The Jets give Mark Brunell first team snaps

Jets coach Rex Ryan has said that Mark Sanchez will be the starting quarterback in New York for as long as Ryan is the coach in New York.
That doesn’t mean Ryan is above holding Sanchez’s feet to the fire with motivational tactics.  The Jets gave Mark Brunell some first-team snaps in hopes of motivating Sanchez, just like they did around this time last year.
“You know me. If I think something’s working, we’ll go with it,” Ryan said via the New York Daily News. “I don’t think it really matters, but for some reason he got a little hot under the collar and gave that super competitive fighting spirit that we know he has. It seems to work.”
Sanchez admitted last summer that he “wanted to fight” Ryan the last time he pulled this stunt.  But it’s not that crazy an idea.  Just like it’s not that crazy an idea to actually bench Sanchez at some point if he continues down this path.
More important than motivational tactics: The Jets have an advantageous schedule in the coming weeks. If they can’t beat the Bills, Redskins, and Chiefs in a row, then perhaps Brunell really should play.

source:  PFT.com
author:  Gregg Rosenthal

Rex wants Patriots to run, to keep it out of Brady’s hands

When the Patriots beat the Jets in Week 5, New England running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis had 136 yards and two touchdowns. Jets coach Rex Ryan wasn’t happy about that, but he also says he’d rather see the Patriots run the ball than throw it.
As Ryan prepares his game plan for Sunday night’s rematch with the Patriots, he says that even after the Jets were beaten on the ground earlier this season, he’d still rather force the Patriots to run than watch Tom Brady throw.
“We’ve always gone into it thinking that we’ll give up rushing yards to this team, because it keeps the ball out of Brady’s hands,” Ryan said, via Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. “Obviously, we have to do a better job than we did last time we played New England. The kid ripped us for 136 yards. You can give up 80 yards, but you can’t give up that many.”
The Jets’ defense has been better against the pass than against the run this year, but Ryan says that doesn’t particularly concern him.
“Am I overly concerned with our run defense? No,” Ryan said.
That may change if they give up another 100-plus-yard game in another loss to the Patriots on Sunday.

source:  PFT.com
author:  Michael David Smith

Rex Ryan to Jets fans: Make the Patriots false start, burn timeouts

Jets coach Rex Ryan says he needs the fans’ help to beat the Patriots on Sunday.
Ryan used his press conference on Wednesday to say he wants Jets fans to make enough noise to disrupt Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense.
“That’s the challenge I’m taking to our fans this week. That we’re here, we’re undefeated at home, and let’s make it miserable,” Ryan said, via the New York Daily News. “See if you can’t make them burn timeouts. See if our fans can’t make them false start. I truly believe; I wouldn’t ask our fans to do this if I feel they couldn’t be the difference.”
Before hosting the Patriots in 2009, the Jets called every season ticket holder with a recorded message from Ryan, urging them to make noise. The Jets won that game 16-9. Ryan now hopes another direct appeal to the fans will have similar results.

source:  PFT.com
author:  Michael David Smith