Archives for November 2015

'What makes it so hard to believe is how Ryan behaved up to this point. He's taken veiled shots at former Jets general manager John Idzik. He teared up in an HBO special when asked about his time with the Jets. Did those emotions just disappear? Ryan said he made Enemkpali a captain because it means something extra for a player to go up against his old team. So how can he claim the meeting means nothing to him?'

'The matchup with Rex’s old team, the 5-3 Jets should be a pretty good indicator whether his new one stays in the postseason derby for long.'

'So, while everybody’s talking about Ryan’s return to MetLife Stadium, and his desire to avenge his firing last December after coaching the Jets the previous six seasons, know that Gailey and Fitzpatrick probably want to avenge their firings from the Bills just as badly.'

'“He’s one of us,” Richardson said. “Me coming from a strict coach in college, overstrict, I always said — Rex is the completely opposite. First thing he said is, ‘I don’t work for you, you don’t work for me, we work for each other.’ He made himself one of us.”'

'Ryan is fun to be around and I like him personally. But he lost me by choosing Enemkpali as a captain against the Jets. That’s not just Rex being Rex. That’s a slap at doing what’s right.'

'You don’t allow a Rex Ryan to march into your building and beat you.'

'Jets 30, Bills 21.'

'"We're trying to win two games in four days. It's not facing him, it's facing the Bills,'' Bowles said Sunday after a 28-23 win over the Jaguars. "They're a division rival and we're trying to win the game.'''

'This game is all about Rex, and so is his team. Just like the Jets, who reveled in his refreshingly humorous and candid demeanor in the early days, riding the wave to two AFC title games before his roster — and his act — began to wear thin.'

'According to TiqIQ.com, the average asking price as of Wednesday morning was $131.09, the least expensive Jets home game of the season and the third-cheapest Jets home game in MetLife history. The lowest asking price Wednesday morning was $38.'

'Whaley has control over the 53-man roster and Ryan has control over the 46-man game-day roster. This has led to some interesting decisions. Whaley cut loose fan favorite running back Fred Jackson, and some in the organization weren't thrilled about it. And of course, Whaley traded away quarterback Matt Cassel—who was once competing for the No. 1 job—to the Dallas Cowboys, even though Cassel was the No. 2 ahead of EJ Manuel. That move backfired, with Manuel going 0-2 as the starter when Tyrod Taylor went down, including a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Time will tell if this power balance can last.'

'The Jets can take a step closer to that goal with a victory on Thursday night. Jets fans probably will remember this: The Rex Ryan Show was far less funny when his team loses a game.'

'The reporters who cover the Bills recognized the seriousness of this situation. They asked Fitzpatrick for his response when they had a chance to talk to him later Tuesday. Let history show that the Bills reporters understand what's important.'

'The Bills had lost three out of four games before thumping the Dolphins last week to even their record at 4-4. But Ryan doesn’t pine for .500 results and doesn’t act like a .500 coach. Even if his bio suggests that’s exactly what he is. After taking the Jets to two AFC title games, his act seemed to have worn on the media and the masses, his blowhard refrain clouding his judgement and cloaking his real record.'

'"Obviously both teams are trying to get to the playoffs," Ryan said. "It's been a long time for both franchises and we're a game behind the Jets. So this is absolutely huge. It would be a gigantic win."'