Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Wednesday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
Here is the injury report. These were the guys that were limited today. James Ihedigbo [knee and ankle], Sione [Pouha, back], Trevor Pryce [hip], Darrelle Revis [hamstring], [Mark] Sanchez [right shoulder], Bryan Thomas [ankle] and Damien Woody [knee]. Guys that were full were [Antonio] Cromartie [groin], Shaun Ellis [back], Santonio Holmes [quad], Nick Mangold [shoulder], Matt Slauson [thumb], Eric Smith [concussion] and Robert Turner [thumb]. Everybody should be ready to go and ready to play. That's it for the injury report.
A good day at practice today. The guys were flying around and working hard. When you play a team like the Colts, it's hard to simulate the type of speed they have on defense. One of the things we are doing is [Shawn] Crable, and [Jamaal] Westerman are doing a great job of playing [Robert] Mathis and [Dwight] Freeney. They are obviously not Mathis and Freeney or they'd be starting. One thing we do is we cheat a little bit. We line them up off-sides and still jumping the count to try and simulate the get-off that those two men have in speed. Those guys are doing a great job on the show team. It's competitive out there on our two-minute situations. I feel good about where we are and guys are flying around.
On Mark Sanchez at practice…
I thought he did well today. We still have him at a pitch count which I have no idea what it is, but he did well. He made all the throws throwing the nines and the comebacks. He looked fine.
On if Sanchez was zipping the ball…
Yes, he definitely had some zip on the ball. No question.
On if Peyton Manning made an adjustment after being sacked early during the AFC Championship Game…
I think we had a couple new things designed. The thing about Peyton Manning and the Colts is that there are less free runners to the quarterback than any other team in the league. They threw more, they completed more and probably gave out the least amount of sacks in the league. Peyton does a great job of it. If he knows there's a free runner coming, he'll just take the sack. He's not going to stand there like [Ben] Roethlisberger and try to knock two guys down before he throws the ball.
That's kind of what happened a little. He's done that a time or two, but they do a great job with their protections, their schemes, and they can make adjustments. Peyton is great at that. It's hard to get him over and over on the same type of thing.
On why he believes the outcome of Saturday's game will be different than the outcome last season…
I think the fact that we did face the Colts in the championship last year [allows us] to know what to expect as far as their intensity, our intensity and the fans. We're familiar with that environment. It's going to be loud. I don't think that is as big of a disadvantage as last year. I also think that we're ready to play. I think we match up better this year than we did last year. The proof will be in the pudding. I just really think we can match up better.
On the value of Shonn Greene heading into the game…
Just like last year, he's entering this game fresh. So is LT [LaDainian Tomlinson]. I think we'll have both those backs fresh and obviously that's what you want heading into the playoffs. It's straight ahead, no fair dodging and full speed. Our guys are at their best right now. It's rare to have two backs healthy like this. We're lucky and fortunate we have those two guys ready to go.
On the value of ball control…
That's what you want. The Saints won the Super Bowl last year against them. They held them to seven possessions. It was over 400 yards, but it was seven possessions. If we hold them to seven possessions, we'll win the game. I don't think there's any doubt.
On if the Seminole package could expand…
Last year, going to the playoffs, it was a big part of what we did and what we do. You have to make sure each team is prepared for it. Last year we hit a huge pass play against them so if they want to come flying down to play the run, we'll throw it over their head like we did last year. Clearly, that's a part of what we do. The great thing is with the flexibility of the system, it's not just running one way each time. We have a lot of different things we can do out of it and clearly it's something that they are preparing for right now.
On Greene's role throughout the season…
We had two great backs and we were going to use both of them. Once it was clear that we got into it, we wanted to be fresh at the end of the season and that's what we did. LT was running it primarily at the beginning and as the year went on maybe Shonn picked it up a little bit. We'll see what happens now. Both of them are ready to give 100 percent. They are fresh, healthy and we'll see what happens.
On LaDainian Tomlinson's history of being injured during the playoffs…
He's healthy. I think that's where it starts. He is healthy, so he's ready to play. He's ready to play great. That's the key. Does he have confidence? Absolutely. Did we have him [run] over 1,000 yards? [No]. It's funny, I went to LT last week and I said, "I feel good that we can get you over 1,000 yards." I think we all did. But I said, "I'm thinking about resting you, but I want it to be your decision." He said that he was here to be fresh during the playoffs. He is fresh right now and I think we're going to have a big game from him. There's going to be opportunities for both of those backs.
On the veteran's mentality going into the playoffs…
The thing I try to stress to all the guys is that nothing is ever promised to you or given to you. You have to earn everything and every year is different. It's a dog fight to get into the playoffs every single year. You have to always have confidence that you'll be in there. If I coach the team for 20 years, I expect to be in the playoffs for 20 years. That's a true statement. Is it realistic? I don't know.
I know one thing, it's hard to get in there. I've been on some good teams that don't make the playoffs. Are you going to be healthy? There's a lot of luck involved too in making runs to the playoffs. There's no time like the present. Some of these guys that you say that it's maybe their last year or two and some of these rookies that think they have it made, could get a huge injury and they never get another opportunity. Maybe the team doesn't make it to the playoffs. There's no time like the present to get it done and I think that's where the focus of our football team is. We're going to put everything we have and all our chips into play against the Indianapolis Colts.
On how Jason Taylor and Tomlinson feel about the playoffs…
I see the same look in every player in our locker room. We are determined and we're excited about this opportunity.
On Manning's ability to read the defense…
That's a fine line. I'm not the only coordinator or person that Peyton has ever destroyed. I think it's written that I'm his punching bag. Mine at least has some arms on it [laughter]. Some of these other guys he plays, don't have any arms on them. I plan on swinging back. We'll see how that works out this week.
On if the defense is ready…
One hundred percent. We are ready. It's going to be a physical match so let's see who can win the physical battle. We are ready to go. I think we're confident in what we are doing schematically. I think we're fresh, excited, passionate and ready to play. Does that mean he isn't going to have success? No. We know that you're not going to stop Peyton Manning, but we're going to make enough plays to win this game.
On how they compensate for the loss of Jim Leonhard…
Unfortunately, we don't have Jimmy, but we're past that. Jimmy understands that as well as anybody that we've had to move on. The shock of not having Jimmy out there is past us, [just like] Kris Jenkins. Any injuries you have during the season, we're past that. We're worried about the guys that we have right now. We feel comfortable with the guys we have [and] confident in the guys we have. We have no excuses, not one excuse.
On if he thinks the outcome of last year's AFC Championship Game would have been different if Greene hadn't gotten injured…
I'm not going to tell that lie. They beat us. It's as simple as that.
On if he expects Santonio Holmes to have a big game…
I wouldn't bet against Santonio Holmes. Let's put it that way.
On what happened to Manning in the three game stretch where he threw 11 interceptions.
I don't know, but I hope he revisits that time [laughter].
On what defenses were doing against Manning during that time…
I think it's a team deal. I think those groups controlled the game with their offense and put them in some situations. All those teams got pressure on the quarterback. Some threw blitzes, some threw pass rush. It's tough when you're matching score for score with New England. I think the pressure came more from [Tom] Brady than anybody else, but when you look at what Dallas was able to do, they were able to apply some pressure and San Diego as well. San Diego's [pressure] was more from the interior and Dallas' was more from the edge. Those are some of the things that are out there. We act like he's not human, but he is. He can make mistakes.
On if there are similarities between this team and the 2000 Baltimore team that won the Super Bowl because they both had off-the-field distractions…
We're focused on one thing and that's the Indianapolis Colts. Whatever's happened in the past, happened in the past. This is our direction. This is our focus. In Baltimore, it was the same thing. Who's in front of us? That's what we're focused on right now.
On how to show Manning defenses in the beginning of the game and have him not remember them later in the game…
Maybe hit him in the head real hard [laughter]. That could be one way. We haven't tried that yet. You've got to play the game with him. You show him odd fronts, even [fronts], vice versa, safeties down, safeties up. [You have to] show him different things where he doesn't get a beat on you. You're not really going to trick this guy too much. It's about how we play physically. Sometimes you can trick yourself right into being out of position and he burns you. It's going to come down to just getting after it and making it a physical contest, being aggressive, hitting receivers, disrupting [him] where he can't just step up in the pocket and make every throw that he wants. That's the challenge.
On Manning's calls at the line…
Some of it's nonsense, but most of the time he'll call three plays in the huddle and then he chooses which one he wants. He's definitely up there for a reason. He's looking at you. He's seeing if he wants to run the ball right, run the ball left [or] throw the football. [He] sees what coverage you're in. He's up there for a reason.
On his impression of the Colts defense…
They're doing the things that they always do. They're disrupting things. They're running their twist games. It's a fast defense. They've been doing a great job. The ends are the key [with] the penetration they get, then, they have some linebackers that can really run. I think they're the key. This is an outstanding tackling football team. Their back end tackles exceptionally well, so you don't get a lot of run-after-contact or run-after-catch. That's where you really see this team playing well.
On if Manning calls the plays for the Colts offense…
I think Peyton calls the plays. I think Clyde's [Christensen] a good football coach, but I think Peyton's the guy who runs it. He ran it last year. It's funny because I've gone against Tom Moore for 100 years and I kept telling him, "I know he's supposed to run it here," and it kept being a pass. Peyton, you find out there, [said], "Nah, I'm just going to pass it." I'm like, "Man."
It's great. That's nothing against Clyde or anybody else. He's an outstanding coach. I think having Peyton there, anybody would be foolish not to use him. He's a rare guy, an exceptional quarterback, smart, and he sees everything. He probably calls more plays than his dad [Archie Manning] used to, back when every quarterback called them. I think he's called as many plays as Archie did.
