Trash notion that Rex's words fueled Giants

Before we move on once and for all from the Jets' season-crushing performance in their 29-14 loss to the Giants on Saturday, let's clear up one matter, then look ahead to what awaits them in what likely will be their final football game of the 2011 season.

It has been suggested that one of the biggest reasons for the Jets' meltdown against the Giants was Rex Ryan's incessant chatter before the game, that broadcasting his "we don't want to be anybody's little brother" message throughout the week motivated the Giants to rise to the occasion and was a major factor in why the Jets lost.

One-word answer: nonsense.

Another one-word answer: ridiculous.

The Giants can talk all they want about how Ryan's comments were a sign of disrespect and provided motivation during the week. But let's be real here, people. The biggest reasons the Jets lost: because they had their quarterback drop back to pass 64 times, because they abandoned the run too soon, and because they failed to prevent Victor Cruz from turning a 10-yard hitch route into a game-changing 99-yard touchdown.

Trash talk is great for pre-game discussion, and there is no better friend to the back page of the newspaper than Ryan when he opens his mouth and says what he says. But let's not give him too much credit here. After all, if Ryan's pregame banter worked against the Jets, how do you explain his comments from the bully pulpit heading into last year's divisional playoffs against New England? Seems the Jets did just fine in upsetting the favored Patriots in Foxboro.

And if you're going to let Brandon Jacobs, the Giants' trash-talking equivalent of Ryan, be the moral arbiter of what's appropriate in the run-up to a game, there's a problem. The two exchanged plenty of "unpleasantries" after the game in what Jacobs described as an obscenity-laced conversation. And Jacobs said the disrespect fueled his team's performance.

Oh, stop.

Say this much for Ryan, though. The guy will not back down from anything he said, and he has no plans to change his approach. Even though the Jets' chances of qualifying for the playoffs are dangling by a thread, he's approaching Sunday's game against the Dolphins as if the Jets are very much alive.

"We still have an opportunity to make the playoffs, albeit not nearly as good as we could have," Ryan said yesterday.

First things first. The Jets must beat the Dolphins and hope the Bengals lose, and the Titans lose or tie, and the Raiders and/or Broncos lose or tie.

There will be plenty of scoreboard-watching Sunday, but only if the Jets handle the Dolphins. Which is no small task, given that Miami has played much better since an 0-7 start.

"When you look at all the factors involved, the most difficult thing to happen is for us to beat the Dolphins," Ryan said. "They're playing extremely well on defense. Offensively, they're moving the ball well. You'd hate to have everything fall into place and for us not take care of our own business. That's where our focus is."

One more chance to get into the playoffs for the third straight year. But not the kind of chance the Jets were hoping for, especially after throwing away their opportunity against the Giants.

Ryan insists he has confidence in his players and coaches, offering a public pat on the back to Mark Sanchez and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. But if the two combine for another ineffective performance against the Dolphins, the noise will only increase in the offseason, and the speculation about Ryan dumping either one -- or both -- will gain traction.

"I've always been happy with both of them," Ryan said. "When things go wrong, [it] falls on the shoulders of the quarterback and the offensive coordinator. But I've always been happy with play-calling, and Mark is getting better and better."

But if this season ends at 8-8 and no playoffs, Ryan might have to revisit those opinions. At 8-8, the only thing certain about what comes next is that Ryan will remain true to himself -- and that means saying whatever is on his mind.

As for everything else, nothing is for certain.