Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Thursday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
Same injury report as yesterday. So Logan Payne and Rob Turner are out. Guys that were limited: Mark Brunell and John Connor. Guys that were full: Plax [Plaxico Burress], ankle, [Jeff] Cumberland, hamstring, [Marcus] Dixon, knee, [Kenrick] Ellis, hamstring, [Derrick] Mason, knee, Joe McKnight, illness, Brandon Moore, illness, Ropati [Pitoitua], ankle, Sione [Pouha], knee, and Reeve [Darrelle Revis] with a hip. So that's the injury report.
I guess I expected a better practice today, even sharper [than yesterday]. But I think it's to the point where guys are just itching to play right now. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll come out and have a better day. But there were some mistakes out there today that I wasn't happy with, but we've had a chance to go over it a few more times, so we should be ready. But, with that, I'll leave it to questions.
On why they decided to practice twice in full pads this week…
With the way the schedule was when we had the hurricane come in and everything else, we kind of had to alter our schedule a little bit. So I just wanted our guys to carry the pads. The starting group had never played that last preseason game, so it was just another opportunity to carry our pads. Then from here on out, it's basically once a week, which will be Wednesdays, until after you have the bye week and then there's, I don't know the exact number, three of the last six weeks or something like that, you can have three practices in six weeks in pads. Generally by then, that's what you do, anyway.
On what he didn't like about today's practice…
I just thought we were a little sluggish a little bit. I think we're just at the point where it picked up in a competitive period. When we put it in there and say, game on the line, put the ball on the 40, and there are 35 seconds left, then it really became competitive. But I think it's just time. You can tell our guys are itching to play.
On overcoming all the distractions leading up to the first game…
First off, this Sunday I don't think has anything to do with distractions. I think excitement is probably the better word. So our guys will be excited and all that. I remember last year there was, you know, the first game and we had the rain delay and things. So that was probably a distraction. But this one really is excitement. I mean, guys are, you know, more so than just kicking off the regular season, which is always a big thing your first game and all that. But with the 9/11 ceremonies, I know our guys are excited to play.
On how important it is to get off to a quick start this season…
Well, we'd love to get [a win], we'd love to win. Obviously, if you don't, it would be disappointing without question. You know, that's an understatement. There are still a few games left. But, again, you want to get out there and you want to play, [and] you want to play well. You've had all training camp, so this is your opening night of the season, and you want to play well.
On if he feels that offense was trying too hard in last season's opener…
I don't know. I think, remember I took responsibility for that one. I thought we had the quarterback dialed in on not making mistakes and all that. But we forgot to tell him you can go ahead and make plays. So I think just play and turn it loose. We know how to play the game, we know how to protect the football. Do the things we've been preaching about all training camp long, and just go out and execute.
On if he learned from last season's opener…
Yeah, we'll see if it works or not, but, yeah, I did. I think last year when you look at it statistically, I went in saying when the Ravens would win the turnover battle, their record was unbelievable. So we preached it and preached it, to never turn the ball over. But we never got a whole lot of first downs either. So this is about, you know, we know how to play the game. I think we're ahead of where we were this time last year.
On what concerns him about facing Tony Romo…
He certainly has great mobility, that's for sure. He can make all the throws. He's definitely a top tier quarterback without question. So those are the things that really concern you about him.
On the defense needing to stay with their assignments against Romo…
Right. Kind of like, don't assume the play's over, that's a big one. He'll hold the ball longer than a lot of quarterbacks, even though he's one of the least sacked guys in the league. He does have that awareness of where the pressure is, and how to avoid it and all that kind of stuff. You know, you've got to do a great job and don't assume the play's over.
On Romo's comments that Rob Ryan changed the defensive game plan because the Jets claim Andrew Sendejo…
Well, we have all their hand signals and all their checks and alignments and everything else [laughing]. I do want them to be worried about it. It's human nature to be worried about it. I would really work on that kind of communication, you know, your hand signals, especially.
On if Sendejo has a tip for the offense here and there…
Sure.
On Calvin Pace not missing the first four games this season…
I think he will be [the player we're expecting him to be]. I think it's great to have Calvin, because you're right, he had the one injury, and it's going to be great [to have him start the season]. That's another thing, when you look at this defense, you have 10 of the 11 starters back. We have Calvin for the whole season. He's not injured. It is an amazing thing. When they said he's 20% healed in his foot last year, you think, what? He played almost a whole season that way. So he's healthy. I expect big things from Calvin, we all do.
On what he's seen out of Pace this offseason…
It reminded me what he left off that first year. I think he had eight sacks that year, even after missing four games. So you know, just a major impact and a guy that can fly to the football, knows the coverage concepts. The guy could be an outstanding Sam linebacker, as well as a rush linebacker. So really we're seeing everything we thought he was after that first year. Last year, he was productive, it just wasn't up to his standards, probably.
On playing better at home…
We'll change it. We'll change things, times and all that. But really, I think it's more about the mental approach of, hey, you know what, we are playing at home. Like almost to the point where, look, nobody can beat us at home. Having that kind of mentality.
And when we talk about the fans and things, yesterday I touched on, you know, I don't want to see a Dallas Cowboys jersey. I don't. We want our stadium to always be green and white. There is no doubt that's what we want in our stadium. Get them in there where when you come here, it's nothing but green and white. I think that will be a big help for us as well. You know, the new stadium and all that kind of stuff, no excuses from last year. We never played as well as we thought we would. But we need to almost be where it's like we're going to go undefeated at home. That has to be the mentality and the mindset that we have.
On people taking his statements about not wanting to see Cowboys jerseys in the stadium as an implied threat…
Well, obviously, that wasn't my intention for it to be taken that way. There are so many guys that I've butted heads with over the years, I don't know which guy that is [laughter]. But either way, I certainly didn't mean it to come out like that if that's the way it was taken. I mean, I'm serious about it. Our stadium doesn't need to have visiting colors. I certainly want to have our stadium filled. If it's somebody else coming to enjoy a game, that's fine. I'm not calling for our guys to do anything. The safety of every fan is important to everybody in this organization, including me. But would I prefer not to see another team's jersey? Absolutely, I would love to see our stadium just in our color.
On his reaction if he heard fans in MetLife Stadium chanting for an opposing player…
It would be like, man, really? We have such a [good] fan base now that these tickets ought to be hard to get and Jets fans aren't going to give their tickets to Cowboy fans, you know? I don't see our fans doing that.
On if Shonn Greene is ready to carry a heavier workload this season…
I think he is. I don't think for one minute he's not up to that challenge. I think he will be.
On if he was concerned that Fireman Ed wasn't at the preseason games…
That concerned me a little bit.
On if Fireman Ed will be ready for the season opener…
I think he's probably pacing himself a little bit, you know? Maybe not getting too high in that preseason. I certainly hope he's there for regular season. But you're right, I haven't seen him.
On if Fireman Ed needed reps in the preseason…
No, I think he'll be all right [laughing].
On testing the Cowboys offensive line…
Yeah, sometimes you do. But I think in this case, quite honestly if the [Tyron] Smith kid got hurt, is he playing, is he not? Quite honestly, we don't care. We don't care if Rayfield Wright or Ralph Neely is playing tackle this week. We'll run our defense. They're going to run their offense. But you're right, especially during the season if you know there is a guy just stepping in there, a lot of times you will do that to make sure he's got his plays down. It's just like a corner. If a corner gets hurt, the first thing they do is throw deep at him because is this guy warmed up and all that kind of stuff. So I know exactly what you're saying. But this first game, they've been preparing for us, we've been preparing for them.
On if he will throw deep because of the Cowboys situation at cornerback…
Kind of floated that one out there to see if anybody would hit that [laughing].
On if he will monitor Plaxico Burress' reps because it is his first game in a while…
I don't think so. I think Schotty [Brian Schottenheimer] basically has different packages and personnel groupings and all that kind of stuff. So really nobody plays all the time except the [offensive line] and the quarterback. Then of course we could be in wildcat so Mark doesn't have to play all the time. Those are just things we do anyway. I think he's been great out here. He's healthy, he's running around, and you can tell. I talked to him a little bit more, and you could see there is an excitement there. One game a few years ago I think he had three touchdowns against Dallas, so I'll go ahead and sign up for that. If he could score three this week, that would be fine with me.
On the fans during the Patriots game last season…
Well, I think that was the loudest it's been. Remember there were penalties and there were all kind of unusual things that happened. Brady threw two interceptions, that doesn't happen. You've got timeouts, false starts, and all those type of things. And it was so loud that, it was like, wow. You know what I mean? It was really something, there is no doubt. But we have to give our fans that as well. We've got to hold up our end of the bargain. When you do, our fans are going to be as loud as they can be. That was certainly an exciting game. But, you know, we've got to do something to get our fans involved as well.
On re-creating that atmosphere for every home game…
Yeah, ideally that would be it. There's no doubt. Where it's just an unbelievable atmosphere. Quite honestly, there is no reason we shouldn't have it. Our fans are ready for it. We've got to do something. Our job is to give them something to get excited about.
