Rex Ryan’s Gives Middle Finger to Miami Crowd

Jets head coach Rex Ryan flipped off a Miami crowd at an MMA fight Saturday night. A person with a camera phone caught Ryan giving the bird to the crowd. 

Ryan told the Miami faithful,”I’d like to thank everybody here in Miami. I know they love me. I want to just tell everybody in Miami, hey, we’re coming to beat you twice next year.”

An apologetic Ryan called the act “stupid and inappropriate.” 

Preseason, postseason, offseason… will there be any time Ryan shuts his mouth? It doesn’t seem so.

Jets’ Future Bright with Rex’s Defense and Sanchez’s Potential

The Jets finished the 2009 regular season ranked number one in total defense, passing defense, points allowed and rushing offense. It didn’t translate into an 11 or 12 win season because parts of the Jets went AWOL in particular games. Their special teams took a day off in one loss to Miami and their defense was nowhere to be found in the other. Mark Sanchez threw five balls to Bills players in an overtime loss and the Jets held the Falcons to just a field goal until under two minutes left in the game and lost 10-7. The Jets lost five games by five points or less. 

A top rated defense and a top rated running game is a formula for success in the NFL. In the past, teams that have led the NFL in those two categories usually have had postseason success. The Jets were no different until they ran into Peyton Manning and the Colts Sunday in the AFC Championship. Amid all the disappointing regular season losses, the Jets still made a nice run in 2009, but it ended two wins short. What they did in the latter part of the regular season and playoffs is showing of a team that will be a contender for quite some time.

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Jets Rookies, First Year Players Impacting Jets

It takes an entire team effort to get where the Jets are, but credit Jet rookies and first year Jets for changing the culture of the organization.

It starts with first year head coach Rex Ryan, who was brought over from the Ravens. Ryan is one of the top defensive minds in the NFL. Ryan brought over linebacker Bart Scott, safety Jim Leonhard, defensive end Marques Douglas and a few coaches with him from Baltimore and those guys are a big reason why the Jets’ defense has been so successful in their first year under Rex Ryan’s scheme. Without Scott, Leonhard and Douglas, the Jets defense would have probably been lost. They are the coaches on the field that know the defense as well as Rex does because they’ve been in his system for so long. Those guys have helped the Jet defenders learn the scheme. 

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Rex’s Defensive Scheme and Coaching, Not Loud Mouth, Will Win Games for Jets

The Jets started 3-0, ran their mouths, then got smacked in the mouth. Then they became humble, quieted down, and went to work. You maybe heard a peep here or a peep there, but for the most part they stayed humble. Now the Jets are in the playoffs, they’re mouths are moving again, and it all starts at the top with their head coach.

Usually the head coach drops the hammer when a player runs his mouth to the media. It’s not often you see a coach doing the talking and Rex has done it since the day he was hired. What Jet fans love about Rex is that he is the anti-Mangini and moreover, the anti-Belichick. He is open, confident and probably overconfident for that matter. He likes to chirp and his players emulate his actions. He’s a fiery guy with a lot of passion for what he does.

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Jets Apt to Fourth Quarter Meltdowns

By now everyone knows what Rex Ryan told reporters about how he considers the Jets the favorite to win it all this year. No matter what Rex Ryan says, the Jets are not the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They don’t have a reliable passing offense that is necessary to win games down the stretch. Fourth quarter comebacks are not the Jets forte and neither is stopping them. The Jets aren’t going to blow anybody out in the playoffs. They will need a fourth quarter game-winning drive or game-winning stop at one point to win a playoff game.

I’d really like to know if Jets fans have more confidence in Mark Sanchez putting together a late game-winning drive or the defense stopping one. The easy answer would be to pick the defense, but neither has happened in the regular season. In a handful of games this season the Jets’ defense played well up until the last few minutes and gave up a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. I know everyone is high on the Jets defense and rightfully so for being rated number one in several major categories, but you can lead the NFL in defense every year and it won’t matter unless you finish games. The Jets defense hasn’t shown us they can stop their opponents from scoring late in close games. Being the number one rated defense in the NFL and having a 9-7 record and just barely getting into the playoffs isn’t ideal.

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Rex Ryan’s “Thank You” Cards

Before Rex Ryan addressed the media Monday afternoon, he sent me into his office to fetch a statement he jotted down about the win over the Bengals. As I fumbled through some papers on his desk searching for the statement, I found a stack of “Thank You” cards with Rex’s handwriting on them. Here are what the cards said:

(Thank you notes courtesy of The Posh Palmetto)

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Sanchez Will Start Against Falcons

Rex Ryan has announced that Mark Sanchez will be the Jets starting quarterback this Sunday against the Falcons. Sanchez missed last week’s game with a strained PCL in his right knee which he suffered while diving for a first down the prior week against Buffalo. Kellen Clemens started in place of him in the Jets’ win over the Buccaneers last week. Sanchez will be wearing knee braces on both knees. 

“Mark will start at QB, no great surprise to anybody,” Rex Ryan said according to the Jets official twitter account. “He feels confident. He threw the ball really well today. He’s ready to go.”

The 7-6 Jets need a win over the 6-7 Falcons to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Kellen Clemens Will Start for Jets in Place of Sanchez

Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez will not start for the first time in his young NFL career. Jets head coach Rex Ryan announced that Kellen Clemens will start in place of Sanchez Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Sanchez sprained the PCL in his right knee diving for a first down in the third quarter of last Thursday night’s game against the Bills. He did not return to the game.

“Mark’s a little upset with this decision, but I think it’s in the best interest of him,” Rex Ryan told the Associated Press.

The Jets are 6-6, tied with the Dolphins, and one game behind the division leading Patriots.

Charlie Weis Jets Offensive Coordinator 2010

Charlie Weis is reportedly out at Notre Dame according to FOX Sports. Weis has underachieved during his tenure with the Fighting Irish. Up to this point, Weis has a record of 35-27 since taking over the team in 2005. His record with the Irish is front-loaded (19-6 in ‘05 and ‘06 combined) and he hasn’t faired well against top 25 opponents. 

As offensive coordinator with the Patriots from 2000 to 2004, Weis earned three Super Bowl rings. His next job may be as an offensive coordinator in the NFL again. 

In come the New York Jets. Current offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, was retained my new head coach Rex Ryan for the 2009 season after Ryan beat out Schotty for the head coaching position. Ryan, a defensive minded coach, knew retaining Schottenheimer would be crucial to the success of the team. Ryan was implementing a new defensive scheme for the Jets and implementing a new offense and defense in the same year would have been a major undertaking. Schotty signed a two-year contract extension before this season. Son of the great coach Marty Schottenheimer, Brian wants to be a head coach and if a team comes calling, he’ll bolt the green for greener pastures. If teams do not come calling, the Jets would really need to consider replacing him with Weis. Schotty sometimes gets too cute with his play-calling. Get Weis in there, commit to the ground game and play smash-mouth football. 

Charlie Weis was the Jets offensive coordinator under Bill Parcells from 1997 to 1999 before going to the Patriots in 2000 under Bill Belichick. In the mid-to-late ’90s, the Jets and Patriots shared several coaches and players. The Jets and Patriots had their own carousel between the two cities that carried players and coaches between the two teams, most notably coaches under the Parcells coaching tree. Weis and Bill Belichick fall under that category. The status of Weis and Belichick’s relationship is unknown, but it doesn’t appear to be strained like Belichick’s relationships with other former coordinators and assistants who have left the Patriots.

Early speculations suggest Weis could land in New England, Kansas City or even Indianapolis as offensive coordinator. Brian Schottenheimer is a good offensive coordinator, but Weis has three Super Bowl rings. It would be a travesty if the Jets don’t contact Weis about becoming their offensive coordinator. Would Weis want to come to the Jets? Who knows. NFL teams will be lining up for his services and the Jets need to jump in line.

Imagine Rex and Weis on the same sideline together? It would be a sore site, but would unite a great offensive minded coach with a great defensive minded coach. Weis is a New Jersey guy, born and raised. He would be a great acquisition to the Jets’ coaching staff. Weis’ Erhardt-Perkins offensive system, which he implemented in New England, could do well with the Jets. With a young quarterback and strong running game, the Jets are setup for success in the Erhardt-Perkins offensive system. They will look to pound the ball and then go with the play-action pass. This system has worked for New England, who have been the benchmark for all NFL teams this decade. Weis’ offense is what the Jets are built for; pound the ball, control the clock, play-action pass and limit turnovers. The system will also limit Sanchez’s turnovers, not to mention Weis can mentor the young quarterback.

As unlikely as it may be, Charlie Weis in Gang Green, teaming up with D-Rex, could lead to success for the Jets. 

Will Weis be standing next to Ryan on the sidelines one day? Hopefully together they can tip the scales in favor of the Jets.

Photos courtesy of www.collegefbpoll.com and the New York Daily News

Jets Beat Panthers 17-6, Rhodes and Revis Have Two Interceptions Each

Kerry Rhodes was embarrassed when Rex Ryan chose to start Eric Smith in place of him against the Panthers. Rhodes responded with a pair of interceptions in limited playing time off of Jake Delhomme in the Jets 17-6 win over the Panthers. Rhodes didn’t record a tackle in the game, but made good plays on poor Delhomme throws. Darrelle Revis also intercepted Delhomme twice and took one of them 67 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.

The Jets defense shut down the Panthers, forcing four turnovers and holding them to 179 total yards. Sure the Panthers aren’t that good offensively, but the Jets made plays on defense. The Jets run defense was outstanding. They held DeAngelo Williams to just 40 yards rushing on 16 carries. 

After the game Kerry Rhodes told the press, “I got the message. The message was sent. Now, I am moving on and you’re going to see Kerry Rhodes.” 

On Rhodes, Jets safety Jim Leonard told SNY, “Make the plays that come to you.” He later added about the win, “We just need to take this momentum and run with it.”

Rex Ryan’s decision to not start Rhodes was discussed all week. Whether the move was to wake up Kerry or send a message to the entire team, the Jets responded with a strong all around performance. Rhodes’ may have earned his starting spot back after recording his first two interceptions of the season, but Eric Smith did a great job in as the starter. 

The win puts the Jets at 5-6 on the season with five games remaining. Their next three games seem winnable (at Buffalo, at Tampa Bay, vs. Atlanta). There final two games are going to be tough (at Indianapolis, vs. Cincinnati). The Jets have a short week and travel to Toronto to play the Bills on Sunday.