Glauber: Belichick won't let Ryan ruffle his feathers

Sure, the Patriots have heard all about Rex Ryan's numerous boasts that the Jets will win the Super Bowl this season. And yes, they're aware of the "soon-to-be-champs" comment he wrote next to his name when an ESPN bus rolled through Jets camp last week.

But you might be surprised to learn there's one member of the Patriots' organization who actually likes what Ryan is all about, and thinks there should be more guys like him in the league. It's team owner Robert Kraft, whose occasional salvos aimed at the Jets over the years have added to the tension-filled aura of this AFC East rivalry.

But when it comes to Ryan, Kraft is all in. "As a fan, I can understand how the Jets' fans love him," he said. "I know everyone [on the Jets] believes in him, and I think he's great for the game. He really is." He even called Ryan "a great coach . . . he did a great job last year and I'm really impressed with him."

Having known Kraft over the years, I can assure you he's a straight shooter. If he didn't genuinely like and respect Ryan, he probably would have offered some vague comment or said nothing. "I think he's really inspirational to his players, and we're going to have to do all we can to chase them and keep up with them," Kraft said.

Keep up with them? Well, the Patriots did win the AFC East last year. But it was the wild-card Jets who advanced to the AFC title game.

"Rex has put them out there, and now we have to do everything we can to do our part," said Kraft, who will get his first look at the Jets when the teams meet in Week 2 at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

As for Patriots coach Bill Belichick - you remember him, the guy with the three Super Bowl rings that Ryan said he'd never kiss - he, too, is well aware of Ryan's bluster. But no, he's not ready to go off on a similar riff as Kraft. Not surprising, considering Belichick doesn't say much.

I asked Belichick if he was aware of Ryan's boastful comments in recent days, as well as the "soon-to-be-champs" line. He said he was. After waiting a few seconds for him to continue, he said, "What's the question?"

Any reaction, coach? "Right now, all I'm concerned about is our football team," he said. "I'm just trying to put together a good practice this morning and be better than we were yesterday. The other 31 teams? I'm not focused on them."

And there you have it. The expected non-reaction from a coach who has made a living out-scheming enough of his opponents to win enough Super Bowls to wind up one day in the Hall of Fame. But surely Belichick knows that he'll have his hands full dealing with a Jets team that added several players in the offseason.

Sure, Tom Brady is back and feeling better in Year 2 of his rehab from knee surgery. Randy Moss is still here, too. And Wes Welker, who has made an incredibly fast recovery from knee surgery. But Belichick is also dealing with problems along the offensive line and of even greater concern, a defense that's in transition. Belichick is taking a much more active role in coaching the defense this year; in fact, he hasn't even named a defensive coordinator, handling many of the responsibilities himself.

"Sometimes there's more emphasis in one area or another, but there are only so many hours in the day," he said. "I get paid to coach. I've coached the defense as a coordinator, not as a coordinator, as an assistant head coach. I've always tried to just coach the team."

But never with the kind of bravado of his AFC East contemporary. You won't see any Super Bowl guarantees from Belichick. But you do see rings.

Soon-to-be-champs a fourth time? Still waiting for his first as a head coach, Ryan will soon find out.