EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ- These are the times when the unflappable and resilient Chad Pennington has an answer for the countless number of question related to his tenuous job status as the New York Jets starting quarterback. It has seemed for the entire NFL season that Pennington has carried the Jets woeful start completely on his twice-repaired right shoulder.

As he stepped on to the podium to once again answer the media’s questions about whether he keeps his job, Pennington’s face looked as if he had no more answers to give. He paused for what seemed like an eternity, then tried to give an answer what has been a dismal start.

But there isn’t just one answer that could calm his critics about what ails the Jets. The visiting Buffalo Bills were also subpar, but somehow found a way to win 13-3 yesterday, and improve to a 3-4 record, at what became an increasingly hostile Giants Stadium yesterday.

Pennington knew the fans had a lot to boo at. The Jets mustered only 254 yards of total offense and failed twice within the 20-yard line to score a touchdown.

“It’s a tough stretch that we’re all going through. I don’t have a lot of answers right now,” Pennington said.

Then the fans found a way to raise a cheer with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Jets down 13-3, when offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer informed the veteran he would be replaced by Kellen Clemens.

But his replacement didn’t do much better to lift the fortune of a team who has lost five in a row and is 1-7 on the season. Clemens threw two interceptions in 12 pass attempts and a sparse Meadowlands crowd departed for the parking lot. There would be no savior today from the bench.

Eric Mangini hinted that he would strongly consider giving Clemens his second start of the season next week. But even with a QB change, facts are still facts. The Jets would be at the bottom of the AFC East but the Miami Dolphins currently occupy the basement at 0-8.

And the usually stoic Mangini showed a little more emotion because he’s trying to salvage what is a horrible sophomore campaign. But the end result is truly stamping what this season has become.

“It’s disappointing. It’s disappointing because and I’ve said this multiple times, it’s disappointing because these guys care. These guys work. They care,” Mangini said. It’s not the same movie. It’s the same ending, just not the same movie.

And now the inevitable question comes into focus on who leads the team next Sunday against Washington. Pennington, who completed 13 of 20 attempts for 106 yards, knows he wants to be at the helm. But he can’t change facts that if a move is to be made, it’s out of his control.

“I understand the nature of this business and I understand the dynamics of our organization and what is going on within our organization. Whatever happens, I am going to be me,” Pennington said.

“I’m the type of guy who is going to give all my teammates full support and do everything I can do make myself better as a player and make my team better.”

When Pennington was in the game, the Jets couldn’t muster enough offense to penetrate a woeful Bills defense that was ranked 31 out of 32 teams in points allowed and passing yards.

And somehow, since the Bills offense was just as poor, the Jets were only down 6-3 in the fourth quarter. The Jets defense shut down the 29th ranked offense with the help of rookie David Harris, who recorded 17 tackles as he quite ably replaced inured reserve linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

With J.P. Losman replacing starting quarterback Trent Edwards, who injured his right throwing wrist, and the Bills starting out on their own 3-yard line, maybe the Jets could have found luck and a chance to win.

But Lee Evans came to the rescue and at the same time ripped the Jets fading heart out of them. The Buffalo WR hauled in a Losman deep pass at the Jets 43-yard line and ripped the ball out of rookie CB Darrelle Revis’ hands. Safety Abram Elam was late in coverage and fell down trying to tackle Evans, who ran untouched for an 85-yard touchdown with 3:52 left.

Revis played well throughout the day and the rookie was close to picking off his second pass of the day. Instead he was surprised and crestfallen on what was a sure interception became a Buffalo touchdown.

“It was a great play by him. I had the ball in my hand, but got bumped off by the safety. I thought I had at least knocked it down, but I looked up and he was shooting down the sideline. It was just a horrible play you don’t want to see,” Revis said.

The offense and defense haven’t been effective. and they haven’t executed on both ends to win games. And it’s quite apparent that the good fortunes from a 10-6 playoff appearance in 2006 have not transferred to this season.

Laverneus Coles said it may be time for each Jets player to do some hard soul searching. Coles was trying to shake off the remnants of being blasted from behind and Bills safety Coy Wire and drilled to the hard turf in the fourth quarter

Coles did hold on to the ball and his toughness allowed the veteran to get up five minutes later. But the Jets haven’t got up yet as a team this year. And a few players agreed that the problems lie more than just who helms at quarterback.

“When you’re in a situation like this, there’s a lot of blame to be placed, but you can blame it on just about every guy on this team because we’re all a part of it,” Coles said. “At this point, we just need to dig down and ask ourselves, ‘What can you do to try to make this team better?’

“Hopefully, we can get this worked out.”

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