Transcript of Jets head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Thursday's midday practice:
David Harris was limited today. [Donald] Strickland is still limited with a quad. Guys that were full — Jerricho Cotchery [hip], Braylon Edwards [elbow], Shaun Ellis [knee], Ryan Fowler [head], James Ihedigbo [neck], Thomas Jones [knee], Mark Sanchez [knee] and [Steve] Weatherford [right hamstring]. Everybody was full except the two guys, David Harris and Strickland. David wasn't full-go by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it's an encouraging sign the fact that he was able to get out there and do something. We'll see how that goes.
On if Donald Strickland will be able to play Saturday…
I'm not sure about him, right now. We'll see. He's had a couple of good days. He's made some plays, but there is still some soreness.
On if it was an illegal hit when David Harris got hurt last Sunday…
It was a chop block, but I don't believe it was intended. What happened is, and it was really unusual like a chop block generally is. You have a guy that's posting up high and then a guy not right next to the person comes in and chops the guy. What happened in this case was a running back had posted him high. The backside back also came over. He thought he had him in the protection and then was going to cut, so he was taking a blind shot which they do a lot of that will come from one side and then come and cut. The front side linebacker had already posted him and gauged him, so that's where he got hurt. I don't think by any stretch that it was intended. It's just one of those things that unfortunately happened.
On what impresses him the most about Darrelle Revis…
Everything if that's one thing. His consistency. Week end and week out [he goes] against the best that the NFL has to offer. The list is amazing. No corner in the league has been asked to do what he's been asked to do. We've said it. I know you guys are tired of hearing me say it, but it's true and the guy deserves it. I hope he wins the Defensive MVP because he's as deserving of a guy as I've ever been around and I've been around some great ones.
On his thoughts of Revis before this season…
I only thought he was the best in the league. That's what I thought, but he's even better than that. He really is. They can say what they want, but everybody knows he's out there, so go ahead and throw it over there. They do. They take their shots. We've all seen it. We've all been here. Knowing you go into every game, everybody screaming, "Hey, look. Throw it out there. You're going to be one-on-one." Yet he still stands tall. It's incredible. It really is.
On critics that say Revis has safety help…
That would be a lot of guys are misinformed. Sometimes, we played a game this year where we were playing cover one where the safety is in the middle of the field. Kerry [Rhodes] has pretty good range. I think he can cover over the top a bunch, but he's playing center field. A lot of times he's out there, I'm not going to put him in zero coverage every snap, but if somebody went back and really broke it down, this award wouldn't be close on who should win it. You're right. I do know something about defense. I've never seen a corner have this kind of year, with one exception maybe Deion [Sanders] when he was with San Francisco.
On if he has received any feedback over his statement that the Jets should be favored in the playoffs…
I got a lot of feedback from the media, I think. You know what? That's fine. I'm just saying I believe it. I believe it to be a true statement. Again, it's all going to come out in the end.
On what makes Nick Mangold such a great center…
The same thing that makes that [Domata] Peko such a good defensive tackle: his hair. I think that's what it is. The guy has got everything. He was a first round pick which is rare to have a center go in the first round. That really talks about how he dominated the college game. The thing that's impressive about Nick is that he's got great quickness and he's got size. In our division, in particular, you play a lot of 3-4 teams and those nose tackles are gigantic. He's able to match up one-on-one against the massive nose tackles that play 3-4 defenses and then also have the quickness to cut off 4-3 middle linebackers. That's a rare combination. He's smart, he makes all the line calls, so really a tremendous player.
On how Mark Sanchez is approaching this game…
I think he's even more excited than he normally is. He's just really excited about this opportunity. As a football team, we know we're fortunate to be in this situation. There's plenty of times where teams with nine wins don't make the playoffs. We feel fortunate to get in, but we're excited about the opportunity we have and we have a strong belief that we can do it. I think Mark feels the same way.
On if it is different being in the playoffs for the first time as a head coach…
I feel great because I think I have a huge bonus in there. Other than that, it's the same. I'm just part of the success that we've had and that's no different than any other time that I was an assistant. I was just part of it.
On why they practiced inside today…
Well, we never had the heat turned on indoors. To all the free agents, we can heat it up if we want to. I'm not superstitious, I'm not dumb either. This is what we did last week. We went out one day. Really what it is though, we get great attention to detail there. We're able to really pump that music in there and keep loud and the communication really needs to be spot on. We had a very good practice today.
On why Dustin Keller hasn't been more of a focal point of their passing game…
Well, he's got to be out there, number one. We had a lot of the game, in particular last week, we had an extra lineman in there a bunch. He is a dangerous player. If you want to cover him with one guy, then surely we can exploit that. We have a lot of confidence in him. He's a very dangerous type of athlete, so hopefully we can get it going where we can give him some shots down the field.
On Brian Schottenheimer saying he was happy here…
I think he's crazy. There's only 32 of these jobs, so anytime you get that opportunity, you really need to look hard at it, but how much he like it here and appreciates the coaches he has working with him and the players he has, he knows this could be a special team. This is a special organization. If he doesn't get a head coaching job, I'm going to feel really bad for him, but not really. He'll stay right here and he'll be just fine. All of our guys are excited for him to hear him mentioned for these jobs, but it's almost a bittersweet thing. We want him to be successful individually and to go on and to become a head coach, but we definitely don't want to lose him.
On what emotions he'll feel on Saturday…
Well Gary, you've been wanting me to cry a long time in front of you guys because you guys missed it. I know it's been well reported. I'll bawl like a baby if we win the Super Bowl. For me, emotionally, I'm excited for this opportunity. I won't be surprised when we win. That's how I feel. I want to win and that's all I'm thinking about doing. Doing my job and finding a way to win. That's it. If we lose, it'll be devastating just like it always is.
On if it will be special to win a playoff game as a head coach, something his dad never did…
I think it will be special, period, just to win. The opportunity that you stay alive and you're able to win would be huge. You've got to have a lot of things going for you in the playoffs to make a run. I think he had a lot of really good Philly teams. I think if they had kept him there, he would have won a few Super Bowls. I truly believe that. They had the youngest team in the league when they fired him and went three straight years in the playoffs. You've got to be hitting your stride and be healthy. We've had a couple of huge injuries. I say huge with all due respect to Kris Jenkins, but also with Leon. But we still feel like we're healthy to make a run. We're going to find out.
On if he's talked to his dad this week…
No, I have not talked to him yet.
On if his dad congratulated him on making the playoffs…
He did, but it's no big deal. Trust me, it's no big deal. My brother is going to be at the game. I think he's going to do some advance scouting. Just kidding. That'll be neat to see him out there.
On Domata Peko's return…
He's a good player. There's no question about it. The first thing that jumps out at you is that hair, it's hard not to. He's a good player. He's a passionate guy, really competes and plays hard. I'm not going to compare him to Haloti Ngata, but he's pretty darn good.
On if he was disappointed that Laveranues Coles wasn't with the Jets when he was hired…
Yeah, absolutely. I love the way he competes. He's one of those tough guys. He would have fit right in here. I like him. I met him. I went down to talk to him, but the opportunity that he had, that Cincinnati presented to him financially and everything else, there's no way we could have matched. He knows we wanted him. There's no question about that.
On if he brings up to the team the fact that two of the last four years a Wild Card team has won the Super Bowl…
No. There's another fact out there. It would be interesting to see how many teams led the NFL in defense and how far those teams went in the playoffs. In scoring, if you take the team that led the NFL in scoring in defense and see how far they went.
On how difficult it is to look for coaching jobs while in the playoffs…
I always just focus on the one thing. I never worried about the job I didn't have. That's probably why I did such a great job in interviews. I owed it to my team to give everything I had for that purpose, trying to win.
On if the 37-0 victory gives the team an edge in the rematch…
I don't know. Nobody's been through this. The fact that it was a lopsided score, we're going right back at it in six days. I guess you'd have to ask them or somebody a lot smarter than me. I can't figure it out. I just hope we go out with the same kind of intensity and I'm sure we will. Knowing that we're going to get Cincinnati's best shot, knowing that they're going to get ours and see if we're good enough to beat them.
On if it was helpful that the defense was on the field for a short amount of time last week…
Yes, it absolutely is. That's how you play. That's the great part of that game, it was such a team-game. We're pretty good. The guys that we put out there on the field are good. The best part of it is, when we're on the sideline we're phenomenal. That's definitely in the gameplan, control the clock, control the ball. That play's in our hands.
On how Harris' injury affects the roster and traveling with an extra defensive back…
That is a definite possibility there. With [Ryan] Fowler, he's able to practice fully now. We might actually do that. We'll see. The head injuries, those are scary. I know he wanted to practice immediately, but you have to be responsible. Let the doctors handle those types of things. I'm not comfortable putting a guy out unless I absolutely get 100 percent clearance from everyone else.
On Ryan Fowler…
I think he's fine, but I don't know what the term is. He's fine. He is a full participant [at practice] now. Our doctors felt good about it. He has started a lot of games in this league before. I think he played for Dallas and Tennessee. He definitely has some experience. Kenwin Cummings is a guy that's been with us for a long time, we just haven't had to use him.
It's funny, when you tell your team and the practice squad guys that you have to prepare, you have to study, you never know when your number is going to be called. Eventually, you are going to need everybody. The guys always look at you, "Yeah, yeah, yeah," and they really don't believe it. Now maybe they'll start believing it because there have been times we've had to have [Matt] Slauson go in games, now Kenwin Cummings goes in. You use your roster. Kenwin is a smart guy, so you may see him in there also.
On radio host Craig Carton walking the Brooklyn Bridge in a Jets Speedo and jersey…
That's what I'm talking about. That's great. The name sounds familiar, but I'm not up to speed on many things. I think he's a radio personality. My thing is he probably paid too much attention to my Atlanta Falcons press conference. The fact he's doing it, see, you should have believed in us. That's great. The thing that I like about it is that he said it and now he's going to go do it. That's pretty impressive. Better him than me.
