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Pennington, Dolphins eye AFC title in clash with Jets

Dec 23, 2008 - 5:57 PM Miami (10-5) at NY Jets (9-6), 4:15 pm EST

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Chad Pennington was kicked to the curb by the New York Jets prior to the season. He gets the chance to do the same to the Jets and their playoff hopes.

Pennington and the Miami Dolphins visit the Jets on Sunday in a contest that could decide the AFC East champion and potentially a wild card as well.

For the Dolphins, who are one year removed from a 1-15 record, the scenario is simple: win and the division crown belongs to them.

It's much trickier for the Jets, who must beat Miami and hope that New England loses at Buffalo to capture the East title.

New York also could sneak into the playoffs as a wild card with a win and a loss by Baltimore at home to Jacksonville.

In an ironic twist, Pennington will be matched up against Brett Favre, the quarterback who replaced him in New York.

"This is the only way fate would have it," Pennington said. "There wouldn't be any other scenario. That's the way sports works. This is how the game of football works. We know what

it's going to be about, but we needed to make sure we take care of our business here first."

While Favre has generating more headlines, Pennington has presided over one of the more remarkable turnarounds in NFL history. The Dolphins are the first team to win more than nine games following a one-win campaign.

"I think right now these guys understand what's at stake," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said. "They put themselves in position and they fought and scratched to get to this point and they understand it. I'm proud of them. They made a little bit of history today."

Miami enters the contest on a four-game winning streak and having won eight of its last nine contests, including last weekend's 38-31 slugfest at Kansas City.

Pennington's 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano with 4:08 to play capped a 14-play, 85-yard drive and snapped a 31-31 tie.

The Jets, and Favre, have seen their postseason hopes dim following three losses in the last four games, including a dismal 13-3 loss in snowy Seattle last weekend.

Favre threw for just 187 yards and two interceptions, giving him six picks in the last four games and a league-high 19 for the season.

"We had everything in front of us and we just didn't take care of business," Jets tackle Damien Woody said. "We don't have anybody to blame but ourselves."

When the teams met in the season opener, Darrelle Revis intercepted Pennington in the end zone with five seconds to play to preserve New York's 20-14 victory.