Rex, Sanchez: We're a better team this time

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - He hasn't really beaten his chest all week, falling a little out of character.

Rex Ryan has been nothing but complimentary, tossing out everything but flowery bouquets when talking about the Steelers as the Jets prepare for Sunday's AFC Championship Game. But that doesn't mean he isn't as confident as ever, especially when he knows this year's squad is vastly improved over the one that lost to the Colts in last year's title game.

"I think we're bringing in a better football team," Ryan said Friday. "I think we're bringing in a team that can run the ball and throw the ball, where last year we were a little more one-dimensional, and both of those teams played excellent defense and [special] teams.

"I feel confident with this group. Having the experience of last year and the games on top of it also gives me a sense that we're really prepared for this game."

Ryan also has a more mature Mark Sanchez this time around.

The second-year quarterback is light years ahead of where he was at this point last year and has become more involved with the offensive game plan. He spent part of Friday going over things with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, filing through the game script and talking over some of the plays, tweaking things here and there until it was refined more to his liking.

It's just another example of Sanchez's drawing on his experience. He's also more conscious of the urgency of the situation, something that's hard to truly comprehend as a rookie.

"Understanding what's at stake, understanding how close we were last year and really just the preparation this week feels so smooth and everything feels just right," Sanchez said, "where last year, I couldn't really put my finger on it at the time. But things were going so fast and you're just trying to hold on, you know? This year, I feel like I have a better grasp on things and I'm just a little more confident going in, and that's the kind of confidence we need."

Sanchez said the week flew by, though one probably would have figured it would've been the opposite. The Jets have waited an entire year just to get the opportunity that presents itself Sunday, putting in all that work to get another crack at bringing home the Lamar Hunt Trophy. Now it's that time.

"You go through the whole offseason, then you realize your goal again is to make it right back there," he said. "We were just a quarter and a half away. I mean, it's crazy. It blows your mind when you think about it.

"When we go back up to Cortland , we go through our season, we make it to the playoffs, we get two huge road wins and now we're right here again."

Back in a familiar setting, one that conjures those disheartening emotions they experienced a year ago when they saw the Colts celebrating on stage in the middle of Lucas Oil Stadium, getting showered with blue-and-white paper as they trudged to the locker room.

"The fact that we had confetti dropped on our head with some other team's color on it is a motivator for us," Ryan said. "We want it to be green and white, and we're doing everything in our power to see that that happens. Now obviously, Pittsburgh's going to have a lot to say about it. But I can tell you this: We're showing up."

Primed and ready, too, looking to earn the franchise's first Super Bowl berth since 1969.

"We can't come up short this time," Sanchez said. "We've got to be sharp. We need to play well. We had a great week of practice, so we're set up to do the right things. We'll see what happens on Sunday."