Pennington: 'Now it's time to roll ...'

Chad Pennington just got done talking to the media at Dolphins camp. That's what the Miami Dolphins starting quarterback does every Wednesday around this time, so yes, you should know by now that Pennington is the starter.

He got a text from coach Tony Sparano Tuesday, asking when he was coming to work. Pennington texted back, saying he expected to be in by 10 a.m. Then he asked if Sparano needed him earlier. The coach said, "sure, a little sooner."

"I'm on my way," Pennington texted back.

After meeting with the coach for 45 minutes, he was returned to the job as the Dolphins starter. Pennington left the facility and took his dog to the groomer, which also conveniently gave Sparano an opportunity to speak with Chad Henne about being benched.

Then Pennington returned around 11 a.m.

"Chad and I talked for about an hour, got teary-eyed because we have a good relationship and we're good friends," Pennington said. "And it's a situation that's not fair. I've been there before. I've been benched when it wasn't really my fault. I understand every emotion he has and I understand everything he feels. He has every right to feel everything he has. We talked about it.

"I told him he needs to be ready to play. I made sure in the practice and the scripts we have, he gets some reps, because you're never sure what's going to happen. Just like he had to get ready to play three games in last year. It was a tough day for both of us, probably one of the hardest days for me as a professional."

All that behind them, Pennington can now get down to business.

"But now, it's time to roll," Pennington said. "It's time to focus on winning a football game."

Pennington replaces a player who threw for 1,900 yards the first eight games of the season. But the Miami offense lacked something -- aside from touchdowns, wiseguys. Pennington hopes to bring part of what has been missing.

"I just think as an offense, we've got to make sure we create a spark," he said. "Offensive football is about energy, it's about momentum. It's about synergy. It's about a feeling you have. And none of that happens with stats, it's not a statistic you can throw at it. So we have to find a way to create sparks during games. And when there's a chance to stick a dagger in a team and take their heart out, we got to do it. And when there's a chance to make a big play and get our crowd involved, we've got to do that. It's really important our crowd comes and supports us and so our we. So we have to create sparks and create energy and feed off that."

The Dolphins haven't done that. It's hard and wrong to blame Henne for the offense failing to do that. That would mean this change was easy. It was not.

But it is a fact and so Pennington is hoping to avoid the kind of offensive offense we've seen part of the past eight games.

"Sometimes we get in our own way ... We miss a block, we miss a throw, we fall down on a route, we've gotten in our own way," he said. "I think that's a fair assessment and we need to clean those things up. Just play better team football and that takes championship individual performances."

Comments

[ALoco]

M.VICK HE COUD BE HERE IN MIAMI NEXT YEAR ,REED THE COACH SAID HE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT SIGNING M.VICK FOR NEXT YEAR .

P.S...VICK NOW IS LIVING VERY CLEAN LIFE ,HE LIVES IN CONDO COMPLEX WHERE THEY DON'T ALLOW PETS .

[Martin]

ESPN is now reporting that the Miami Dolphins have officially changed their team name to the Miami WTF.

This in response to the general WTF uttered every time they draft WTF!

Every time they hire a coach or GM WTF!

Waive a 1st or 2nd round draft pick WTF!

Sign an ex Cowboy from their practice squad WTF!

Defer the opening kick off WTF!

Constantly change the offensive line WTF

WTF!

[DC Dolfan]

I think Sage Rosenfels is still available? Gus Frerotte isn't on a team either. Hell, we can even bring Culpepper back. Let's have Penne, Rosenfels as backup, and Culpepper 3rd string.

We'd blow away the competition with that roster!
GO FINS!

[Martin]

WTF!

[dolphin77]

tday is a great day!

[f]

i hope they dont introduce the offense sunday at the stadium i dont wat to hear the cheers for pennington even though i love him

[Martin]

I just snorted a bunch of Coke from a strippers belly button and chased it down with cheap Tequila! Now the 3 Belly Dancers from the show "Shimmy" are coming over for some Biiig Lovin!

Puh Puh Puh Puh Puh Power! Old Spice!

[DyingBreed]

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE NEXT 2-3 GAMES YOU PENNYLOVERS WILL BE BLOGGING ABOUT WHICH OLINEMAN TO GET RID OF BECAUSE WE WONT BE ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY BLOCK THE ALL OUT BLITZES THAT ARE COMING.

WITHIN 2-3 GAMES THE OFFENSIVE WOES WILL BE PLACED ON THE OLINE.

GUYS WHEN THE DEFENSE HAS ZERO FEAR YOU CAN THROW DEEP. BELIEVE ME, NEXT UP ALL OUT BLITZES. AT THAT POINT PENNY WONT CARE WHO HE MORE ACCURATELY COMPLETES PASSES TOO. US NOR THE OPPOSITION.

BUT DONT BLAME HENNING, BLAME OUR OFFENSIVE LINE!!!

[DC Dolfan]

Oh, and one more thing.

The ENTIRE league is stupid (that's what you Thigpen fans are saying). Norv, Shanahan, Belicheck, Rex, they're all a bunch of no-nothings. ANYONE could have traded for Thigpen. But, no one did. We'd probably have given him up for a 4th-round pick. Maybe a 5th. But no one bit.

But you geniuses in your round room with corners know more than 31 coaches and GMs. You are the Lords of the Ring. Thigpen is really Dan Marino in waiting. He's just waiting for the right time to spring his abilities on everyone. What, he started a few years ago on an NFL team? What was his record? So bad he was traded? So what? He's here now. And Tony Sparano is such a football wiz, as is Dan Henning, they know more than every other scout or coach in the league. They have a diamond. A Ferrari. But no, they won't start him. Nope, not even a 2nd-stringer. They're going to hide him at 3rd-string (John Beck) so they can hide him. And "coach him up" just like they did with Henne. And miraculously, he's going to be Peyton Manning when he gets his chance.

MORONS!

[oscar canosa]

And like Mr. Moss has recently said, "you will never understand football until you consider the money aspects of It".(not textual)

[ALoco]

SINCE THE MOVE TO START CHAD.P .TICKETS HAVE BEEN SELLING FAST SINCE GAME 1 AT HOME.

[oscar canosa]

I did have a girl that confessed to me that she used to prepare her meal and then, looking at it, pleasure herself. She was overweight.

[DyingBreed]

HOPE WE LOSE 45-0 AT HOME SO ROSS IS FORCED TO STORM INTO HENNING'S OFFICE AND PERSONALLY FIRE DAN HENNING!!!

[dolphin77]

hmmmmm, that sounds about right Aloco.

[Martin]

Great News!

Dan Henning Can't be at the game this Sunday!

He has to appear at the Mummy Exhibit of Los Angeles.

He will not! I repeat will not be calling the plays for the newly named Miami WTF.

[John]

Doesn't anyone think it's possible that Chad HENNE just wasn't running the offense as well/or the same way as PENNINGTON's ability to? Did Dan Henning just magically become an idiot over one season? I don't think so....why don't we give this some time and really see if it's the QB or the OC? I didn't agree with all of Henning's calls either...but come on guys...there have been plenty of times where we've just flat out failed to execute the play on the field.

[Martin]

We have just signed Ron Jaworski!

Because he is Polish he will not run the Wildcat but instead the Pollcat!

[Cuban Menace]

Dont know if Starting Pennington will do much good, Cant throw over 20 yards, He also has Dan (The dead man) Henning still calling plays, Hopefully he Audibles on 90% of the calls that come in from the dead guy..

[Chris in the 623]

Just got in from work and saw this. I still thought Henne should have at least the rest of this season as starter, but as was stated something was just missing. I assumed that by starting the rest of the year it would get us closer to learning if he was the QB of the future.

What I failed to realize was that by not starting Henne it would do the same thing. Now we find out if the offense was stagnant because of Henne or in spite of Henne. This move has the added benefit of learning if Henning's seemingly gawd aweful playcalling was holding down the offense. And it shows the brass is in a win now mode. Or is it a panic mode?

Anyone think Ross stepped in and had a little chat with Sparano? Maybe something like "You know Tony I was expecting something a little better than mediocre this year. There are a couple guys I know named Cowher and Gruden who are available at year's end."

[Cuban Menace]

John, Henning is not a Moron, It's just that he died in 1964.......

[Martin]

Just shot up a buttload of Heroin so I could see what it feels like to be Dan Henning.

I couldn't do a Fist Pump right now if I tried!

[ALoco]

Chris, this move was made to salvage the season,we need to see if marshall worth 50 million ,we need to sell tickets .

P.S ..THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED ,THEY R SELLING TICKETS LIKE CRAZY .

[cocoajoe]

Aloco, I ate ris d'agneau a la joinville one time (lamb sweetbread with mushrooms and other stuff)...very good but way beyond my cooking skill.

[Martin]

Who is more dead?

Keith Richards

or

Dan Henning?

[wolfman1313]

"Doesn't anyone think it's possible that Chad HENNE just wasn't running the offense as well/or the same way as PENNINGTON's ability to"?

Of course....Pennington is veteran QB who has played in 88 games over the course of 11 seasons. Henne has started 21 games. There is such a thing as a learning curve. That said, I believe Henne will eventually become a competent and solid NFL QB...but will most likely be one of those guys that needs a great supporting cast to succeed. I don't think he's a hall of famer and I don't think he'll ever be an elite QB....there are very few elite QBs.

[ALoco]

when you see DAN HENNING SETTING IN HIS BOX ,it looks like a funeral home manger looking at the dead .

[Martin]

Wolf,

He couldn't read coverages yet.

[Cuban Menace]

Great "Q" Martin, I'am going with Dan Henning here, only because keith Richards has done every drug known to man, Though I hear that Henning has a Formaldehyde addition..

[Martin]

Al,
LMAO! Looks like Lerche's Dad

[wolfman1313]

"Chris, this move was made to salvage the season,we need to see if marshall worth 50 million ,we need to sell tickets."

They know he's worth the $50M....the greatness of Marshall is not as a deep threat (because he isn't)...he's always been an underneath/YAC guy. He's as big as they get and can catch a fart in a wind storm. He's on pace to have carreer high catches and yards...they just haven't been able to get it to him in the end-zone...probably because they never call that play in the red-zone.

[ALoco]

THIS SUNDAY WE WILL SEE ;

ENERGY
EXCITMENT
WINNING
NO FUMBLES

[Ironside]

Not only is Chad Pennington the better quarterback, he's a class act!

[greg z.]

penne can read a D and coverages;he will audible. henne was scared to change a play;he was a statue in the pocket,killed plays early,and couldnt run. worst of all the coaches often used max protect to give him more time to find a receiver. with all that;no spark. penne however isnt the long term answer;probably a bridge to thigpen.

[Martin]

Cuban,

Embalming fluid! LMAO

[bobbyd12]

LMAO seats will be filled??? Go look at the blogs of season tix holders, people who actually pay for and go to the games. This game may end up blacked out in Miami. I guarantee at minimum 15,000 no shows. People are not interested in going backwards. Dolphins came out with a season ticket survey today, perfect timing because i let them know EXACTLY how i felt about this move.

[Martin]

We need to get Dan Marino's son Phillip Rivers or the Dog Whisperer at any cost!

[ALoco]

WHAT GREATNESS, THE WORD GREATNESS ONLY APPLY TO A FEW BUT ON THIS BLOG THE WORD GET ABUSED AS MANY BEFORE .PLEASE JUST TELL HIM TO CATCH ANOTHER TD SO HE CAN SAY I HAVE TWO .

[wolfman1313]

Martin - True enough....I always thought Henne would be a project QB, he was a 2nd round pick after all. If the Dolphins really wanted a potentially elite QB to step in and roll right away, they should have drafted Ryan instead of Long (that was my pick anyway).

There are plenty of examples of QBs who have had difficulty reading coverages, etc early in their careers who have gone on to be successful.

[Martin]

bobby,

Serena and Jlo take up that many seats alone!

[bobbyd12]

ALoco, this Sunday you will see a bunch of empty seats. I will be seeimg the golf course

[Jon Jacek]

This move was absolutely the right move in this critial part of the season....Henne was not getting the job done. The redzone offense was miserable! A spark is needed!

[dr. roberts]

Dick LeBeau is five years OLDER than Dan Henning.

That's not a defense of Henning, just pointing out that the age fixation stuff is for the clueless crowd.

And for the 75% of you who probably don't even know who Dick LeBeau is, Google it.

[dolphin77]

pennington has more heart than henne could ever have. at least if pennington has to take off and run he makes a first down.

[ALoco]

WE need to hire a family as a coaching staff as the red skins ,

shanahan the father,,,HC
SHANAHAN THE SON......OC

[Martin]

dr. Roberts

Lighten up you are coming across as a condescending prick. We talk serious, goof around bash, praise etc. Just having some fun Doctor.

[superPHIN]

THIS SUNDAY WE WILL SEE ;

ENERGY
EXCITMENT
WINNING
NO FUMBLES

Posted by: ALoco | November 10, 2010 at 06:45 PM

Damn aloco, how did you get the titans gameplan for sunday?????!!!!!!!

[ALoco]

bobbyd12, THE TICKETS SELLING REAL FAST FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR ,THAT WAS THE RIGHT MOVE FOR THE TEAM AND B.MARSHALL IS SUPPORTING IT .

[dr. roberts]

I think we should run the entire franchise like the Redskins.

Fire any and all coaches who don't win it all within three years...constantly change players...and sign as many big-name free-agents to HUGE contracts as possible.

It's exactly what the fans are demanding, and look how great it works!!

[LAPhinsPhan]

ALoco: get the Ryans father and twins trio. They'll punch each other out in the sideline.

[wolfman1313]

At least with Pennington, maybe I won't have to hear the constant callings for Thigpen. What exactly this guy has done or shown that has so many people thinking he's the 2nd coming of Marino is beyond me. He seems to have major accuracy issues...and we bag on Henne's accuracy.

[Cuban Menace]

DR. Roberts, Never said anything about how old Mr. Henning is, just stating a fact that he passed away 46 years ago......

[Martin]

Wolf,
I still haven't made up my mind. I think he came into a bad situation. This group headed up by Parcells loathes the QB position?

[dr. roberts]

Martin---I hear 'ya. Not talking about the joking side (some of which is pretty damn funny). I mean the ones that REALLY think age is a huge deal here. I doubt the Steelers feel the same.

No hard feelings, dude. I know the difference.

[dolphin77]

whocares how you feel, go cry and play golf, all of us will watch the dolphins look a whole hell of a lot better.

[bobbyd12]

ALoco, I live down here, dont give me this bullshyt tix are selling fast. Quit making things up.

[superPHIN]

of course tickets are selling fast, titan fans cant wait to see miami's offense in action as well, all miami supporters will have FIRE signs up and at the ready!!!

[ALoco]

PETE CARROL WILL BE OUT IN THE END OF THE YEAR

SHANAHAN WILL BE OUT BY MID YEAR NEXT YEAR W/HIS SON THE OC .

FOX OF THE CAROLINA WILL BE OUT BY END OF THE YEAR

DENVER COACH MACDANIEL WILL BE OUT

CHILLI OF MIN WILL BE NEXT 2 WEEKS

MIAMI HC WILL GET ANOTHER HC JOB VERY EASY,HE WORKS HARD AND LEARN FAST .

[Chad's Friend]

Don't panic folks! Coach is seeing something important. Here's a little tidbit that should explain the whole situation: Pennington, after his latest surgery, has continued to quietly build arm strength - far beyond what he had, even in his early twenties. When he had his last surgery, doctors were forced to attach the sternocostal of the pectoralis, (look it up) to the underside of the deltoid muscle, to keep the shoulder in place. Because of this - and intense rehabilitation - Pennington has renewed arm strength. It is reported - and there is video proof. He can now throw the ball over 14 yards. Just not twice in the same game.

I keeeeeeeed.... I keeeeeeeeed!!

[greg z.]

coaches gave henne all the attention in camp;most all of the snaps with the first team. there was no chemistry between he and marshall nor did he stay after to throw to marshall. henne's throws result in alot of drops;not receiver friendly. never seem to hit receivers in stride so we could get some yac. alot sailed high like the one to marshall over the middle against the ravens resulting in INT. henne's deep ball didnt allow the receiver to run the ball down;there was no margin for error as he missed open deep balls. i think lee,henning and sparano finally saw little development. you cant coach the "it" factor. henne didnt have it. i wish he did.

[superPHIN]

I hear J-lo might actually be canceling her husbands investment in the fish, HIP HIP Hooray!!!