News Archive for Rex Ryan

AFC Championship Game Preview: Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

There is only one thing that is a certainty in today’s AFC Championship Game, there will be a first-year NFL coach leading one of the team’s in Super Bowl XLIV.  Either the Indianapolis Colts’ Jim Caldwell or the New York Jets’ Rex Ryan will earn the opportunity to possibly become just the third coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl in their rookie coaching season.

Manning Focused On Another Super Bowl

After that, its anyone’s guess how this game will play out.

The AFC Championship game pits two teams with extremely contrasting styles.  The Colts are a pass-happy squad that plays with finesse on both sides of the ball.  The Jets are a grind-it-out running squad that plays with a smash-mouth attitude for sixty minutes.

These teams met during Week 16 of the season in an infamous game in which the Colts pulled Peyton Manning and other key starters to ensure their health for the playoffs rather than shoot for an undefeated season.  Manning was relieved with the Colts up 15-10, but the Jets would run off 19 unanswered points to end the Colts perfect season.

Thanks to their decision to “forfeit” the game, the Colts catapulted the Jets into the playoffs, leading to a rematch with the top-rated defense in the NFL.

Before leaving the game, Manning was on fire, completing 66% of his passes and accumulating 192 passing yards in just a little over two quarters.  His performance was the most successful of the season by an opposing quarterback against the Jets.  But his removal has sparked lots of questions of whether Manning would have continued that dominance to the end of the game.

The offensive game plan of these two teams are completely predictable.  The Colts will pass the ball.  The Jets will run the ball.  The winner will be decided by which team will deliver its game plan on defense.

What happened in Week 16 is meaningless.

The Jets defense led the NFL by allowing just 153 yards passing per game during the regular season, stunting its opponents with a solid pass rush and terrific man-to-man pass coverage led by All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis.  The Colts offense rated second in the NFL in passing offense despite comfortably winning many of its games during the regular season.

While the Manning to Reggie Wayne combination still rated as tops in the NFL, it was the emergence of newcomers Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon that defined their successful season.  With an expected Revis-Wayne matchup leaning to the Jets, Collie and Garcon must step up in the spotlight to ensure the Colts success on offense.

When the Jets have the ball, they will look to establish the NFL’s top-rated running attack with force.  While the Colts rated 24th overall against the run, their per game 127 rushing yards against is a bit deceiving.  In the two final games when the Colts rested their starters, they gave up 450 rushing yards.  Subtract those two outings, they held opponents to 98 yards per game, good for 8th in the NFL.  And this includes five games against AFC  Pro Bowlers Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice.

The AFC Championship game will no doubt be a battle of wills.  Finesse versus Toughness.  Execution versus Attitude.

Expect the Colts to come out on top.  The difference maker will be the seen at the quarterback position.  If the Colts can get out to an early lead and push the Jets to pass the ball, expect Mark Sanchez to finally show that he is a mistake-prone rookie and the Colts will cruise to victory.

Prediction:  Colts 27, Jets 13.

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Posted in Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, nfl | 3 Comments »

Chargers Look To Muzzle Rex Ryan and Jets

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

Give Rex Ryan a hand, the guy has moxie.  He turned around a Jets squad overnight that lacked identity and an attitude to win.  He took a middle of the pack defense in 2008 and turned them into the most feared defensive unit in the NFL.  The coach deserves the credit, even if he has a bigger mouth than his old man, former NFL head coach and inventor of the 46 defense, Buddy Ryan.

But at some point, moxie isn’t enough to get you over the hill, and Rex Ryan’s Jets squad might run into the insurmountable mountain today in San Diego.

Ryan Looks To Maintain Jets Swagger

Ryan Looks To Maintain Jets Swagger As The Meet Up With Chargers

The San Diego Chargers closed the season on an 11-game win streak and laid claim to the title of hottest team in football.  During that span, they claimed road victories at the New York Giants, Dallas and Denver as well as home wins against Cincinnati, Tennessee and Philadelphia.  This body of work stamped them as the team to beat in the AFC.

The Chargers bring forward a very balanced offensive attack complemented with solid defensive play.  Philip Rivers delivered a dazzling season, rivaling the work of Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning.  His presence under center is a calming influence for an offense that spreads the ball out to every one and if needed, can grind it out on the ground if called upon.

The key to a San Diego victory will be Antonio Gates and LaDanian Tomlinson making waves in the passing game.  The Jets defense has been defined by the play of cornerback Darrelle Revis.  The Jets place him on the other team’s top receiver and take away half of the field.  Against the Chargers, this tactic will have less success as the Chargers passing attack has multiple options and can pass underneath effectively.  Gates and Tomlinson will set the tone of the game, as Revis will likely matchup with Vincent Jackson on every play and ground him.  With the additional passing outlets, Revis’ impact will not be as significant.

Defensively, the Chargers will look to get at Mark Sanchez and force him into mistakes.  If San Diego can shut down the Jets running game and put Sanchez into 3rd and long positions, the chance for turnovers will increase dramatically.  The Jets don’t have the type of passing attack that scares NFL defenses and you can expect to see the Chargers stuff the box all game long.

The Jets will be in this game, and a victory would not be a shocker if they can impose their will.  San Diego has not shown a good defense against the run all season.  If the Jets can grind the ball out, control the clock and keep Philip Rivers off the field, they have a shot.  It is easier for a team to transition to stopping the run when they have to, which makes the Chargers prospects good.

Turnovers are likely to decide this game.  Rivers ranked 4th in the NFL in Interception Ratio while Sanchez rated 30th out of 32 quarterbacks.  Expect a Sanchez interception to be the backbreaker for the Jets and end a great first season under Rex Ryan.

Prediction: San Diego 20, New York 17

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Posted in New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, nfl | 4 Comments »