11/23 — Rex Ryan's day-after-the-game news conference was not just a rehash of the particulars of the 31-14 loss to the Patriots. The first-year head coach spent most of the session outlining his plan to move more into the offensive area of the team to help rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez make better decisions with the ball.

"I'm going to be there," Ryan said of spending more time than he had previously with Sanchez and the offense during practices and in meetings. "If that's all I bring to him is how to protect the football and making sure he understands the situation in a game, then that's what I'm going to make sure I do.

"We've got to look at that critically and find if there's something we can do. I'm going to take that responsibility on my shoulders and we'll see how it goes and how it plays out from here."

Since he became the Jets' head coach in January, Ryan had been focused on his specialty, the defensive side of the ball. Mike Pettine is the coordinator but Ryan has called the plays during games and will continue to do that. But after Sanchez struggled with five turnovers at New England (four INTs, one returned for a TD by Leigh Bodden, and a strip sack), and with Ryan saying Sanchez will remain the starter, the coach feels a new coaching emphasis is required.

"I'm going to be standing shoulder to shoulder with Brian," Ryan said of Brian Schottenheimer, his offensive coordinator. "Brian's got to run the offense, that's not going to change. We've got great coaches. But if there's something I can do, what is it? I'm here to help this football team. To me it's giving Mark the understanding of the game: 'Hey, right now, this is an opportunity where we can take chances' or 'We can't take chances here. If you can make this completion, make it. If not, get rid of it or run with it.'

"I'm here to support Brian, Mark, everybody else. But I have to be demanding of that because right now that's not getting done to my satisfaction or this football team's satisfaction."

After 10 games, the Jets have committed 23 turnovers, which trails only Carolina (the Panthers are next up at home Sunday) and Cleveland at 25 and Oakland at 24. Sanchez has 19 individual giveaways — his 16 picks trail only the 18 of Chicago's Jay Cutler, and he has suffered three strip sacks. Bodden's TD was the fourth return score this season on a Sanchez turnover. And the Jets have allowed 75 points after turnovers this season, which is on pace for 120 points, and that would be the most allowed by the Jets since the 1989 team gave up 126 points after TOs.

Ryan made it clear that this new direction isn't a slight toward any of his offensive coaches.

"I'm making sure everybody understands it's a supportive thing, that this is by no means a slap in somebody's face," the coach said. "I'm here to support what's already being done. Brian and [special teams coordinator] Mike Westhoff are clearly a hell of a lot more experienced in their fields than I would be. We don't want me calling plays. But if I can support Mike or Brian, then that's what I need to do. My stance needs to be more of a game manager, a team manager. I thought I was doing that but maybe I need to spend a little more time in those regards."

And he remains supportive of Sanchez, who he said "I think gives us the best chance to win, and that's why he's in there." The QB has mixed strong games (the first three games of his pro career, all victories, plus road games at Miami and Oakland) with the big-turnover games of New Orleans, Buffalo and New England.

"I think he is getting better. I think he's understanding our offense better, from verbiage to standing in the pocket, doing different things, knowing our offense, first, second, third reads," Ryan said, adding: "You're right, it has been disappointing. He has made some critical errors.

"But that was my challenge to him today: Let's get better at protecting the football. ... If you're not sure about that completion, sometimes it's just better to throw the ball away, punt the ball. That's what he has to understand.

Patriots' Late Deep Ball

Ryan heaped more praise on the Patriots, saying "their offense got the better of our defense and their defense got the better of our offense. They didn't outplay us on special teams but they clearly got the most of it."

However, late in his news conference, Ryan was asked about the Patriots' decision, on third-and-6 from their 45 with 30 seconds left, to dial up a long pass from Tom Brady to Randy Moss, Darrelle Revis defending, that fell incomplete. Rex wasn't happy about that.

"I looked at that as an opportunity for us. Throw it deep, our guy's going to come down with it more than your guy," Ryan said.

Asked if he thought the call was disrespectful, he replied: "Yes. That's why I called the timeout at the end of the game [with five seconds left], to give our team another chance.

"Things happen," he said. "[Bill] Belichick, I don't even know how much he had to do with it. It could've been more something that Brady or Moss wanted to do. ... No biggie, but I was surprised by it and I did feel a little disrespected."

Health Watch

Because of the meetings today, Ryan didn't get into much detail with his medical and training staffs. But he reported of nickel CB Donald Strickland, "I believe it's a concussion that he has, so his availability will be in the doctors' hands." And of CB/KR Dwight Lowery, he said, "It looks like he has a high ankle sprain. I think he'll be listed as doubtful for this game."