The anti-Chad Pennington e-mails and irate sports radio phone callers have been coming in at such a high rate that Jets fans’ rage might actually be reaching the level it got with Herman Edwards.

Remember Herm?

There was such a crazed hatred for Herm you’d have thought he drained the bank accounts and stole the young from every Jets fan alive. Edwards, we might remind those who thought he’d be an unqualified failure in Kansas City, is 3-3 with a Chiefs team that’s not as talented as the Jets.

Now Chad Pennington is at the center of Jets fans’ storm. Eric Mangini has stayed strong in his support for Pennington, but it has to be waning by the minute. Those who feel putting Kellen Clemens in to provide a spark have legitimate points. While Pennington, who is certainly slumping, has not been alone in authoring this 1-5 start, the quarterback position is the one spot on a football team where a change can, indeed, light a fire under the rest of the team.

The notion that once Mangini goes to Clemens he cannot go back to Pennington is preposterous. Pennington is too much of a team player, a level-headed professional, to allow hsi disappointment from being benched allow him to tank it the rest of the season.

If Clemens comes in, performs better and leads the team to wins, he stays. IF he comes in, struggles and shows he’s not yet ready, of cours e Mangini can go back to Pennington if he believes Chad give his team its best chance to win.

Here’s how it’s most likely to play out. Pennington will get a start or two more to see if he can turn this thing around and, if the slide continues and the Jets are truly in garbage time for the rest of the season, then Mangini puts Clemens in to see what he’s got as the team looks to the future.

I say the earliest Clemens is inserted, if the touchdown-starved losing continues is after the bye week. The Jets have a road game in Cincinnati on Sunday and then are home against the Bills and Redskins before the bye week. So perhaps, if the season is totaly lost at, say, 2-7, then Clemens gets the call.