Rex Ryan’s conference call with the New England media started off pleasant enough. The Bills head coach was called “Walt,” in reference to the pseudonym he gave himself to ask Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman a question on a conference call in Buffalo. There were laughs all around.
Things quickly started to turn, however, when Ryan was asked about his career record against Bill Belichick. This isn’t the first time Ryan’s conference call with New England reporters has turned hostile. The same testiness occurred last season when Ryan was asked about his “obsession” with the Patriots.
Here was the question that set him off Wednesday: “Rex, another thing you say a lot is you refer to yourself as an above-average coach, but you look at Bill Belichick’s winning percentage against everybody else and against you, and it’s higher against you. Can those two things make sense to you that you’re an above average coach but the record doesn’t really say that?”
“Yeah, well, I guess that’s the way it is,” Ryan said. “You guys would know better than me.”
It’s pretty easy to see why Ryan was ticked. The question also wasn’t entirely accurate.
Ryan is 3-11 (.214) against the Patriots in regular season play, while other teams have a 24-77 (.238) record against Belichick since 2009, when Ryan became a head coach. Factor in playoffs, however, and Ryan is 4-11 (.267) against the Patriots, including the playoffs, while opposing teams are 30-85 (.261) against Belichick. So apparently he is above average.
Ryan next was asked a question about Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
“Above-average quarterback,” Ryan said to the long-winded question. “Go ahead guys, just fill in the blanks. Whatever you want to say. Above-average quarterback.”
Ryan was then asked about the Bills’ turnovers.
“I have no idea, man. We gotta do a better job, obviously, of protecting the football.”
Ryan finally lightened up when asked about the Patriots’ rushing attack.
“That’s different, obviously,” Ryan said. “In the past they’ve been more about throwing the football and things, but obviously — even in the past, they’ve had opportunities — when they decide they can run it, they’ve always been efficient at running the football. Obviously now you see it, Blount’s — I’d say an above-average run game.”
The callback to “above-average” is classic Rex.
Thumbnail photo via Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports Images
