Chad Pennington's passing gets rave reviews

[DolFan619]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-flspdol12sbaug12,0,1169737.story

Chad Pennington's passing gets rave reviews

By Harvey Fialkov
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

August 12, 2008

DAVIE - Suddenly, footballs were hitting receivers in their hands instead of bouncing off the field turf of the indoor practice bubble as they have been all training camp.

The difference? It was quarterback Chad Pennington's first day of practice with the Dolphins.

"Obviously, with Chad here, he just brings that veteran leadership," receiver Derek Hagan said. "He definitely knows what he's talking about, definitely takes command of the huddle. We've been waiting for that, looking for that and we got that with Chad."

As coach Tony Sparano predicted, Pennington took the dominant share of the snaps (28) with the starters Monday, while rookie Chad Henne (21) worked with the backups. Meanwhile, Josh McCown (three snaps) and John Beck (two) were turned into highly paid spectators.

"I tried to remain calm on the outside, [but] it's like a tornado on the inside," said Pennington, who completed 13 of 21, including deft lobs into the end zone, with one interception he was steamed about.

"I realize Rome wasn't built in a day and this football team isn't going to be built in a day or a week or even a year. ... That doesn't mean we can't win games, so what you focus on is not beating yourself."

As if he were cramming for a final, Pennington studied for 10 consecutive hours Sunday, and by the looks of his first practice it seemed as if he had been running this offense since his rookie season in 2000 when his quarterbacks coach was current Dolphins coordinator Dan Henning.

"It was like when I was a rookie and everything was a blur," Pennington said. "I felt like my little 4-year-old going to his first football camp, not knowing where to go or what to do."

The cornerbacks were the ones in a blur, watching a dizzying array of intermediate passes being caught by suddenly sure-handed receivers just as they were coming out of their breaks.

"If you ask every guy that passes by right now what we see out of Chad, that ball comes out on time," cornerback André Goodman said. "Receivers turn their heads and it's almost hitting them in the face sometimes. It's amazing to see that on day one."

The receivers and defenders weren't the only ones excited by the former Jets quarterback landing in South Florida on Saturday, as George Torres, the Dolphins' senior director of marketing, said that individual-ticket sales were up 20 percent since the weekend.

It couldn't have been a thrilling day for Beck and McCown, who four days ago were battling for the starting job instead of the clipboard.

"I don't know what's going to happen with the situation," Beck said. "When they say practice, I practice; when they say study, I study. I just try to do my best."

Even after practice, Pennington and a group of receivers remained in the bubble for 20 minutes discussing the "me-to-you factor."

"Sometimes you can't explain that," he said. "It's just that knowledge of knowing each other and having the feel for each other."

So far, the feeling seems mutual.

[Ghost350z]

Guys Im getting quite exited about the new season!!!!