Buddy Ryan predicts Jets will beat Steelers

Buddy Ryan won't be hitting the road this weekend, saying he plans to watch the Jets in the AFC Championship Game Sunday night on television from his Shelbyville, Ky., home.

But the 76-year-old former NFL coach quickly added that he expects to travel to Dallas in two weeks to watch his son Rex coach in the Super Bowl. Hey, no one ever accused the Ryans of lacking confidence. "We'll be there," Buddy said in a brief phone interview with Newsday.

Beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh "won't be easy," Buddy said, but he still predicted a Jets victory because, well, (a) he's the coach's father, and, (b) he likes the run the Jets are on.

Buddy even called the Jets' 28-21 victory over the Patriots last Sunday "the greatest defensive game I've ever seen," which is high praise coming from a coach who built his reputation creating an attacking defense.

For the most part, Buddy lives a quiet life these days, saying he still spends each morning in the barn tending to his horses. But this week his telephone has been ringing a lot more often, typically with reporters wanting to talk about Rex's high-flying Jets. "They're the talk of the town," he said.

The Cowboys recently hired Rex's twin, Rob, as defensive coordinator, the position he held with the Browns the past two seasons. Rob's move to an NFC team sets up the possibility of what Buddy called his dream Super Bowl, saying he'd love to see the Jets and Cowboys meet in the big game next year.

Buddy has some time to decide how a father would possibly handle his rooting interest in that matchup. But for now, he's saying "Go Jets."