Transcript of Jets head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Friday's midday practice:
Big news today. We've got a big ball game tonight — Summit [High School] vs. Somerville [High School] tonight, so we'll go see that. [Bruce] Springsteen tonight at the stadium, maybe we'll see that.
Lito Sheppard and [Donald] Strickland are not going to play. They are out. They will not play this week. I was hoping we'd be able to get them back and they are doing a lot better. They're running. They're not ready to go 100 percent. We think we could probably play them right now if we had to, but I don't think it's fair to them. They haven't practiced for two weeks, so that's why we decided to list them as out. Everybody else should play. Everybody else is probable. On that list you have: [Larry] Izzo, [Kris] Jenkins, [Jim] Leonhard, Sione Pouha, [Darrelle] Revis, [Kerry] Rhodes, Matt Slauson, Damien Woody and Wallace Wright. They are all probable. They are all going to play. Those guys should play.
On the possibility of signing a cornerback this week…
We thought about it. We definitely thought about it, but we like our plan going forward with our guys. We do have four safeties, so we can move guys around if we need to.
On matching up against Sean Payton…
It's not really fun. For the competitor in you, it is fun. I'd probably classify it differently. It's fun to be challenged after the fact. I can say, "Oh yeah, it was fun. You were challenged," but you wish you didn't have to go through it. You wish it were easier. I've played against much easier than this. They're a talented team and obviously this game is what it is.
They do the multiple shifts, formations, personnel groupings and they can play. That's one thing if they can't play, but these guys can play. There's a lot of talent there. They've got a smart quarterback. They have some big-time athletes, but so do we on defense. They're going to be challenged too, I'll tell you that much.
On the challenge New Orleans poses with all of its personnel groupings…
They've got guys and they'll run shifts, motions and be able to run the ball out of all those groupings and be able to throw it out of all of them. They do a lot of things. What they have is good, it's like what we have on defense. There's a system. They plug players in. This week we're going to run this play out of this personnel grouping. I'd say we're similar that way.
On if Dwight Lowery will start for Lito Sheppard again…
Yes. We'll do the same adjustments we did last week.
On Lowery's performance last week…
I thought Lowery played well.
On the definition of "swagger"…
I think you want to ask Bart [Scott] that. He probably knows what it is. I don't know what it is. I just think we're confident. There's confidence there. We expect to win regardless of who we playing. We respect our opponents, but we fear nobody. We are a confident team and whether that's swagger, I'm not sure. I usually say, 'Yeah, we got swagger.' I'll let you guys figure that out and you tell me what it is.
On what aspect of New Orleans offense puts the most pressure on the defense…
They can beat you running the football. They're second in the league in production and running the football. They're No. 1 in scoring and total offense so they can throw it. Last year, [Drew] Brees almost broke the all-time record for most yardage. So they pile up yards throwing the ball. They're piling it up running the football, but they haven't played us yet. We'll see what happens. We know that they can get yards. We've got to keep them out of the end zone.
On Jerricho Cotchery developing into a top receiver…
Nobody would listen because I've said from day one. I remember him when he scorched me when I was in Baltimore. I had some burns from that. So I remember him. I know he's a talented guy. I never knew he was this hard a worker. He's a leader. He's a worker. He's tough. He's consistent, durable, dependable. You name it, he's that guy. He's just not flashy. He needs to get up [after] making a completion and start doing a dance or something so he can get on Madden and get to a Pro Bowl. He does everything else. We got to get him a dance coach.
On if Cotchery isn't perceived as a top receiver because he isn't flashy…
That's what I think. But again, remember he's not a No. 1. We're letting that float under the radar for the whole season.
On it being unusual for a good receiver to be low-key…
I know. It's not the nature of the beast. Most of the guys are like, "Yeah. It's about me. That's right. Don't worry about the protection. Don't worry about the quarterback throwing it or the play-caller getting you the ball. It's just about me. Look. It's right here." That's the way I would have been if I was a receiver. No, but it is funny. I think you have to have that a little bit, but for the most part it you've got to have confidence in yourself. J-Co does. He's plenty confident. He just doesn't outwardly show it. He doesn't show up an opponent.
On what Bart Scott would have been like as a wide receiver…
I think we all know what Bart would have been as a wideout. There are several examples. You guys know who. It would have been interesting.
On Brad Smith's play that led to Larry Izzo recovering the fumbled punt return vs. Tennessee…
Tremendous. He is smart too. Keep that guy from getting that. He knew his teammates were coming. He's just a smart football player. We ask him to do so many things and he is just a football player. That was tremendous.
On Rob Ryan's 0-3 start in Cleveland …
It's not the first time that has ever happened to the poor guy. He had some beat-downs in Oakland as well. I don't get to talk to him very often. Anyway we can help, I'd be more than happy to help. It's just one of those times. I've been there, where it hasn't gone real well for you early. You just have to believe in yourself and the players have to believe in you. As long as that happens, they'll be OK. They'll be fine. They just have to get a win.
