If Rex Ryan is the 17th head coach of the New York Jets, we'll know very soon.
Ryan, who's served the past four years as the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, fell short of "Target Tampa" as the Ravens dropped a 23-14 decision to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game tonight.
Ryan's defense, which yielded only 275 yards and 16 of the points in defeat, registered nine takeaways combined in Baltimore's memorable three-game postseason run.
With the Ravens being eliminated from the postseason, Ryan, the son of former Jets assistant coach Buddy Ryan, can now be hired at any point.
In two weeks, the Steelers will face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa. The Steelers, who've already won five Super Bowl Trophies, will encounter a club that won just nine games in the regular season.
The NFC's Cards, who advanced with a 32-25 win over the Philadelphia Eagles this afternoon, will serve as the underdog over the next two weeks.
If the Steelers can contain Superman receiver Larry Fitzgerald, they'll get another ring. If they can't control Fitzy, we'll have an outstanding game on our hands.
In either case, the Ryan watch continues for the Green & White.
