FOXBORO, Mass. — Count New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan among those who didn’t think Tom Brady was spiraling into mediocrity after four up-and-down games to start the season.
Brady had a sub-80 passer rating after the Patriots’ Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but after two stellar performances, it’s back up to 95.1 (13th in the NFL). Ryan never thought the criticism of Brady was warranted.
“Yeah, that was hysterical, I thought,” Ryan said on a conference call with the Patriots media.” You know what I mean? It’s like, yeah, really? OK. I mean, come on.”
Ryan didn’t sound too excited, with his Jets entering the short week at 1-5, to be playing the 4-2 Patriots on Thursday night.
“Ugh, you know, I still see they got Tom Brady, (tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Julian Edelman)Â and the guys,” Ryan said. “And on defense, you know, Big Vince (Wilfork), and there’s a new guy out there that’s pretty good (cornerback Darrelle Revis). Obviously it’s the New England Patriots.”
Ryan said the Patriots look like the same team he’s been facing — either as a Baltimore Ravens assistant or Jets head coach — for 15 years now.
“They do what they do. It’s not a machine, but it’s pretty much,” Ryan said. “They know what they want to get done, and they’ve done it for so many years, it’s just like clockwork. He’s back there on a rhythm. That’s obviously a dangerous thing for people that they play.”
Photo via Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports Images
