Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Friday's midday news conference at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
I apologize for being late, so now we're down to two minutes [joking]. Guys that are out: [Garrett] McIntyre will not play with that concussion. He was limited in practice, but he will not play. Logan Payne, obviously, and Bryan Thomas. Nick Mangold was limited today. He's questionable for the game. I feel good about it, though. All the other guys are probable and all of them were full participants in practice: Plaxico [Burress] with the elbow, Antonio Cromartie, ribs, [Mike] DeVito, shoulder, David Harris, toe, Calvin Pace, abdomen, Eric Smith, triceps, and Muhammad Wilkerson, shoulder.
So that's pretty much it on the injury thing. Today's practice was so much better this week than last week's. We were bouncing around pretty good, flying around. I feel good about it. So based on this practice, we should play well.
On the practice week in general…
Really good. I think our best practice was yesterday that we had all season. So I think it's good. You have to be sharp mentally, and obviously New England is going to present different things that you haven't worked on, and you have to try to react to it, figure it out. And then they have to react to us, so there's always that chessmatch involved in that.
On if he's confident Mangold will play…
Well, he's listed as questionable. There's that New England Patriots response. [joking]
On if he is ever tempted to use more of than one of the limited number of padded practices after a loss...
I think if it was more of a physical thing where somebody just ran the ball down your throat or something like that, maybe so. But that wasn't our day, there's no question about it. I thought our defense responded, did a good job against a really good back in Ray Rice, played well against Flacco. It was almost a reverse of the week before. But again, being physical is what we want to be. That should be our stamp. That's who the Jets are and sometimes you do wish you had a few more padded practices.
On if Joe McKnight is finding his niche…
Well, maybe the coaches are finding the niche for Joe McKnight, because [as] a kickoff returner, he leads the league. He goes down on a kickoff, forces a fumble. And yet this is a guy, when we had him in preseason that first year, [he] couldn't hold onto a ball and we were all down on him and things. But sometimes you have to patient, because the one thing he always had was great athleticism. And quite honestly, there's a reason we kept him over Danny Woodhead. And Danny Woodhead is a great back, [he's] done great things in New England. But this guy's [McKnight's] ceiling is about as high as it gets. And so we'll see. I think he has a chance to be a heck of a player. [It] might be at corner, might be whatever, but he can play.
On if he was encouraged by Aaron Maybin…
Yes, I was encouraged during the preseason as well. But it was something where it's like, 'You have to start, you really never knew the defense'. And he's just now starting to figure it out. It takes a little time, but yes, I was encouraged by that. He really did what we thought he would do, get underneath that big guy and run. And that's what he did, he made a play. And really, I think he might have only had six or seven snaps, but he had the sack and he had a hurry on another one. So that's two that he affected the quarterback. So that's encouraging.
On if Kenrick Ellis is close to being on the active roster for a game…
Yes, he is. I think it's just a matter of time now. But yes, you're exactly right. When you're playing these teams that really are spreading you out a bunch, sometimes you don't play as many linemen as some of the games. But he's done a great job on the practice field, and it's just a matter of time for that young man.
On if Ellis will be active this Sunday…
I think we're going to go a different route for that last spot, but he is in the conversation, there's no doubt. Each week it starts with him quite honestly.
On if there is a plan to replace Bryan Thomas on the roster before Sunday…
That's a strong possibility. So you could just put 'Yes' in there probably. It's a competitive thing, we'll deal with that. You guys will put two and two together, you'll figure it out.
On how eager the team is to return to the field after tough losses…
We were eager last week, but that never worked out so well. We are definitely ready to get back out there, and the fact that you're playing your division rival, New England, at their place, we know certainly we have to be ready, and I think we are ready.
On the kind of atmosphere he expects in Foxboro...
Very calm. [joking] Please. We know what that one's like. That's brutal now. When you go up there, it's good, that's the way sports are supposed to be. They let you have it now, for some reason, me maybe a little more than others.
On what the Patriots fans say to him…
Oh please, I'm not going to say one word.
On rough reception from Patriots fans even though he is Irish-American and Boston has a large Irish-American population…
You would think you'd feel the love there, but for some reason I don't sense that when I get there. [joking]
On Shaun Ellis being a Patriot now…
It is going to feel really strange I think. We were talking about it today, the offensive linemen and D-linemen. Like "Man, all that stuff, remember all that stuff he used to talk about, you guys?" We were laughing about it. But he certainly is going to be motivated. We understand that. I did say this, maybe it's not appropriate, but I thought we should start punting footballs in their direction, because remember when he got hit in the head in Miami by a ball? That was one way to slow him down [joking]. So maybe we can do that.
On Brandon Moore coming off of hip surgery and if that set back the chemistry of the offensive line…
Oh, yes, there's no doubt, but Brandon is still playing great. But you're right. Here's a guy with the hip things and all that, and let's face it, he really never played during those preseason games, maybe had a little bit of action, but then he's right back into it, playing every snap. But he's worked his way [back]. When I look out there, there's Brandon out there. And that's a good feeling. But clearly, I'm sure that did set him back, as far as he wasn't able to be 100 percent for training camp.
On if Wayne Hunter is headed in the right direction…
I don't disagree with you at all. I think he is. I agree with you. He's playing much better. Obviously, he had a huge challenge last week against [Terrell] Suggs quite a bit, and Jarrett Johnson. When [the 2010 season ended], remember he had played those four games against Pittsburgh, against a lot of real good competition and did an outstanding job. It's in him. There's no question. The fact that he wasn't in there with Brandon all training camp, maybe that had something to do with maybe a slow start, but right now, we feel really good about where Wayne's at.
On if it is fun having Bill Belichick on the opposite sideline…
From a competitive standpoint, that's like facing the world champ. You know the only way to beat him is you've got to be at your very best, then we'll see. You want to compete against the very best. Certainly, with him, he is the best coach out there, may go down as the best coach in the history of the game, but I'm going to take my swing at him.
On the team using a buzzer during practice…
It's a thing that Bill Parcells used. You give them a certain time. That challenges, really, your whole team. It challenges the offensive line. You've got to protect that amount. The receivers have to run their routes at this kind of speed, and the quarterback's got to get rid of the football. It's a little thing in their head.
I'll be honest with you, the tempo was great, it really was. I started off, I had Matt Cavanaugh go over every single pass, and so OK, this ought to be out in two seconds, three seconds, four seconds, whatever it was. And we started that way, but by the time practice was over, we had already trimmed it one second off each one. So I had Gus [Granneman, equipment manager] put it in there. The routes were great, full speed, and I think added to our practice.
On if the buzzer was used during the whole practice…
Yeah, just for the passes.
On if he feels his team received his message to them on Monday…
Yeah, I think so. I hope so. We'll find out.
