Pennington gets through it.(Sports)

Byline: RANDY LANGE Bergen (N.J.) Record

Bucs 16

Jets 3

TAMPA, Fla. - Eric Mangini's quarterback shell game continued right up until the opening kickoff.

But Chad Pennington emerged from under heavy cover to take the first snaps of the Mangini regime - and look fairly good in the process.

Pennington's numbers Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were mostly impressive, as he completed 9 of 14 passes for 54 yards on two long drives to open the game, which the Jets lost, 16-3, on two touchdown passes by third-string rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski against third-string Jets corner Rayshun Reed.

One problem for Chad: no …