Ryan revenge
Grabs ‘satisfying’ win over rivals
FOXBORO — Rex Ryan strode to the podium after the Bills’ 16-0 win over the Patriots and cracked a familiar-sounding quip.
“On to LA, I guess,” he said, referencing his team’s trip to Los Angeles to face the Rams next week and perhaps mimicking his rival and foil Bill Belichick’s well-traveled “We’re on to Cincinnati” comment from 2014 following the Pats’ blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ryan then sighed and let his true emotions speak.
“God, it feels good to finally win here,” he said. “Been close about six times, finally won one. It was great.”
Going back to 2009 when Ryan led the Jets, he entered yesterday’s contest with a 1-8 record at Gillette Stadium either with New York or Buffalo, with the lone win coming in the divisional round after the 2010 season.
A lot has changed since then. After an 0-2 start this season, Ryan fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and promoted Anthony Lynn, a move that brought more than its fair share of second-guessers. Even though the Bills responded with a win over the Arizona Cardinals last week, there was a sense among national pundits that Ryan may have been coaching for his job yesterday in a place that’s been a house of near-misses for his teams.
But after handing a Tom Bradyless Pats team its first loss of the season, his job may be a bit more secure. He made sure to include his opponent’s quarterback situation in context.
“It’s satisfying,” he said. “But let’s face it, they had a player out and we had our team, so we expected to win.”
Although the Pats moved the ball in spurts, quarterback Jacoby Brissett never really found a rhythm. The only other signalcaller on the Pats’ roster, Jimmy Garoppolo, was ruled inactive just hours before game time.
The uncertainty led to some predictably playful banter from Ryan on the subject.
“My sources inside the New England Patriot building said that Jacoby Brissett would be the quarterback,” he said. “How’s that? I’ll stir some stuff: ‘ Who was it?’ I don’t know who it was.”
According to Ryan, though, the choice between the two was a bit overblown given whom they were replacing.
“Yeah, (Garoppolo and Brissett are) different, but it’s … I’ve got news for you, Garoppolo’s not Tom Brady, either,” he said. “He ain’t even close. He’s a good player, but there’s only one Tom Brady.”
True, and while Ryan shares the same colorful personality as his brother Rob, and late father, Buddy, there is only one Rex, and an unemployed one wasn’t something his players wanted to see.
“If his job is on the line, look at everybody else’s job,” safety Robert Blanton said. “That puts everybody else in a bind, too.”
Going forward, that can certainly change. That won’t stop Ryan from enjoying the moment.
“Feels pretty good right now,” he said.
Brady or no Brady, there’s no doubt about that.