Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's conference call with Jets reporters on Friday:
On facing the Patriots next Monday…
First off, I watched that game yesterday, the early game. Obviously, they're playing great. They're making big plays on defense, but their offense, that's where you start with. They seemed at times, almost looked like they were unstoppable. I'm pretty confident where our team is right now. We've got the exact same record. There's a reason why both our teams are 9-2, tied for the best record in football. Again, we're going down there and we'll see what happens. I know it's going to be a huge challenge, but our guys, I think, are looking forward to the challenge.
On what it says about the Jets that they have won a lot of different ways…
That's exactly what we talk about. You're not always going to be able to just go out and smash people with your offense, defense and special teams. I mean, that would be great. But the truth of the matter is sometimes your offense needs to pick up your defense, sometimes your defense needs to pick up your offense, and sometimes special teams has got to pick up both.
We've won that way. We've found different ways. That's the mark of an excellent football team. So there's a reason, like I say, we're 9-2. The big thing I think is that we are a team. This is who we are. We don't have to beat you with just suffocating defenses. Sometimes if our defense isn't at our best, our offense and special teams will pick them up, and vice versa. You look at it, that's how good teams are. They don't have to just dominate one side of the ball and all that kind of stuff.
On how far ahead the Jets would be in the divisional race with a win against the Patriots…
Absolutely it will. We'll have a tiebreaker over New England. So it's basically you're a game and a half over them. It would be huge for us if we can pull this thing off. It's not going to be easy. Obviously, they've won 25 straight at home [with Tom Brady as starting QB]. We've won eight [straight] on the road. I know we're confident going anywhere to play. They're certainly confident playing at home in particular, but, hey, it's going to be, in my opinion, the best two teams in football squaring off against each other and we'll see what happens on the field.
On if the defense had its best game this season against the Bengals…
I think it was. I think our first game against New England was pretty good as well. I think from a statistical standpoint, that was our best game. Like I said before, judge us by what happens at the end of the year when you rank it all you want. I think I know where we're going to be. That's what we keep saying. Nobody wants to listen, but that's the truth. All I have is history, my history. I know where it's going to be. If this group communicates and we don't have mental mistakes, then we're going to be tough for anybody to move the ball against. I understand New England is moving it up and down the field against everybody. But you know, we'll see. I have confidence that that won't be the case this week.
On if he thought both the Jets and Patriots would be 9-2 going into next Monday's game…
I think clearly I expected that we would have probably the best two teams in football. I expected the Colts to be there, the Ravens and Pittsburgh. This is tough, but you knew going into this one that this is going to be a huge game. The NFL, when they put the game together, was probably anticipating the same thing. I mean, two 9-2 teams squaring off on Monday Night Football — it's going to be huge. We'll see what happens. They're extremely confident. They should be. Their offense is moving the ball up and down the field on everybody. They got the best coach in football on their sideline, but I think our team is just as confident as New England is. So we'll see what happens.
On Damien Woody's injury update following the game…
I know he got treatment last night, but he played. That's generally a good indication. When you're able to complete a game, you'll probably be ready to go. I think all of our guys are going to be ready to go for this game, so hopefully we'll be at full strength.
On if Jerricho Cotchery, Dwight Lowery and Marquice Cole will be able to play against the Patriots…
I think that's a good possibility.
On if he's tired…
I'm a little tired, but it's a good tired. You get home last night, after each game it's tough for me to go to sleep, it really is. I'll get to sleep about 3 o'clock or something like that. Had to take my wife and kids to the airport about 4:30 this morning. Other than that, I'm feeling good.
On how much it helps the team with game-planning and health that the game is next Monday…
Well, I think both teams are going to be at full strength. That's kind of how you want it. You know, it's the marquee game of the year. When you look at both teams and all that at 9-2, it's not going to get much bigger than that. So the fact that it's a divisional game, I guess the only way it would be better is if it was the last game of the regular season. But this is pretty good right here. Obviously, the team that wins it is going to have to play fantastic. We're just hoping it's us.
On game-planning for Danny Woodhead…
Yeah, I tell you, he's been great for them, really fits their system. It's amazing. Kevin Faulk, he's done a great job in that role, running the ball with them. I've got a ton of respect for Danny Woodhead. I always thought he's a terrific player. I think the guy, the main guy you got to game-plan, is Tom Brady. Brady's doing a great job. He's smart. He'll throw it to open receivers. We've got to do a great job of stopping all of their weapons, but Woodhead clearly is doing a great job running the ball also.
On if New England's offense is different since the release of Randy Moss…
No, it's still New England. They've been running the ball a little more. Before, everybody would have to play Cover-2. You have to roll up to Randy Moss' side. I think they realized with us that wasn't the case anymore, that we could actually single Moss, whether that was with [Antonio] Cromartie or [Darrelle] Revis. Some of the benefit that they would get with having a Randy Moss, they kind of lose against us anyway. Whether that was one of the factors going into it, why they traded Randy Moss, I'm not sure, but they are doing some different things. They're still making some big plays in the passing game, but it's more of a vertical passing game to the inside receivers, a lot of underneath stuff even with the outside receivers. It's changed a little bit. Again, it's going to come down to getting after it and we'll see what happens.
On if he will adjust how he will use Cromartie and Revis because New England's offensive strength is their running backs and tight ends…
Well, I think sometimes when you go 9-on-9, that's fine anyway. We have confidence we can lock down those two guys. That eliminates a lot of big plays when you've got two guys that can lock them down. think Detroit probably offers three first-round picks for one of our corners, looking at the way the one kid played for them. You know, we'll see. There's a lot of flexibility in our system. Whether we lock our guys inside, outside, you know, we'll do what's in the best interests of our team.
On if he sent his wife to the airport because of the green bean casserole situation…
I thought about it certainly, but I'm still a little upset. I will say this, by the time we left, somebody had brought us down some green bean casserole. I wasn't filing papers, but it was close [laughter].
On his reaction to Mark Sanchez taking responsibility for his poor play against Cincinnati…
He knows that there's accountability to himself, his teammates, everybody. You know, he takes that responsibility seriously. The thing that you look at is how different is his reaction than the entire defense last week? It's the exact same. The defense responded and I expect Mark to respond. I know how competitive he is. He's going to want to get it fixed. That wasn't his best game by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm glad he's our quarterback.
On Sanchez's progression since last playing at New England in 2009…
Yeah, that was a brutal performance, not just by him. We couldn't stop a nosebleed with our defense in the first half of that game either. It was bad on a lot of accounts. But we know that Mark is a totally different guy. He's got a great command of our offense. He does a great job recognizing coverages. Now, with Bill Belichick, a lot of times you can prepare for certain things and still not get it. So he's a very multiple guy on defense. We're going to be challenged like crazy by him. We've just got to do a great job with our eyes and reacting to what they play.
On how much he enjoys going against Bill Belichick…
Yeah, no question. You always want to put yourself against the best. That's what we get to do every time we go up against them. There's a lot of really good coaches in this league, but there's only one guy that's the best. I like a challenge. It motivates you. It's like anything else, almost like going up in a championship fight — you're going to have to fight the best guy. I pride myself on being a good football coach. With the guys that I have around us, I feel confident. But I'm still not in Bill Belichick's class, and I know that. But I know one thing, he's going to get my best shot.
On if he feels that experts saying the Patriots are the best team in the league are doing it because they are anti-Jets or because they have respect for the Patriots…
I think it's respect. They earned that, but we have the same record and we beat them once. I don't know if we're looked at in that light or whatever, but you know, that's OK. The great thing is, we get to prove it on Monday Night Football in their place. We'll see. I know I feel confident with that football team. I know everybody in our locker room believes we'll win. We know what New England represents, how good a football team they are, how well-coached they are, all that kind of stuff. But, again, as much as we respect them, we also think we can beat them. I think we proved that this year.
We'll see. Nobody's beaten them in 25 games. They've won 25 straight home games, we've won eight straight road games. This is going to be a heck of a game.
