-yard, 3-TD night that gives Jets fans their first legitimate hope that all is not necessarily lost should something happen to Pennington.

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