Jets Back Up the Talk Against the Patriots

Jets Back Up the Talk Against the Patriots
By Jack Lee Hoover

To some, Rex Ryan hasn't put himself in a very positive light with his personalization of the last couple games... calling out Colts quarterback, Peyton Manning, and later Patriots coach, Bill Bilichik. That in itself seemed ridiculous to many, since Manning is simply doing what he gets paid millions of dollars to do: win games....and he does it well. Unless there was a behind-closed-doors incident between the two, it's doubtful Manning ever felt anything personal toward an apposing team's coach. At least, not until that game

Feeling like that against another coach is a little more understandable, especially since Ryan and Bilichik know each other well. But his comments were not without respect. He made it clear that he recognizes the achievements of those he's speaking of, and especially Belichik, who he described as possibly the greatest NFL coach of all time. Ryan just aimed to be the best coach that day.

The words of Antonio Cromartie may have been more heartfelt, dropping the f-bomb along with more colorful language in regard to Tom Brady. Of course, Cromartie plays directly against Brady, and personal feelings between them would be understandable as well, and the trash talk between players is common. Ryan, however, didn't back away from Cromartie's words, and actually supported them... reiterating that you're not supposed to like your opponents, especially this time of year.Bilichik

The Patriots, have certainly caused many personal feelings for many NFL fans. But fans are not the coaches of other NFL teams that are about to play the Patriots in the second round of the playoffs, and making those feelings public.

Then I began to consider that maybe Rex Ryan isn't quite as crazy as he appears to be by picking fights with a few of the greatest the NFL has had at what they do. It could simply be a more aggressive method of motivation for his young quarterback and the rest of his team. An athlete rarely plays harder than when personal feelings are involved. The Jets players absolutely love their coach, which is even better than his players simply respecting him. He's taken many bullets for his players, and is the perfect example of the "player's-coach." If it's personal to Rex Ryan, it will be personal to his team. Besides, although Mark Sanchez is only a second year quarterback, he has already beaten the Patriots before.

In the beginning, it almost appeared that the Jets were handing this game to the Patriots with a bow on it. They shot themselves in the foot the whole way during their second drive of the game. Sanchez tripping Shonn Green after the handoff on first down; LaDainian Tomlinson being blocked by his own lineman; and then, after salvaging the drive, Nick Folk missed the 14 yard kick that would have put them up three points. Still, the Jets defense maintained their resolve, handing Brady his first interception in nearly four hundred games, and later forcing the Patriots to settle for only a field goal.

The Jets' defense continued to play havoc with Tom Brady, and after forcing another punt with under thirteen minutes left in the second quarter, the Jets' offense began getting comfortable. After a short TD toss to Tomlinson to go up 7-3 at the 10:30 mark, they forced another couple Patriot punts to get the ball back again with two minutes to go in the half. With 33 seconds left, Sanchez converted one of the biggest third-down plays in his career for a touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards.

Up 14 to 3, they still had to give the ball back to The Patriots for 33 seconds. But then, Brady has to deal with that defense again. No problem.... The Jets' defense held the Patriots deep in their own territory, with frustration beginning to mount as lineman Logan Mankings got flagged for unnecessary roughness with 18 seconds to go. Brady put his knee down on third and five to settle for those three points going into halftime.

Holding the Patriot's Welker to a single catch, holding the Patriots to those three points was an achievement in itself, but maintaining that momentum against that team in the second half would be even tougher... especially against Tom Brady... right?

Not so fast... Once again, the Jets forced the Patriots' to punt on their opening drive, as the Jets also had to do on their subsequent drive. With nine minutes left in the third quarter, the defense came up huge with another near turnover from Brady, resulting in what was tantamount to a twelve-yard sack when it appeared that the Patriots' offense was starting to click.

Still, it really was only a matter of time before Brady would find a way to get it in the end zone. With thirteen seconds left in the third, he threw to Alge Crumpler for a touchdown. Then, Sammy Morris jumped in front of Brady to take the snap on a two-point conversion and run through the line into the end zone. That got The Patriots in range to tie with a field goal, if not take a four-point lead, requiring the Jets to score a touchdown to get the lead back.

Another blockbuster play to begin the fourth quarter occurred on second down when Sanchez dumped the ball to Jerricho Cotchery, who ran it to a 58 yard gain, hurdling defenders along the w

That drive ended with Sanchez passing to Santonio Holmes, who hauled in an unbelievable catch diving out of the end zone for a touchdown. The lead went up to ten points... 21 - 11. Could this controversial method of motivation be working? Against the Patriots? In New England??

The defense continued to play well, causing a few misfires, but the Patriots offense was moving. With runs and outside screen passes, they worked their way into Jet territory with less than seven minutes left. Normally, this is the point in a close game when Brady really lights it up, but with a sack and perfect coverage causing an incompletion on the next play, they found themselves in another fourth down situation, which they failed to convert.

But he Patriots' defense came to play as well, causing the Jets to have to punt the ball back to Brady with over three minutes to go, ten points down. A tall task for most, to be sure, but how many hearts has Brady ripped out under these circumstances?

The Jets' defense found themselves at their own 18-yard line, but managed to hold the Patriots to a field goal. The Jets got the ball back with two minutes to go, up seven points, against the Patriots in New England.

An on-side kick, however, did not work out very well for the Patriots. After the ball squirted out of a pile of blue and white jerseys, Antonio Cromartie scooped the ball up and ran it back to the Patriot 25 yard line, with another five tacked on for an encroachment call on Patriot lineman, Dane Fletcher. Two plays later, Green ran it into the end zone to effectively put the game away. This was followed by a 50-yard run by Rex Ryan himself, who didn't even seem to care that Green was flagged for excessive celebration, using the ball as a pillow and mockingly taking a nap in the end zone

A minute-long drive, which resulted in a touchdown, made the score a bit closer for the Patriots, but Eric Smith of the Jets, sealing the game, recovered the on-side kick that followed.

In the end, Rex Ryan showed that it wasn't quite as personal as he made it out to be, admitting that he felt Bilichik won the coaching battle, and handed all the credit to his players. A few days ago, I was almost feeling sorry for Ryan, wondering how the coach of a professional football team could possibly last very long by taking an already-stressful job so personally. Today, I'm applauding his genius in coming up with what I now think was a calculated method of motivation to push his team over the top, possibly to a Super Bowl.

There may have even been a certain level of understanding between Ryan and Bilichik, and possibly even Manning last week that he was going to be running his mouth, and not to take it personally. Judging by the embrace between the two coaches at midfield at the end of the game, it obviously was not.

To continue with the theme of The New York Post, Obi Wan Ryan and the young Jedi Sanchez went into the Death Star and handed Darth Vader a devastating playoff loss. Now it's off to yet another tough task: taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

Does he have any personal feelings toward Steelers coach, Mike Tomlin? Or quarterback, Ben Rothlisberger? We will soon find out...

Jack Hoover

Jack Hoover is a freelance writer working toward a BA in Journalism with an emphasis on sports. He is also an accomplished guitarist and martial artist.

Jack recently moved to Costa Mesa, California after growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has traveled extensively as a touring musician and has a particular affection for Sweden. Among his goals is to take advantage of the nearby beaches and learn how to surf.

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