Monday 11 January, 2010
Rex Ryan, New York Jets must seize the day as they get ready for
by Administrator |
In a perfect world for the Jets, here's what happens this weekend: The Ravens beat the Colts, the Jets beat the Chargers and the AFC Championship Game is played at the Meadowlands.
"That would be great," Rex Ryan said Sunday.
The Jets are in the final eight, which means they are in way too deep and too close to the big prize to ever say they are playing with house money, which is sure to be the talk around town this week since they have already far exceeded expectations with a rookie coach and rookie quarterback.
But that's not the way it works in the NFL.
The Jets better seize the moment right now because you never know when it will come again. They are two victories from playing in the Super Bowl and it's been five years since they've been this close by making it to the divisional round.
"It breaks down to this," Ryan said. "If we can win three games, we are world champions. It's so close right now, you can almost taste it."
The pressure is no greater on the Chargers than it is on the Jets just because San Diego is the No. 2 seed, the hottest team going into the playoffs with 11 straight victories and has been building toward the Super Bowl for years. The Jets have just as much to lose. They have just as much invested in this season, emotionally and physically. The training wheels are off this team with the kid QB. They are going for it.
"All year long, we've had one goal as an organization and that's to win the Super Bowl," Ryan said. "We are a long way from it. It's great to get a win, it's great people think we've had a good season already. I came here to win a championship. To us, if we don't accomplish it, it's not necessarily a bad year. It will be one that is not fulfilled."
Safety Kerry Rhodes, via text message to the Daily News last night, relayed the mission of the Jets' No. 1-ranked defense for Sunday in San Diego: Get after Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers.
"They are one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs," he said. "It all starts with Rivers. He is playing lights out. We have to rattle him early and pressure him."
Can he be rattled?
"We hope so," Rhodes said. "He's a real competitor and he's gonna keep coming. But so will we."
Even though Mark Sanchez grew up right before our eyes in Cincinnati, the Jets don't want to get into a shootout with San Diego. They won't be able to keep up. San Diego scored an AFC-high 454 points and the Jets gave up an NFL-low 236. Which team can impose its will?
Ryan already has posted calendars on video screens throughout the Jets' facility with the dates of the rest of the Jets' playoff games. He even put in the date of the Super Bowl parade for the Jets. The typical NFL coach is so paranoid he will barely talk about the next opponent. Ryan, meanwhile, is penciling in a Super Bowl parade for a team that hasn't been to the Super Bowl in more than 40 years and has not been in the AFC title game in 11 years.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2010/01/11/2010-01-11_rexpectations_grow_for_gang.html#ixzz0cJIpvgMN
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