AFC EAST Pennington off to record-setting start with Jets

He has a 108.5 quarterback rating, but New York is just 2-2 in his starts.
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- For a guy with four NFL starts in his resume, Chad Pennington certainly has an aggressive approach.
Not that anyone with the New York Jets is complaining, because the third-year quarterback has been more accurate at the start of his career than any passer in NFL history.
"I just go out and run the offense and trust myself and my teammates and let it fly," Pennington said Wednesday. "You just trust your preparation and let it fly on Sundays."
He's let it fly with such precision he's compiled a phenomenal 76.9 completion percentage and a 108.5 rating in those starts. Pennington is 93-for-121 for 998 yards, with six touchdowns and two interceptions in those games.
The Jets are just 2-2 in those starts, but don't blame Pennington. The defense has fallen apart late in both defeats.
While coach Herman Edwards had faith in Pennington producing at a high level when he benched veteran Vinny Testaverde in favor of the 2000 first-round draft pick, even he couldn't have predicted this.
The numbers
In a 29-25 loss to Kansas City, Pennington was 22-for-29 (76.7 percent) for 238 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 108.3 rating. In a 20-7 victory over Minnesota, he was 24-for-29 (82.8 percent) for 324 yards and one touchdown. His rating was 124.7.
When the Jets blew a 21-3 lead and lost 24-21 to Cleveland, Pennington struggled in the second half -- his only real rough spot thus far. Yet he was 19-for-26 (73.1 percent) for 183 yards, with two TDs and one INT and a 101.9 rating in that game.
And in last week's 44-13 rout of San Diego, the third-year quarterback went 28-for-39 (75.7 percent) for 253 yards, one touchdown pass and one TD run, with a 102.6 rating.
Overall, that comes to a 76.9 percentage, the highest ever for a quarterback in his first four starts. He has a 108.5 rating for his starts, and counting his relief appearances against the Jaguars and Patriots, Pennington is at 96.6 -- third in the league behind Brett Favre and Rich Gannon.
"He's putting the ball where we can make plays," wide receiver Santana Moss said. "We have a lot of confidence in him and he has a lot of confidence in what he can do."