Transcript of Jets head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Wednesday's midday practice:
Let's go with the injuries first. Thomas Jones and Tony Richardson, we held them out of practice. I held them out of practice today. We're listing Thomas Jones that he did not participate [because of] the knee. It will say injury and it will be knee, but he could have practiced fully. It's just that I chose to put him and Tony Richardson down like we have the past three weeks. He did have the little knee before so that's why it's on the injury list, but there are no problems at all with him. Limited participation was Shaun Ellis [knee], like he's been all season. Full was Howard Green [knee], David Harris [ankle], [Mark] Sanchez [knee], Bart Scott [ankle] and [Donald] Strickland [quad].
On if Jones' injury might require postseason surgery…
No, not at all. It was just a bruise on the outside. In fact when we looked at his knees — like a 16-year-old's. That's a quote. We knew he was a freak.
On if Jones is going to wear a brace again Sunday…
I'm not sure. You're going to have to ask him.
On if Donald Strickland will play Sunday…
Yes. I believe Strickland will play this week. He's got the quad. He's fine. He's ready to roll, but I would assume that he'll be up.
On if Strickland would start over Dwight Lowery in the nickel package…
He will definitely have a role. There is no question about it. He's going to play for us.
On if the first part of the defensive game plan is to attack the quarterback…
If it's not 1, it's 1A. You always want to hit the quarterback. You always want to get him off his spot [and] make it to where he's not comfortable. It usually starts with stopping the run first, try to make a team one-dimensional, but without question you want to hit a quarterback. Even if you don't get necessarily a hit on him, a sack, you want to get some fly-bys, some touches just so he feels your presence. You don't want him comfortable.
The thing about [Philip] Rivers is he does a great job. He hasn't been sacked a whole lot this year, very rarely which is really saying something about their protection because they throw the ball down the field so much. They also complement the screen off of it. He does a tremendous job. He gets rid of the football. We'll see. To be effective, you have to hit him and disrupt him. I really like this guy because he's a competitive guy. I'm sure he's a coach's kid. It looks like he is. I don't know if he is or not, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it [laughing]. He's got to be somewhere down the line. I would imagine he is.
On if he is emphasizing ball security with Shonn Greene…
Yes. He's been carrying the ball all his life. He's better about having the mentality that I'm going to run a safety over than he is about holding on to it. When we had the old, typical don't fumble, that was when he was fumbling. Now it's like, 'Just run the dude over and you'll be alright.' That's how he's protecting the football now.
On if this is the biggest challenge the defense has faced all year…
We've faced some pretty tough ones. We've played New Orleans. We've played New England twice. We played, go ahead and say it, Indianapolis for two-and-something. We've faced all the good ones, but this is definitely a huge challenge for us. There is no doubt. I think this team is fourth in passing, first in passing efficiency. Now they're 31st in rushing in football, but they're starting to run the ball more now that they're healthy in the offensive line. Again, we know it's a big challenge for us. There is no question about it. I'm sure they know it's going to be a huge challenge for them also.
On fans' reactions when they see him…
When they see me, they usually buy me a beer, but no, that's not true when I'm away from here [laughter]. I sense the genuine excitement that's in the area right now. I think they like this football team. They like what we stand for. Everybody is fired up. I'm not very recognizable, so they don't notice me [laughter].
On offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer declining to interview with the Bills…
You guys will talk to Brian tomorrow. I'd rather let Brian comment on his personal situations.
On the recruitment of Bart Scott…
It's not the way I put this team together, really it's the way we did, with Mike Tannenbaum the main guy behind this. We had a vision from Woody [Johnson], Mike Tannenbaum and myself that this is the type of team we wanted. I'm fortunate that with the offensive line already in place, that was huge. We had to keep Brandon Moore which we were able to do. That was big. Adding some of the guys we did, Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard, Marques Douglas, Howard Green, Strickland. A lot of the guys that we brought in just added to what I thought was a good group of guys. Obviously, there is a talented group here.
The thing that I'm most proud of is the fact that they've really meshed well together. Everybody meshed well. They bought into a brand new system. Right now we're probably playing as well defensively as we've played all year. It's great that it's the New York Jets defense and there is ownership across the board with it. That's a credit to our assistant coaches with Mike Pettine leading that defense and Dennis Thurman, Bob Sutton, Jeff Weeks and all the guys over there have done a great job of really putting this defense in. Like I say, it's a tough group. Bart Scott was our first guy that we went out to get. I thought he would team with David Harris and give us a great combination as probably the best inside linebacker group in the league. I think it has worked out that way.
On why he believes so strongly in Schottenheimer…
Well first off, I'm shocked that he's come under scrutiny here [laughter]. That's a surprise to me. I know that the man is extremely talented. He's got a great rapport with the players. The thing I like is the way he empowers the coaches that are coaching with him. That's the mark of a great coach, a great leader. I just know his background. It's very similar to mine. I think that's the way to go. Realistically, he's a smart guy. He's gifted and it's just a matter of time before he is a head coach in this league.
On Schottenheimer being a coach's son…
His dad only won like 200 games. Obviously, he's been around it. He grew up the same way I did. I know it's really helped me. I've really benefited from it and I know it shows that he has as well. He's his own person. He has really been impressive and he's not trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. I think he's shown this year how flexible he can be and tried to utilize all the talents that are around him. That's a mark of a great coach.
On not wanting to get into a shootout with the Chargers' offense…
I think that's safe to say every week. Being a former defensive coach, I'm uncomfortable with that. I'd much rather have it where we dictate the flow. A shootout, to me sounds like you're giving up a ton of points and I'm not comfortable with that.
On if he goes into a game with a number of points he wants to keep an offense under…
Well, you always go into every game trying to hold them to zero. That's going to probably be pretty difficult, to say the least. I think their lowest total is 20 this year. You're excited to mark yourself up against the elite offenses in this league. I know our guys are going to be excited about it. We know it's going to be a huge challenge, but that's why you play sports. As competitive as our guys are, Philip Rivers and that bunch are equally as competitive. It's going to be great. There's no doubt.
On if he worries about his comments being taken the wrong way…
No, not really. When I look at it, I'm going to be true to myself, number one, and true to our organization. Unless it is really warranted, I don't take shots at other teams specifically, I just build our guys up. If it's trash talking that I believe in our football team, then yes I agree with that statement. I'm the biggest trash talker there is. I don't disrespect anybody else. I just have confidence in our football team. I don't mean to be disrespectful at all to opponents. I don't feel like I am. I appreciate this game as much as anybody in this league. I know the struggles of every team, but to me, I'm just taking my team in and I expect the win. I think that sometimes people think I'm trash talking. I don't really think that's true.
On if speaking his mind has hurt his team at all…
I don't know, you'd have to ask them. When I took this job, I'm going to be the same person I've always been and somebody who has a great belief. I believe in myself and I believe in this organization from top to bottom and I've said that from day one. Right when I got here, I said it. I'm not going to apologize for anything that I say. I don't think that I need to. If a team wants to use it as motivation that I really believe in our football team, then that's fine.
On if there is anything magical going on with this football team…
That sounds pretty good. There were some things going on with our football team where I thought we were the unluckiest team in the league. Then that kind of switched a little bit as we went on. I felt very fortunate to get an opportunity to play in the playoffs. We earned our right. This football team, I believe, is really what we said it was going to be – a team that is going to have an all-weather offense and one of the premier defenses in the league. I think that's where we're at. I think statistics bear that out as well.
On growing up the son of a coach…
Well, you're not intimidated by anyone or anybody. I think that's a big thing. You grow up and realize how important it is to be yourself. I've been around the game a long time and I've seen the successful coaches and I've seen guys that have failed. I think sometimes the guys that have failed have been guys that here's how you coach out of a manual. Where if you're yourself, whether your style is over the top or your style is a yeller or a soft-spoken teacher, whatever it is, you have to be true to yourself. Bud Grant was a great example. He was a lot different than my dad. [Mike] Ditka was similar to my dad. He had a great belief in himself and was a tough-assed guy and he is a tough-assed guy and that's the way his team was. That was great and I think the players responded to that. I think that's an advantage you have when you grow up a coach's kid.
On staying with the running game…
I just think it fits who we are. We have a great offensive line, number one. I think a team across the way wants us to give up on the run. Now we've got them one-dimensional where they've got to pass all the time. I just think it's a matter of time. We're going to pop it, it's just a matter of time if we stay with it and I think that's why we're in the position we're in right now.
On if other teams have underestimated the Jets…
That could be true for guys that haven't really paid attention to you, never watched the tape. I think anybody that watches the film realizes this team could have easily won 11 or 12 games. The fact that we didn't, it is what it is. We found ways to lose, but we were always close. No one blew us out. I think statistically, you can look at it and say they must be doing something right. Eleven or 12 teams never scored more than one offensive touchdown against us. I think it's a pretty good indication that we're playing pretty good defense. The fact that we're able to run the football effectively week in and week out tells you how we are built. If you look at our quarterback, we have efficiency in the passing game. I don't think anybody want to play us and I truly believe that.
On if preparing a Super Bowl itinerary early in the playoffs will be copied by other teams…
I'm not really concerned with every team. I'm more concerned with us. I think you paint a picture to your team and try to visualize. The facts are, we win three games and we're Super Bowl Champions. If people start doing that, I can see that. I don't really care.
