Lupica: The De-Rexing of Rex Ryan

[AFJF]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/lupica-de-rexing-rex-ryan-john-idzik-joined-jets-article-1.1958889

 

You can line them all up over there in Florham Park, N.J., starting with the owner, Woody Johnson, followed by John Idzik and Rex Ryan, and Marty Mornhinweg, the Jets’ offensive coordinator. Put Geno Smith, the guy who got handed the keys to the car after Mark Sanchez rear-ended one of his offensive linemen, in there, too. And when you look at all of them, as a group, there is no question that Ryan is better at his job than any of the others are at theirs. So let him do his job the way he wants to before the season is officially lost.

 

If the Jets go to 1-5 or 1-6 anyway, if you want to fire him when it’s over because the Jets don’t make the playoffs again, go ahead.

 

Nobody is saying that Rex Ryan is Bill Parcells or Tom Coughlin. Parcells not only won his two Super Bowls with the Giants, he coached the Patriots to another one. Everybody knows that Coughlin, a great coach, produced championships for the Giants as memorable and dramatic as any sports teams have ever won around here.

 

Ryan has just those two AFC Championship Games, one with a rookie quarterback. But they are disappearing fast in the rear- view mirror. Now the Jets don’t make the playoffs anymore, and were lucky to get to 8-8 last season with Geno having replaced Sanchez. So Ryan is likely coaching for his job.

 

The Jets are 1-3 and go on the road now to play Philip Rivers’ Chargers. Then they get Peyton Manning and Tom Brady after that. It is some stretch of games against big quarterbacks after the games they have played so far against Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler and Matthew Stafford, losing them all. Already the Jets have to go 8-4 the rest of the way just to get to 9-7.

 

Everybody keeps talking about what a soft touch the Patriots have been this season. It doesn’t even matter a little bit if the Jets don’t win some games, and soon. If they lose to the Chargers and lose to the Broncos, and they’ll be underdogs in both of those games, they would have to go 8-2 just to get to 9-7. That is why Jets fans, who don’t want to hear about next season anymore than Mets fans wanted to hear about 2015 last summer, are chanting for Mike Vick to at least show what he can do coming out of the bullpen for Geno before the season is lost.

 

And when Mike Kay and Don La Greca asked Rex about the situation with his quarterbacks on ESPN 98.7 on Monday afternoon, Ryan’s weekly spot with them, when they asked about the possibility of Rex making a move to Vick in the middle of a game, here is what the head coach of the Jets said:

 

“Everything we talk about, every decision we make in this franchise, is a Jet decision and I’ll just leave it at that.”

 

With that one statement the de-Rexing of Rex Ryan, which has been going on since Idzik got the job, was complete.

 

You know why Rex said that, whatever the explanation is going forward from here? Because that is what he was supposed to say, what he was expected to say. That is the party line. Forget about all the weight he has lost the past couple of years. In that moment, he had shrunk to a size, under current management, where you imagined he could barely be seen behind his desk.

 

Let him coach his team, even from $20 million under the salary cap. Let him be himself and coach the team the way he wants to coach it, even as Mornhinweg is treated like his equal on the sidelines, even as Rex tries to stop all these high-profile quarterbacks with a low-rent secondary that seems to have been assembled off Craigslist.

 

Really now, does anybody on the planet think that Rex thought it was a good “Jet decision” to come into the season with Dee Milliner as the team’s top cornerback, and without the kind of cover corners that always gave the Jets their best chance to overcome their own offense?

 

Rex Ryan is known far and wide as a player’s coach. The problem is, he doesn’t seem to have enough good players right now. And that is on the general manager, no one else, if they aren’t good enough the rest of the way. One Jets fan I know, smart and loyal and angry about the talent in the room right now, emailed me the other day and said that it was wrong to suggest that Idzik doesn’t want to spend money on his coach.

 

“He’s going to spend it, all right,” the guy wrote. “Just on the next coach.”

 

Unless Idzik is the only general manager in the league who doesn’t want to have his own coach, he never wanted Rex. Whatever he says and whatever Woody Johnson says, the deal was this for Idzik: Take the job, take the coach. The best Idzik could do under the circumstances was give us Rex 2.0.

 

From the time he showed up and he and Ryan supposedly bonded like old frat brothers, Ryan has sounded less like the guy who hit town at full voice five years ago, and more and more like so many of the league’s other coaches, who are about as much fun as bricks.

 

Now we hear Ryan, fighting for his job, on the radio on Monday acting as if he was afraid he might lose that job on the spot if he said the wrong thing about his quarterback situation. What a place.

 

 If the owner of the team thought it was this important to keep Rex Ryan around, he ought to tell his general manager to back off and let him be Rex Ryan.

 

You may not love Rex, or his act, and think the Jets would be better off without him next season. Fair enough. He’s still better coaching these players than Idzik has been picking them.

[LionelRichie]

Rex may not be perfect but Idzik is a disaster.  

 

You can't miss on your 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th rd draft picks in the same draft and expect to "build through the draft".  

[AFJF]

Rex may not be perfect but Idzik is a disaster.  

 

You can't miss on your 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th rd draft picks in the same draft and expect to "build through the draft".  

 

I agree.  To be honest, I was 100% on board with Idzik's plan until they cut Saunders.  While some people may say it's crazy to bail on a GM over a 4th round pick, but that was the "straw that broke the camel's back" for me.  I can't complain too much about the 6th and 7th rounders...that's life.  However, if you're building through the draft, those mid-rounders have to offer something.   It's only compounded by the fact that Saunders was such a questionable pick to begin with.  I defended it the whole time, giving Idzik the benefit of the doubt and not trying to pretend to have more info on the player than the Jets did.  You add the off-season he had and it makes it worse.  With the secondary, I said the same thing...let's wait and see.  I wanted Brandon Fowers but didn't kill the guy for  not bringing him in.  I thought they should have kept Cromartie but they let  him walk.  I wanted at least one decent free-agent CB before Flowers was available.  Not necessarily Revis or one of the "top-shelf" guys, but a solid vet with a better resume than Dmitri Patterson.  I defended a lot of his moves and non-moves, but it's becoming increasingly evident that he wasn't concerned with putting together a winner, or he didn't know how to.

[Integrity28]

Rex may not be perfect but Idzik is a disaster.

You can't miss on your 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th rd draft picks in the same draft and expect to "build through the draft".

Your posts about this are beyond stupid.

[Integrity28]

I agree. To be honest, I was 100% on board with Idzik's plan until they cut Saunders. While some people may say it's crazy to bail on a GM over a 4th round pick, but that was the "straw that broke the camel's back" for me. I can't complain too much about the 6th and 7th rounders...that's life. However, if you're building through the draft, those mid-rounders have to offer something. It's only compounded by the fact that Saunders was such a questionable pick to begin with. I defended it the whole time, giving Idzik the benefit of the doubt and not trying to pretend to have more info on the player than the Jets did. You add the off-season he had and it makes it worse. With the secondary, I said the same thing...let's wait and see. I wanted Brandon Fowers but didn't kill the guy for not bringing him in. I thought they should have kept Cromartie but they let him walk. I wanted at least one decent free-agent CB before Flowers was available. Not necessarily Revis or one of the "top-shelf" guys, but a solid vet with a better resume than Dmitri Patterson. I defended a lot of his moves and non-moves, but it's becoming increasingly evident that he wasn't concerned with putting together a winner, or he didn't know how to.

You don't "put together a champion" until you have a QB. Period.

Day 3 draft picks don't make anyone a champion in their rookie season.

Saunders is behind because of the preseason absence. Better to stash on practice squad and let him catch up, than burning a roster spot on a guy who isn't ready to contribute. Who cares about draft slot, Belli considers them all equal the minute the draft ends.

[T0mShane]

Stopped reading at "Lup"

[Integrity28]

Stopped reading at "Lup"

Also, it's one big blabber fest that basically says, "it's everyone's fault but Rex".

[T0mShane]

You don't "put together a champion" until you have a QB. Period.

Day 3 draft picks don't make anyone a champion in their rookie season.

Saunders is behind because of the preseason absence. Better to stash on practice squad and let him catch up, than burning a roster spot on a guy who isn't ready to contribute. Who cares about draft slot, Belli considers them all equal the minute the draft ends.

I think the way to put together a winning team is to extend a coach who hasn't had a winning record for four years.

[AFJF]

You don't "put together a champion" until you have a QB. Period.

Day 3 draft picks don't make anyone a champion in their rookie season.

Saunders is behind because of the preseason absence. Better to stash on practice squad and let him catch up, than burning a roster spot on a guy who isn't ready to contribute. Who cares about draft slot, Belli considers them all equal the minute the draft ends.

 

Everyone has their own way of approaching  things.  My approach would not be to just mail it in and sit around for a few years on a bottom feeder roster while waiting to hopefully one day acquire a franchise QB.  I would want a FO to assemble the best possible team they can every single year so that when that QB comes along, your're ready to go.  Look around the league and  you'll see several "top teams" and "super bowl conteders" getting their doors blown off by other top teams becuase they just can't play defense.  Meanwhile, Rex is keeping this team within one score of these same teams while people are saying we shouldn't have upgraded the roster becuase we don't know if Geno is good yet.  I like the New York Jets, not the New York Geno's. 

[AFJF]

Also, it's one big blabber fest that basically says, "it's everyone's fault but Rex".

 

I guess we all see what we want to see.  I saw an article that basically ended by saying "if you want to fire him that's fine, but let him do his job". 

[bitonti]

  

You may not love Rex, or his act, and think the Jets would be better off without him next season. Fair enough. He’s still better coaching these players than Idzik has been picking them.

 

 

[JustInFudge]

I agree.  To be honest, I was 100% on board with Idzik's plan until they cut Saunders.  While some people may say it's crazy to bail on a GM over a 4th round pick, but that was the "straw that broke the camel's back" for me.  I can't complain too much about the 6th and 7th rounders...that's life.  However, if you're building through the draft, those mid-rounders have to offer something.   It's only compounded by the fact that Saunders was such a questionable pick to begin with.  I defended it the whole time, giving Idzik the benefit of the doubt and not trying to pretend to have more info on the player than the Jets did.  You add the off-season he had and it makes it worse.  With the secondary, I said the same thing...let's wait and see.  I wanted Brandon Fowers but didn't kill the guy for  not bringing him in.  I thought they should have kept Cromartie but they let  him walk.  I wanted at least one decent free-agent CB before Flowers was available.  Not necessarily Revis or one of the "top-shelf" guys, but a solid vet with a better resume than Dmitri Patterson.  I defended a lot of his moves and non-moves, but it's becoming increasingly evident that he wasn't concerned with putting together a winner, or he didn't know how to.

 

Agreed 100%. It wasnt necessarily the decision to cut Saunders, thats whatevers its just the way they got there. Idzik had 4 picks in the 3rd and 4th rounds, not one of them has done anything to help the Jets.  In fact, the only one to see the field, hurt the Jet and now he's gone.  Granted 2 are on IR, but still, just a pathetic effort with head scratching reaches that nobody had on their radar with a very strong possibility none of them ever make the active roster. 

 

Idzik was perfectly fine putting out one of the worst rosters in the league for the 2nd year in a row.  Only this season, he had an incredible opportunity to change that and he failed.

 

Say what you want about Rex, love him, hate him, want him fired, wanted him extended, whatever.  This dude is right, Rex is the best at his job in the entire Jets organization (maybe Mo Wilk too).  Which is probably the overall problem with the Jets and why its time to just start over.

[T0mShane]

Also, it's one big blabber fest that basically says, "it's everyone's fault but Rex".

The only columnist I trust is Aiden Mackie.

[faba]

This is the same spiel though nothing is ever Rex's fault- lots of people to blame for the state of this team including Rex

[BlakeSpenceBlockedPunt]

Can we just stop it already with commentary on personalities and what was, etc.  Can we please keep our analysis to what we see on the field.

 

Our team has not been well coached this year.  Period.  We are not improving under Rex.  

 

That's the reason we should move on.  Purely based upon results on the field.  

[T0mShane]

I guess we all see what we want to see. I saw an article that basically ended by saying "if you want to fire him that's fine, but let him do his job".

By "do his job," what do you mean exactly?

[AFJF]

Can we just stop it already with commentary on personalities and what was, etc.  Can we please keep our analysis to what we see on the field.

 

Our team has not been well coached this year.  Period.  We are not improving under Rex.  

 

That's the reason we should move on.  Purely based upon results on the field.  

 

With a safety and a 4th/5th string CB starting, the Jets a have lost by 7,8, and 7 points to Aaron Rodgers, Jay Culter, and Matthew Stafford despite the fact that the QB is on pace to surpass the 25 turnovers he had last season, and isn't seeing open receivers (no my analysis, but Jaworski who broke down the film).  That, IMO is reason enough to keep the guy around.

[AFJF]

By "do his job," what do you mean exactly?

 

Decide who gets to play.

[kay_gee]

Can we just stop it already with commentary on personalities and what was, etc. Can we please keep our analysis to what we see on the field.

Our team has not been well coached this year. Period. We are not improving under Rex.

That's the reason we should move on. Purely based upon results on the field.

but we need CONTEXT. lol.

[AFJF]

You don't "put together a champion" until you have a QB. Period.

Day 3 draft picks don't make anyone a champion in their rookie season.

Saunders is behind because of the preseason absence. Better to stash on practice squad and let him catch up, than burning a roster spot on a guy who isn't ready to contribute. Who cares about draft slot, Belli considers them all equal the minute the draft ends.

 

I actually agree completely with that thought process, but not when your roster has so little talent on it.  This early in the process, you need hit on some of these picks.  When you get to the point the Pats are at, you can afford to dump guys left and right because you have (or had) a nucleus in place that could overcome bad picks.  Having very little talent and whiffing horribly on mid-round picks is not a good thing.

[T0mShane]

Decide who gets to play.

Like Mark Sanchez?

[AFJF]

Like Mark Sanchez?

 

Like any player on the roster at any position regardless of performance.  If any organization is going to have somebody they refer to as the head coach, then they should let them be the head coach.  If you want to tell him who to play, then fire him and move on.

[slats]

You can line them all up over there in Florham Park, N.J., starting with the owner, Woody Johnson, followed by John Idzik and Rex Ryan, and Marty Mornhinweg, the Jets’ offensive coordinator. Put Geno Smith, the guy who got handed the keys to the car after Mark Sanchez rear-ended one of his offensive linemen, in there, too. And when you look at all of them, as a group, there is no question that Ryan is better at his job than any of the others are at theirs.

I don't like Lupica, but he is right. Rex is more competent at his job than everyone else employed as Jets management, from the owner on down. And it's really not even close. People want to blame Rex because he's the common denominator, or the last man standing, or whatever, but he's a very capable coach and pretty much everyone above him is not capable.

Rex may be done here. It could be by design, or he could just be collateral damage, but he's gonna get another job somewhere else, and he's gonna do a lot better than he did here.

You don't "put together a champion" until you have a QB. Period.

Day 3 draft picks don't make anyone a champion in their rookie season.

Saunders is behind because of the preseason absence. Better to stash on practice squad and let him catch up, than burning a roster spot on a guy who isn't ready to contribute. Who cares about draft slot, Belli considers them all equal the minute the draft ends.

Whenever they get the QB, that QB is gonna need receivers and an OL. He didn't have to spend all his money, or trade all his precious draft picks, but he could've done a massively better job bringing in talent to help throw the ball and defend the pass in this new, exciting, modern passing league - but he passed. He drafted Geno in the second round, and did nothing to support him. Maybe Geno is just terrible, but it's hard to know for sure when he's throwing to the likes of David Nelson. A guy who was handed the #2 job, not even dressing in the last preseason game. Why? Because Idzik struck out swinging three times in the deepest WR draft in recent memory.

And missing a little training camp is no excuse for Saunders not being able to do the one thing he drafted to do: return punts. Another guy handed the starting job who flunked out, this one to the point of being cut.

The rumors/reports are that Idzik tried to move up a couple different times in the draft, but was unable to consummate a deal. Given his general negotiating tactics (free agents, the Revis trade), I think it's pretty fair to say that he didn't get a deal done because he wasn't getting enough (in his eyes) in return for what he was offering. The result of that miserliness with his draft picks is that the team missed out on players he liked better, and the picks he was afraid to trade are now on the cutting room floor or the IR.

[Warfish]

The problem in a nutshell is perfectly described by this 6-game stretch:

We have Geno Smith.

They have Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matt Stafford, Phillip Rivers, Peyton Manning & Tom Brady.

While we have no shortage of problems (D-backfield primary amongst them), the simple fact is we'll always go 0-6 (or at best 2-4)when we throw Geno Smith-like QB's against REAL franhcise QB's.

At the most vital position on the field in modern NFL Football, we simply cannot compete, and consistently are amongst the worst in the league.

Everything else is details at that point. No QB, No Success.

It's that simple.

[Integrity28]

Everyone has their own way of approaching  things.  My approach would not be to just mail it in and sit around for a few years on a bottom feeder roster while waiting to hopefully one day acquire a franchise QB.  I would want a FO to assemble the best possible team they can every single year so that when that QB comes along, your're ready to go.  Look around the league and  you'll see several "top teams" and "super bowl conteders" getting their doors blown off by other top teams becuase they just can't play defense.  Meanwhile, Rex is keeping this team within one score of these same teams while people are saying we shouldn't have upgraded the roster becuase we don't know if Geno is good yet.  I like the New York Jets, not the New York Geno's. 

 

I don't want to tank, but I also don't want to be the team with the best record not to make the playoffs.

 

I'm with you though, and I say it all the time, I love the Jets. I just don't like most of their employees.

 

I guess we all see what we want to see.  I saw an article that basically ended by saying "if you want to fire him that's fine, but let him do his job". 

 

Fair enough. I didn't read it to the end, because I thought the initial premise of "let him do his job" was garbage. He was afforded a huge amount of influence while Tanny was here, and the team went in the toilet. He also never really did his job, he did the job of the defensive coordinator, which was enough to do great in the playoffs with the original offensive line he inherited, but it has clearly not been enough since.

 

To imply that he the new GM is now restricting him in some way is stupid of the author. Rex restricts himself. 

[Integrity28]

I actually agree completely with that thought process, but not when your roster has so little talent on it.  This early in the process, you need hit on some of these picks.  When you get to the point the Pats are at, you can afford to dump guys left and right because you have (or had) a nucleus in place that could overcome bad picks.  Having very little talent and whiffing horribly on mid-round picks is not a good thing.

 

 

The point the Pats are at? They tried to Tannenbaum their way into a winning season through free agency this year, because other than Mankins (not with team), Wilfork (old), Gronk (fragile) and Brady (old). They've not drafted well for the better part of a decade. Chandler Jones, Mayo and maybe Hightower could be considered good picks. Otherwise, they miss all over the place.

 

I just don't think this statement makes sense, sorry.

[Scott Dierking]

Has there ever been another coach in the history of the NFL, whose accountability does not just extend to W's and L's?

 

You don't have the players? Ok, make someone, some unit look better than they are. At least do that. Develop someone.

 

I swear this team gets more pumped up and shows more life in pre-season games (Cincinnati, Snoopy Bowl), than they do in regular season games.

 

Worry less about your defensive rankings, and more about overall team consistency.

 

Sick and tired of the blather that is Rex Ryan. Just get someone who can quietly improve players.

[AFJF]

I don't want to tank, but I also don't want to be the team with the best record not to make the playoffs.

 

I'm with you though, and I say it all the time, I love the Jets. I just don't like most of their employees.

 

 

Fair enough. I didn't read it to the end, because I thought the initial premise of "let him do his job" was garbage. He was afforded a huge amount of influence while Tanny was here, and the team went in the toilet. He also never really did his job, he did the job of the defensive coordinator, which was enough to do great in the playoffs with the original offensive line he inherited, but it has clearly not been enough since.

 

To imply that he the new GM is now restricting him in some way is stupid of the author. Rex restricts himself. 

 

that's cool...you were actually right.  I didn't read (or even notice) that Lupica did say Rex is better at his job than Idzik is.  Honestly, up to this point I don't know that he's wrong about that and as I said to TS, no matter what decisions the coach wants to make, he should be allowed to make them.  If the FO does not like the moves, then fire him and find somebody else.  I hate 99% of what Lupica says, but he's basing this off of Ryan's quote yesterday in which he made it pretty clear that he doesn't have final say on who the QB is.  They asked him flat out and he just said "It's a jet decision" which means others are influencing.  That's bad IMO...let him do the job that he's paid to do or fire him.

[Integrity28]

Whenever they get the QB, that QB is gonna need receivers and an OL. He didn't have to spend all his money, or trade all his precious draft picks, but he could've done a massively better job bringing in talent to help throw the ball and defend the pass in this new, exciting, modern passing league - but he passed. He drafted Geno in the second round, and did nothing to support him. Maybe Geno is just terrible, but it's hard to know for sure when he's throwing to the likes of David Nelson. A guy who was handed the #2 job, not even dressing in the last preseason game. Why? Because Idzik struck out swinging three times in the deepest WR draft in recent memory.

And missing a little training camp is no excuse for Saunders not being able to do the one thing he drafted to do: return punts. Another guy handed the starting job who flunked out, this one to the point of being cut.

The rumors/reports are that Idzik tried to move up a couple different times in the draft, but was unable to consummate a deal. Given his general negotiating tactics (free agents, the Revis trade), I think it's pretty fair to say that he didn't get a deal done because he wasn't getting enough (in his eyes) in return for what he was offering. The result of that miserliness with his draft picks is that the team missed out on players he liked better, and the picks he was afraid to trade are now on the cutting room floor or the IR.

 

Can't argue with any of this.

 

I still don't think this makes Idzik a disaster suddenly. People were ready to have his babies after last year.

[AFJF]

The point the Pats are at? They tried to Tannenbaum their way into a winning season through free agency this year, because other than Mankins (not with team), Wilfork (old), Gronk (fragile) and Brady (old). They've not drafted well for the better part of a decade. Chandler Jones, Mayo and maybe Hightower could be considered good picks. Otherwise, they miss all over the place.

 

I just don't think this statement makes sense, sorry.

 

Were at...that's why I put the (or had) comment in there.  They were great for a long time and in a position to draft whoever they wanted and then dump who they didn't like.  There's not enough quality on this roster to throw away picks.  I get that not every pick is going to pan out, but when 4th and 5th rounders are gone before week five?  Not a good sign.

[BlakeSpenceBlockedPunt]

The problem in a nutshell is perfectly described by this 6-game stretch:

We have Geno Smith.

They have Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matt Stafford, Phillip Rivers, Peyton Manning & Tom Brady.

While we have no shortage of problems (D-backfield primary amongst them), the simple fact is we'll always go 0-6 (or at best 2-4)when we throw Geno Smith-like QB's against REAL franhcise QB's.

At the most vital position on the field in modern NFL Football, we simply cannot compete, and consistently are amongst the worst in the league.

Everything else is details at that point. No QB, No Success.

It's that simple.

 

Do yourself, and the rest of us, a favor and compare Geno at this stage of his career to the franchise QB's you mention.  You will be surprised by the similarities...I sure was.

[dbatesman]

One Jets fan I know, smart and loyal and angry about the talent in the room right now, emailed me the other day and said that it was wrong to suggest that Idzik doesn’t want to spend money on his coach.

“He’s going to spend it, all right,” the guy wrote. “Just on the next coach.”

Lupica makes Francesa look like Red Smith.

[T0mShane]

So when the Jets eventually start Vick and Vick sucks, will that be Rex's fault or...

[slats]

Can't argue with any of this.

 

I still don't think this makes Idzik a disaster suddenly. People were ready to have his babies after last year.

Last year he had a terrible cap situation and did an excellent job cleaning it up in just one year. He also had one great draft pick in Sheldon Richardson, a guy who this board went into a collective frenzy over because it was proof positive that Rex was still making all the picks. Lol. He did very well with the Revis trade and the Ivory trade. There was a lot to like. But with the cap situation, he was graded on a curve. No one expected to field a talented team - and they didn't.

But this year, he had a ton of picks and a ton of cash, and they still didn't field a talented team.

[Scott Dierking]

So when the Jets eventually start Vick and Vick sucks, will that be Rex's fault or...

It will be the pit bulls of the world fault, because, without them, Vick would not have a stain on his life. his career would have been uninterrupted and he would be in better position to help the Jets, served on a platter to Rex.

 

Of course it would not be Rex's fault. There has not been a more abused person by the simple course off events in history.