Florham Park, N.J.– When Rex Ryan approached the podium today to address the beating the Jets endured last night he started by pointing out the obvious.
Last week the room was overflowing with different reporters, the majority of them not Jets beat-writers, all awaiting to digest every last morsel Ryan had to offer about what was being called the game of the year.
Well, the game might have had the most at stake so far, but it was far from the game of the year. It was barely even a game as the Jets seemingly never had a chance and today Ryan addressed a much smaller crowd of people waiting to hear him talk.
Ryan opened saying, “Alright, what a difference a week makes huh? Nobody here.”
There was nobody there for a reason, the Jets got flat out embarrassed on national television last night for everyone to see. With the type of ‘prisoner of the moment,’ thinking that goes on, especially in sports, these days many people will simply write the Jets off after last night.
Facebook pages and message boards everywhere were full of people rejoicing about the Jets getting their butts whooped last night. The words, “exposed,” and “overrated,” being the two most common words to be read and today Ryan had to face the music and address the beat down his team received.
“You know, we watched the tape this morning and I think I’ll stand by everything I said last night, we got out-coached and out-played. We got our butt-kicked and that’s what we saw on tape.” A clearly perplexed Ryan said, “I don’t know what else to say, I mean I think that’s saying plenty, but I’ll just open it up.”
“Well, I mean you have to question everything. The tackling obviously was an obvious one. Schematically it’s easy to say we should have, you know hindsight’s being what it is yeah we should of tried anything, but what we did. We thought going in that we had an outstanding scheme,” Ryan said, “but the execution was poor, but again it’s not all on the players it’s on the coaches as well.”
“We didn’t do anything well, in the game. We missed a field-goal, we had a 12 yard punt with the wind at our back, I wonder how far it would have gone if the wind was in our face.” Ryan said, “We stunk up the joint on defense, we stunk up the joint on offense and we were probably even worse at coaching. It was a bad game.”
When asked about how Sanchez played Ryan said, “Well kind of like the rest of us, sloppy. At times he looked great and other times not so good.”
Ryan was asked if he had a message planned for the team and said, “I’ll have a specific message that I’ll share with them first.”
As bad as the loss last night was, a win is a win and a loss is a loss, they all count the same. It’s only one loss and it’s clear that’s going to be part of Ryan’s message.
“Most of us went through it last year, first off we have to earn our right to get in there, but we know what the playoffs are all about. The same scenario happened last year where we beat them in week two, they smoked us at their place and yet I think we went further than they did in the playoffs.” Ryan said, “So this won’t be our first rodeo we know what to expect and that kind of intensity.”
“I’m going to say this, it’s funny, I’ve been around this game a long time and that was the worst the defeat of my coaching career that I’ve been apart of, but there was another defeat that I think was just as humiliating or bad, on a national stage, maybe even as big or even bigger than this and that was the 85′ Bears. Who lost on a Monday night game to Miami, which everybody still talks about.” Ryan said, “But the funny thing is and I hope history repeats itself, the goal of the Chicago Bears was to win a Super Bowl and that’s our goal and whether people like it or not, I really don’t care. That’s our goal, that’s our mission going into this season, it was a huge loss there’s no question about it, we got pummeled, we played terrible, but it’s one game and everything that we’ve talked about is still attainable.”
This isn’t the end of the Jets season, as much as some people might want to paint it that way. The Jets had a tough matchup on the road with some terrible timing, to lose Jim Leonhard just a few days before the game had to really hurt the Jets defense, but Ryan isn’t worried that this can’t all be fixed.
“We have a quarter of our season left, so we’re far from pressing the panic button.” Ryan said.
With four games left and the Jets still just a game out of first place, they hold their own destiny in their hands, as far as the Wildcard spot is concerned. Ryan is still focused on winning the division, but he knows the only way to do that is to come out swinging against Miami and the three other teams left on the regular season schedule.
“We’ll sure, we’re one game behind them (Patriots) and I think with the tiebreakers being whatever it would be, if we go out and win our four games we’ll see what happens.” Ryan said, “But we better start by beating Miami, who is going to give us everything they got.”
Injury and Player Notes:
James Ihedigbo got hurt during the game and Ryan said, “No (news back), but the fact that he didn’t finish the game generally is a concern. He’ll go for an MRI today, he’s got probably an MCL I think and an ankle, obviously you don’t feel real good about it, but I don’t know the extent right now.”
“Yup, absolutely” Ryan said, “Even if James can go we’ll probably bring in another safety.” In order to do that the Jets will of course have to release a player and that player will be the just re-signed Lavernus Coles as Ryan confirmed the need for a safety.
“There’s a guy I think we’ll target, but we’ll see what happens.” Ryan said, “It’s tough now because if you have to play him, he better familiar with what your doing.”
Ryan said Damien Woody is sore again, but finished the game and is expected to play and in case you were wondering about Sanchez’s jaw after ESPN’s cameras showed it appeared he might have injured it, Ryan said he was unaware of any injury at all, so he should be fine for Sunday.
Ryan also confirmed that we should get used to seeing Santonio Holmes back returning punts. Ryan said, “Yeah, the fact that with Jimmy (Leonhard) being out, we’ll use Jerricho, Santonio, and Kyle. And Joe McKnight quite honestly.”
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Here is my issue with Rex Ryan: He’s great, he’s great for the game, the fans, the media. But show some humility. He just got his butt handed to him on a silver platter and he’s comparing his team to the 1985 Chicago Bears? I realize he wants to embody his dad, but give me a break. You mean to tell me this 9-3 Jets team is comparable to an 18-1 Super Bowl champion, record setting team, in which they allowed 10 points or less to opposing teams on 14 different occasions that season? I’m channeling my inner Keyshawn Johnson when I say, “C’MON MAN!”
Come on Wes, don’t fall for the same trap everyone else is, you should know better. Rex never once compared this team to that team, he simply said this loss was as bad as any he has personally seen since that 85′ Bears team lost to Miami. That’s it, that’s ALL he said.
Sure he went on to say the Bears went on to win the Super Bowl and he hopes history repeats itself, but what else is supposed to say. Is he supposed to say okay that’s it we clearly can’t win the Super Bowl now, let’s stop trying?
No of course not, all he did was say that’s the last time he witnessed that bad of a loss, he never once compared the actual teams or said this Jets team was as good or should be mentioned in their class, not once yet everyone is running around saying Rex is saying the Jets are as good or better than the 85′ Bears, that’s not what he said.
Ok, I hear what you’re saying, but as a head coach, can’t he foresee this problem occurring when he mentions the ’85 Bears in the same sentence as his Jets? What do you expect people to think? Everyone loves Rex because of how candid he is, but that is also his biggest flaw as a head coach. As much as he can help the media with creating headlines, I think he’s equally hurting his team by continually talking.
One coach, who I will not mention his name, said it best. “When you win do little talking. And when you lose, talk even less.” Why does that make sense? Because it can stop the bleeding. Everyone says how important it is to move on to the Miami game, but with Rex still giving the media things to write about last week’s game, how can they?
Wes,
It’s a game. Rex isnt a general, this isnt war. If the team is winning – great! But its nice to know that you have a fun, energetic, humorous coach so that when the team hits a rough patch, fans can still enjoy the game. Too many 4-12 season this decade – there is nothing wrong with creating a side show in what is ultimately a form of entertainment.
That, to me, is better than a super serious coach that stonewalls the press and puts out a 1-15 season like the Panthers or Bills. That gives the fans nothing to watch, nothing to talk about, just another wasted 5 months.
[…] PARK, NJ – Like Christopher Nimbley put it: It was all good just a week ago. But with one unsightly loss at the hands of their most hated rival, the Jets are faced with a […]