Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following the Jets' Monday midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center (Ryan was using video to illustrate portions of his opening statement):
So we will start with this. Some things that we emphasize that we're getting here, this is one. I put a few plays together of a guy that maybe doesn't get a whole lot of attention but certainly is getting our attention as coaches. Exactly, Darrin Walls. He's a guy that did a great job in the game but he constantly does a good job. Last year, you might recall, he started at corner for us the last game of the year. But anyway, he's a guy right now that's doing a good job on special teams. You're going to see him here. That doesn't look real good. He missed the block but it's kind of a setup deal when a guy cuts back, you can see how he finishes.
I'm going to put this down here, you'll see it here, there's actually two guys that do a great job, Nick Bellore and Walls, but Walls at the top specifically, he's supposed to make this guy change his angle down the field. Obviously, we'd like to get a hit on him if we could but we're really throwing at this guy to make him change [his angle]. And then down the field we're going to end up picking up the safety and that's that young man right there that's coming in the picture right here and flying out of the picture. So that's him. But that's a great job by Walls. You all see Nick Bellore doing a great job on the trap block right there getting the block. That's just one example of him being physical on the kickoff return and now you get a couple shots of him playing defense.
Now, every route has an interception point and this is it. You're in man coverage here but he's doing a great job of running the route for [the receiver] and going to that interception point. You can see that right there. Just missed it but he does an outstanding job. So these are things we're looking for. Guys are really challenging and competing out there. Next play we had an offsides penalty, which is obviously unfortunate. But at the end here it's a 1-on-1 matchup. We're going to put the challenge to our corners in a 1-on-1 matchup and Walls does a great job. You can see him in press coverage up at the top. He breaks and he ends up getting his hands on the football again. So two plays in a row he gets his hands on it but he does a nice job there. And we put a trap coverage on. Everybody is over here with our coverage and he's left out there by himself 1-on-1, but I like the fact that he challenged the receiver there.
All right, now something that we talk about is not just the blocking up front but our blocking on the perimeter. You're going to see something here. I put a couple of plays in here of Stephen Hill. Now this one here, he sticks with this guy, he stays with him even though the guy gets a facemask penalty. But obviously, you're going to see the blocking up front but the blocking on the perimeter gives you an opportunity to make some big plays up the field and certainly Sanjay [Lal, WRs coach] talks about this with our receivers all the time and is doing an outstanding job. You see Stephen here, even though the guy's got him by the facemask, he stays with the block, he's running his feet and stays in contact here.
Now this Braylon Edwards shot, Braylon is known for his blocking here as a Jet. He gets two guys on this play and so some things never change. Steps out, sets him up. I think that's Dwight Lowery, who's had better moments than that. But anyway, it's a good job by Braylon and he comes in and gets two. Again, these are things that are selfless. They don't show up on the stat sheet, but it's a point of emphasis for us and that's why I'm showing you this.
Now the thing that I like about this is, look, Hill's staying with [the cornerback] on the line of scrimmage. He's blocking him right now. Boom — comes off, and he stays with him, not holding. The guy goes past him, he turns him loose. But really a great job by Stephen and he's been doing an outstanding job and his blocking has really improved. That's an excellent job, by the way, on a double team [by the offensive line]. Good trap block.
That just gives you a couple things that we're really emphasizing, I'm proud to see that we're doing. It's no surprise we ran the ball as efficiently as we did last week when we blocked like that on the perimeter.
With that, I'll say practice today, really no change from what we talked about injury-wise. Obviously, you have with Quinton Coples, we'll see how that progresses. We don't really have a timetable on the injury. It's really disappointing because the young man was really playing well for us. I think we all saw that. But hopefully he'll be back sooner than later.
On if Quinton Coples is having surgery tomorrow…
Again, I don't know the particulars right now on surgery, whatever. We just know that he's out for at least the preseason game. We're putting it that he's out indefinitely because we don't know exactly the timeframe on it.
On if the plan is to play Garrett McIntyre with the first-team defense…
Yes, and we'll rotate [Antwan] Barnes in there as well. But yes, Garrett, I think he's really earned that right. We brought Barnes in really to rush the passer and that would be his role, but obviously we're going to challenge him to step it up in base as well. So that's why Garrett was starting primarily. Even today, at the end of the last team drill, we moved Garrett to SAM and we moved Barnes to RUSH, so he will get some work there also with the ones.
On what he has noticed about McIntyre since he's been with the team…
I think, number one, his work ethic is phenomenal. He's a guy that's always one of our top lifters and top-conditioned athletes. But he's gotten better. So the time that I've seen him, he's gotten much better. He challenges guys. In the game, we had a corner cover a running back and Garrett had to cover the wideout in the slot. Never flinched, just got the job done, even thought that wasn't an ideal situation for us. Garrett's just a guy who's smart, knows the defense, we can plug him in a lot of different spots and he does a tremendous job. I think last year he had [3.5] sacks, but I'm expecting big things from him this year.
On if anyone on the roster can duplicated Coples' hybrid role…
That was going to be more really for Q [Coples]. I think Sheldon has some of that ability, but I kind of like him in his world right now. He's doing a good job for us, but I feel really good. We're fortunate. We have some guys that can really play on the outside with Garrett and Calvin [Pace], obviously, and then Barnes and a couple other guys that are coming as well.
On if he purposely criticizes younger players and not veterans…
No, I think when you look at it, I told the truth and what I believe to be the truth. With Coples even, in the weight room, if I know the young man can do better, then I'll address. And now Q is doing a great job. He's doing a great job, he was and he's doing a great job on the field as well. I'll never specifically avoid somebody or whatever, but if there's something to teach, I'll be more than happy to try to do that.
On why he did not criticize Sanchez on the play to end the half versus Jacksonville…
It was on me. I think if it should be on my shoulders and I'll take the heat and the bullet for that. That's kind of a judgmental call right there. Should you go for it in that situation? Should you not? I was trying to get a touchdown across and knew it was going to be risky if there was any delay at all. It was. It never came out exactly how I thought it would, but I'll take the heat for it, certainly, in that situation. We're not going to put it on the quarterback when it was a judgment call by myself.
On what he saw from Geno Smith today…
I think he's much further along right now. He looked like he was driving the football better, so that was good to see. He made some really nice throws down the field today I thought.
On if he knows the quarterback rotation for Saturday…
No, again, we'll let this thing work out. We'll go through the week, and obviously we're just starting the week, so we have a few days of practice, and then we'll make that determination.
On Smith throwing an interception, but completing a long pass on the next play…
Again, you hope that you don't have the interceptions and all that stuff, but that's part of it. The fact that he just comes right back, makes the big throw downfield, I think talks about his type of confidence. He's not rattled. Absolutely, we don't want to see mistakes and don't want to throw the interceptions. Those things happen, but you have to come right back from it.
On if he saw Holmes running routes prior to the game on Saturday…
I don't want to say I never saw him [joking, laughter]. I'll watch the tape on it. But no, I never saw him. But it's no surprise to me. He's been working his tail off.
On it looking like Holmes was not far from being back on the practice field…
I hope you're right because when our trainers and our doctors feel he should be cleared to play, then he certainly will be. I'm looking forward to that and hope it's not too far down the road.
On if he is worried about Dee Milliner not being ready to start on this defense…
I think he is going to learn from it. I think that's the beauty of it. I think he's going to learn. And is he the only guy that should learn from what happened in particular in that first half against Jacksonville? I certainly hope not. It wasn't just on him. But I think he'll learn from it. I think a lot of us will learn from it and it starts from communication. Our safeties have to be vocal. We have Dawan Landry, who ran our defense in Baltimore when I was there. I challenged him to run our defense here. Don't just say you're the new guy, 'No, no, no, no, no.' We brought you in here to run it, you run it, him and David [Harris]. I think that needs to happen also.
On if Coples will play more as an interior pass rusher when he comes back…
No, I think if he's ready to play, I think you'll see him in the type of roles that we're putting him in, and some of that is as an internal pass rusher, but also on the outside as well. I think he's picked it up well and he's played well.
On his impressions of Barnes from their time in Baltimore to now…
I think he's much more mature. He's now a veteran player. Sometimes when you come in as a rookie, it's pretty big, but he's a really mature guy now and he's a pro. I think that's the big thing that I see from him. He's willing to do anything for this team. If that means he'll line up and play 60 snaps, he'll do it. But again, that's really not why I brought him in here. I brought him in here to be a difference maker as a pass rusher. I certainly think he can be when put in those situations.
On the challenges the Giants will present on Saturday…
It will be a huge challenge. Obviously, it starts with Eli [Manning] back there, so that will be a big challenge for us. Victor Cruz, I know he went out of the game, apparently, yesterday, but that young man's impressive to say the least. There are several — a good offensive line, good backs — so that will be a big challenge for us.
On seeing the real Chris Ivory…
Saw the real Chris Ivory today, too. We had a live fourth-and-one, turned and gave him the football. It was kind of BYOB — Be Your Own Blocker — and he picked up the first down so that was impressive. So I've seen the real Chris Ivory and I'm real happy he's with us.
On if Smith will have extended playing time if healthy…
The answer could be yes but I think the answer is going to be "We'll see at the appropriate time." [laughter] I think the big thing is the what-ifs, like how he responds. I don't want to say one way or the other because if all of a sudden there's a setback with his ankle or something along those lines, I don't want, 'Well I thought we said this and this.' I don't want to do that. I just want to see how it goes through the week because sometimes guys will get out and do more and all of a sudden they have a little setback. So we'll see how he responds but we're hoping that he'll progress and he'll be ready to play.
On if he will be patient with whoever is named the starting quarterback…
Again, I think when we're ready to make that decision, we'll make it. But again, I never go into it thinking how we're going to relieve for the guy. I would just say that obviously we have confidence in that individual, so much so that we would name him the starter. But to say would I have a quick hook or not, I think every situation is different.
On how Smith has responded to his comments about having a brutal practice…
Well, again, I saw improvement from that day, no question. That was something, look, he had a brutal day. Mark's had brutal days, we've had this guy's had brutal days. We've all had them. The fact that you throw four interceptions, I would say that would qualify as a brutal day.
On Smith reacting like some players might by shrinking from criticism…
Just the opposite. He's ready to roll his sleeves up and get better just like I would think that everybody would respond that way.
