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By JUSTIN TERRANOVA
Kellen Clemens got his first shot to prove he was a starting NFL quarterback two years ago and those 10 games he played behind one of the worst offensive lines in recent memory may be his last.
The Jets went 2-7 in games when Clemens saw significant action in 2007. But the former Oregon star was set to battle Chad Pennington for the starting job last season before Brett Favre came in and ended any thought of a competition. With Favre moving on to retirement limbo and Pennington in Miami, Clemens finally seemed the favorite to start this year. He would have to get past Brett Ratliff, but it would have been Clemens’ job to lose. Then Gang Green traded up in the draft, selected Mark Sanchez with the fourth pick, and gave him $30 million to be the future of the franchise.
So even though Clemens has seen most of the action with the first team in training camp, he is still a long shot to start Week 1. Former Jets quarterback Ray Lucas, who knows a thing or two about being an underdog, told the Post that Clemens would have to be “perfect” to beat out Sanchez. And six interceptions in the first six practices is far from perfection.
Clemens described one interception yesterday that was tipped by linebacker Bart Scott as “bad luck.” Those who decide who will be the starter had different words for it.
“Well, again, a couple of his errors when you look at his interceptions have been ill-advised throws and then the one that we got today was tipped,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.
“It is frustrating because (interceptions) are things that get you beat,” head coach Rex Ryan said.
The danger with starting a rookie quarterback is making those errors. If Clemens is proving to be mistake-prone, there is little motivation to start him. So, though Sanchez is eager to get more reps with the first team, he could be winning the job by watching Clemens struggle against Scott, Darrelle Revis and the rest of what the Jets expect to be a dominant defense.
“I want to get that chemistry with them, so I need those reps,” Sanchez said. “As soon as that happens there’s going to be a good chance to make a move and it helps when you have all those tools. The running game, screens, gimmicks and stuff like, that just take a lot of the pressure off of you. It will happen soon and that’s when I have to be sharp.”
Or at least not fall in his face.
