Transcript of Jets head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Wednesday's midday practice:
David Harris did not participate today with the ankle. Guys that were limited: Jerricho [Cotchery] with his hip; Shaun Ellis, knee; Ryan Fowler, head; Donald Strickland with his quad. Guys that were full: Braylon Edwards, elbow; [James] Ihedigbo, neck; Thomas Jones, knee; Mark Sanchez, knee; and Weatherford, hamstring.
On if this is the first time Thomas Jones is on the injury report…
Yeah, that's the first time. We're just going to make sure we put it on there. He's going to play, you know that. He just had a little swelling in the knee. He practiced.
On if Jones injured himself during the game…
I would imagine it's from the game, but it's just the first time he had a little swelling.
On if there has been any progress with Harris…
I think he'll go just because of the guy he is. I know he's jogging on it, so hopefully he'll be able to practice, but more importantly play.
On playing the same team two weeks in a row…
It is strange. It's weird because you know each other so well. In the preparation, you're watching almost the same video that you were preparing for. But if you don't prepare like it's a new opponent, you're kidding yourself. You have to approach this like it's a brand new week because it is and almost a new opponent. There are things you'll pick up. It's like anything. If you watch a movie another time, it's like "Oh, I missed that line the first time." Hopefully, we can pick some things up from that. Playing them and studying that tape as well, you can learn from it. In other words, I butchered that response, but I don't know how to say it [laughter]. I should call Jim Fassel and Ted Cottrell in that one league. I think they had to play each other about eight times [laughter]. Maybe that's an idea.
On this team in comparison to his teams in Baltimore…
I think we're confident. There is no question we're confident, but not overly confident. We're confident. We're excited. We think we have a good football team. The thing that I'm really happy with so far is the way we are preparing. We're preparing well and hopefully that bodes well for us in the way we're going to play. I know in 2000 it was our first year. We got in the playoffs and there were some similarities with these two teams. There is no question about it. We were able to run the football. We were efficient in the passing game and we played great on defense. Our special teams were solid, so it reminds me of that team. It reminds me of the '06 team that we had a dominant defense. The way I feel personally, it feels similar to those two teams.
On being with Baltimore last season during the playoffs…
We were so beat up then. We never got a bye week. I'm not making excuses because Pittsburgh earned it. They beat us three times. We were just trying to patch it together with band-aids. The team, it was different. We had walkthroughs. We never were able to really practice. Our guys were so beat up and in need of a break. That was an excellent football team, but it was just a different feel to it. We were scratching and clawing hoping that we could get that bye week.
On if Baltimore was a wild card team that played on the road in 2000…
Yes. We sure were.
On if Baltimore played Denver at home in the first round in the playoffs in 2000…
You're right because now that I think about it, we've been there a few times but you're exactly right. We did play Denver at home and then Tennessee and Oakland. It's funny because that Denver game, that was with a backup quarterback that they had. That game was not going to go well for them.
On this team in comparison to last season with Baltimore…
This should remind me of that year, but it doesn't. It's more that we were just trying to get our guys to where they could play. That was the main thing that we try to do as coaches, mentally prepare them but physically .... we ended the Tennessee game with maybe two starters on defense. We had a tight end playing defensive end in that game. We were just grabbing guys. We had one corner, I think. We were playing safeties in there. We were throwing them all over the place. We are a healthier football team than that.
On if he feels a sense of vindication now that his team has made the playoffs…
Not really, but it's a good thing we made it. I was saying the whole time, judge us at the end of the year. Somebody is going to have egg on their face and certainly I never wanted to wear that, but there none of that for me. It's more of I truly believe something and hopefully we can be that team that I talked about.
On being the underdog…
I wasn't aware of that, but to me we should be favorites, so that's fine.
On Darrelle Revis…
We're a unit plus Darrelle [laughter]. I think you hit that right on the head because without him it would be tough. It's going to be tough anytime you have an injury. The fact that we've overcome the injury to Kris Jenkins I think is critical. Everybody steps up. Shaun Ellis was talking today about how it's just about Darrelle and Kris and nobody else on the defense. That's good. Let him play nasty. It's fine with me. Clearly, we've got some excellent football players. The talent that Mike Tannenbaum has assembled on defense gives us that opportunity. We're deep. We have a lot of depth here. To play great defense, you have to have 11 good football players out there at one time and we're fortunate. We have a lot of good players on defense.
On the offensive line…
It really wasn't good until I got here [laughter]. I stepped up and I'm in charge of the O-line [laughter]. I know [Bill] Callahan gets the credit. It's really me. I give Bill a lot of things that you guys don't see behind the scenes. That's where I do my coaching [smiling]. It's a great group. That's why I'm saying I'm set up to succeed. We have the players. We have great coaches. We have the organization from top to bottom. That's why the success that we had and we're getting ready to have is based on the plan that Mike Tannenbaum put in place and having the support from Woody [Johnson]. You feel like wow, you've got a chance. As my dad said, "Don't mess it up, kid," and I'm trying not to.
On if the Jets should be favored for just this game or for the entire playoffs...
I mean in the whole tournament. You know the way that I feel. I think we have the best defense. I know we do. I know we have the best rushing attack. Those are two huge factors in our favor. With a couple of exceptions on our staff, myself probably, I think we have a great coaching staff. I want this football team. I'm not going to trade our team. If I had choice to coach any team in this tournament, I would choose this one.
On Tony Richardson…
It's funny because that's where I think I would start, what he adds to you. The man has played so many years, yet has that bounce in his step every day. He is great just for guys to follow. Look how he approaches everyday. He's got a smile on his face. Not to mention, oh by the way, he's a tremendous football player. He's got everything in order. He's somebody that you would love for your sons to grow up to be like. He's a tremendous person, a caring person. He's such a professional.
On Richardson playing 15 years in the NFL…
It's crazy at that position to because you've got to hit people. That's a contact position. I have no idea. He must have some great genetics. Something is working there. I know he's such a hard worker. He takes care of himself. You've got to be fortunate as well.
On his father's influence…
I don't know if it's necessarily his influence. Obviously I was influenced the way I coach defense and the way you try to come up with game plans defensively. It's more just of what I've been around. [I was] around him [and] the great Bear teams where they could run the football. They were efficient in the passing game. They could make big plays in the passing game and then they could beat you up on defense. I think that's what we try to build our team like. When we got to Baltimore, we won a Super Bowl the same way, so it's hard to convince me that that won't be successful, that type of blueprint would not be successful especially playing where we do and the conditions that a lot of times we'll play in.
On if it adds confidence that the team has won five of its last six…
I don't think there is any doubt. Obviously, Peyton Manning never played the whole game and Dallas Clark. I understand that, but the way we came out of the tunnel especially those last two weeks, there is a buzz in this locker room. There is confidence. If a team is going to beat us, they're really going to have to earn it. I know we're going to put forth everything we have, every ounce of energy and preparation and how we play. We're looking at this as we have an unbelievable opportunity and we're going to try to take advantage of it.
On Chad Ochocinco…
I always get a kick out of him. He's good for the game. The guy is an unbelievable talent. We say it every time I've played against him. Trust me, he is one of the top receivers in the game and he has been for a number of years. He doesn't take himself too seriously. I don't want to get tampering charges, so I'm going to say nothing about him. I appreciate him. He's such a great player, yet he can mess around [and say] he's going to punch Bart Scott in the face. He's not going to do that. He's a funny guy like that. I think he's good for the game. He's one of those villains. When he comes to your town, everybody hates him, but deep down, they all love him and respect him.
On how he defends against Ochocinco to confuse him…
We've done some things over the years to him. We had an outside linebacker go in and hit him first and then do different things. You have to do that. You can't just give this guy one look all the time or he's going to burn you. As great as Darrelle is, we can't put him out there every single snap. We have to mix it up. Sometimes he has help up top, sometimes he doesn't, sometimes you have different guys banging him before he comes out. He's a special guy, there's no question about it.
On Bart Scott inviting players to his house…
We probably should have started that Week 4. That would have been a good time to start that. It's a process. Bart came in brand new. He had to prove himself to his teammates. You're not going to just come in, "Hey, I'm going to be a leader. I'm going to do this and that." It wouldn't have been well received. The timing of it, it's all on Bart and it's all with the guys. No coach had anything to do with it.
On if he's ever gone to Scott's…
No. I know my place and that's not where I belong.
On what he's brought to this organization…
I know I believe this team can win. I have a great deal of pride in this organization from Woody Johnson all the way down. They know I'm a genuine person. I don't know what else. Just somebody that's really passionate about this game and cares about his players, cares about his coaching staff. I'm just being myself and if that's been positive, that's great.
