Pats-Jets Rivalry Heats Up

The New York Jets have undergone a makeover of sorts since America last saw the Brett Favre-led team on the football field, and perhaps it all starts with Rex Ryan, the Jets’ new head coach. The very vocal Ryan is extremely different from New York’s former head coach Eric Mangini, especially when it comes to his players’ outspoken tendencies, a practice that Mangini scorned. This week, Ryan has spurred a media frenzy concerning the 2009 Jets, and it all started with a comment the head coach made to the media concerning the team’s biggest rivals, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. In an interview on WFAN on Wednesday, Ryan made some enemies in New England quickly when he said, “I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings. I came here to win, let’s put it that way… I’m certainly not intimidated by New England or anybody else.”

Ryan has also been encouraging his players’ smack talk this week, especially when backing up a comment that safety Kerry Rhodes made on his Twitter account that said “We will be the best defense in the league this year.” Going along with the smugness, Ryan agreed with Rhodes, saying, “I’m excited about that comment.” No matter how much the Jets talk up their defense, however, it’ll be time to see it all in action in just a few short months with the start of the ‘09 NFL season.

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