Rex sets tone with Belichick, Brady shots

There it is, right at the top of page 23 in the Football Coaches Manual, just after the chapter on X's and O's and leading off the part about motivational tactics.

When you're about to play a big game and want to draw attention away from your players, say something outrageous that will put the focus squarely on you.

Rex Ryan added his own flourishes to one of the oldest coaching ploys going, but the Jets' trash-talking coach got his message across. After getting blown out by the Patriots, 45-3, last month at Gillette Stadium, Ryan is prepping for the rematch in Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game by going right after Patriots coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.

Ryan didn't even get out of his opening statement in yesterday morning's news conference at the team's training headquarters before setting the stage for Hype Week and drawing the spotlight on himself.

"I recognize that this week, this is about Rex Ryan against Bill Belichick," Ryan said. "That's what it's going to come down to. I recognize that my level has to come up, and he's going to get my best shot. He's going to get everything I have on Sunday, and if he slips at all, we're going to beat him."

D-oh!

It will, of course, come down to much, much more than Ryan-Belichick, and Rex knows it. Sure, his attempt to match wits with Belichick is a big part of it. But this one's just as much about the players. The Jets' defense against Brady. And Mark Sanchez, who was hopelessly overmatched in the Dec. 6 rout, against the Patriots' defense. Darrelle Revis vs. Wes Welker. Santonio Holmes vs. Devin McCourty. And on and on.

But with Ryan trying to do everything he can to avoid a similar disaster and instead get his team into a second consecutive AFC Championship Game, he's doing what he does best: He's stirring the pot as only he can.

And boy, did he do a good job of it yesterday. Within the span of one 20-minute news conference, he may have provided more bulletin-board material than every Jets coach before him combined. Consider:

Not even a week after suggesting that Brady doesn't prepare as thoroughly as Colts quarterback Peyton Manning does, Ryan said this when asked about Brady's attending the hit Broadway show "Lombardi" on Saturday night instead of watching the Jets-Colts game on television:

"Peyton Manning would have been watching our game," he said with a grin.

Ryan also suggested that Brady's "antics" - such as pointing to the opposing bench after touchdowns - gets under people's skin. "I don't like seeing that; nobody does," Ryan said. "No Jet fan likes to see that, and I know he can't wait to do it. He's not going to say anything publicly, but he does it."

Or how about this: Ryan recounted the story of his postgame meeting with Belichick after the 45-3 beat-down. "I told Belichick after the game, 'We'll see you in Round 3,' " meaning the playoffs. And what was Belichick's response? "He just looked at me," Ryan said.

Ryan wound up burying the game ball in an impromptu ceremony near the Jets' practice field. And just as he used that to get his players to refocus, so, too, was Ryan's put-it-all-on-me routine yesterday another way to motivate the troops.

Belichick took it all in good humor yesterday, saying: "I might have a little quickness on him. He's probably got a little more strength and power on me. So I don't think you'll see either one of us out there making any blocks or tackles or runs or throws or catches. At least you won't see me doing it. It's probably a good thing for our team."

Even Brady got a chuckle out of it - at least publicly - and wouldn't take a shot back at Ryan. "Maybe he's right," Brady said.

Is Ryan talking too much for his own good? You might think so, especially if you buy what it says on page 24 of the Football Coaches Manual, the part that suggests the best way to prepare for an opponent is to not give the coaches or players any added motivation by taking public shots at them.

Evidently, that page is missing from Ryan's edition. Which might be a good thing. After all, this is a different guy we're dealing with, and Ryan's methods generally have worked wonders. After two straight trips to the playoffs, a win over Manning and now a rematch against the Patriots, something's certainly working right.

Bottom line: As long as the Jets keep winning, Rex can keep talking.