The Jets' War of Words

With all the media attention and fighting words hurled up and down I-95 this past week, you'd think there is a prize fight scheduled for this Sunday in Foxboro.  There isn't, but let's pretend for a second that there is.  In the green corner, wearing the black sweater vest and white mock turtleneck, is the boisterous, big mouthed, super heavyweight REX RYAN!!!  In the blue corner, wearing the wrinkled, cut off, dirty sweatshirt stolen from a bum on the street, is the scowling, cheating, welterweight BILL BELICHICK!!!  This bout is going to get nasty.

On Monday, Ryan threw the first blow: "This is about Bill Belichick versus Rex Ryan. There's no question, it's personal. It's about him against myself. That’s what it’s going to come down to."  The instant Ryan said those words, Jets fans got bombarded with harsh criticism from Pats fans: “How dare your coach call out the legend that is Bill Belichick?”  “Does Ryan really think this game is about him versus Belichick?” “Doesn’t he know the players will win or lose this game, not the coaches? What an idiot!”

Patriots fans aren’t accustomed to opposing teams calling out their beloved coach. After all, New England is the epitome of class (see, e.g., Wes Welker’s tutorial on the myriad ways one can use the words foot, feet, or toe during a press conference). However, if Patriots fans took off their rose-colored glasses, they’d see that while Ryan is most definitely a jerk, he’s a savvy jerk who knows how to handle the media. The last time the Jets played the Patriots, Gang Green combusted.  Sanchez threw three interceptions, Folk missed a few field goals, and the Jets, as a whole, didn’t do much to impress.  Has the media been harping on this all week?  No.

How could the media have neglected the most obvious storyline?  Here's how: they laid off the Jets because Ryan grabbed the harsh New York spotlight, moved it off his sophomore quarterback and the rest of his team, and placed it squarely on himself.  Well done, coach.

Admittedly, the concern with Ryan running his mouth is that New England will use his sound bites to fuel their fire.  Although that’s a possibility, it’s not likely.  This isn’t a regular season game between two teams that have nothing but pride to play for.  If the chance to win a playoff game and move one game closer to the Super Bowl isn’t a big enough incentive for the Patriots, I doubt that a little trash talking will rev them up.  Will Ryan’s comments push the Jets to play even harder on Sunday?  Once again, I don't think so.  If I’m Mark Sanchez, I’m just happy that my coach has my back.  I'll play for me and my teammates, not for some sound bites.  Round 1 goes to Rex Ryan.
 

This brings us to prize fight #2: This pits Antonio "Baby Daddy" Cromartie vs. Tom "Wannabe Bieber" Brady.  Pats fans are ENRAGED that Cromartie would have the gall to call Tom Brady an ass****.   Oh come on!  Don't be so naive.  Think about the name calling and insults that are slung back and forth in pile-ons for loose fumbles.  I’m sure someone is called an ass**** every third word.  I know I’m biased as a Jets fan, but I love seeing my team want to win.  I love that they are taking this game personally.

Fans also have to remember a very important fact about the NFL -- most football players aren’t nice people. The vast majority of them are jerks.  Perhaps Patriots fans believe that their team is full of nice young men who help grandmothers cross the street.  Jets fans are under no such impression.  I appreciate that Antonio Cromartie is aggressive!  I admire how he’s taking this game personally!  I take each Jets game personally and I watch the game from my couch.  As long as he brings that aggression to the field, I’m a happy fan. Round 2 goes to Antonio Cromartie.

Let me conclude by saying that I’m not oblivious to the dire reality of Sunday's matchup.  All this trash-talking from Ryan and Cromartie could still lead to another Jets beat down at the hands of the Patriots. Sanchez could throw another three picks.  The Jets could allow Brady to march down the field as if he's going for a Sunday stroll. Who knows?  What Jets fans can know for sure is that the Jets will be hungry at gametime.  If we learned anything from last week, it’s that any team (the Seahawks, for instance) can beat any other team (such as the defending Super Bowl champions). On Sunday at 4:30, I’m praying that the aggressiveness that the Jets have shown in the newspapers throughout the week continues onto the playing field and leads to a J-E-T-S victory.  This time it's personal!