Jets eager to please their prophet

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
BY J.P. PELZMAN
The Record
STAFF WRITER

"It’s definitely a challenge any time you have a size disadvantage," strong safety Jim Leonhard said. "It’s definitely a game where you have to be on top of your responsibilities. You can’t be late [to a spot]. You can’t be slow on anything."

Leonhard spent only one year in Baltimore with Ryan, but was more than happy to follow him to the Jets, signing as a free agent in March.

He knew exactly what he was getting into.

Ryan "hasn’t been afraid to talk about the Super Bowl all year long," Leonhard said, "and now that we’re so close to it there’s no reason to change.

"It’s not that we’re not extremely focused on the next opponent," he said. "It’s like the elephant in the room that no one can talk about. We’re not scared to talk about it."

And if the Jets beat the Chargers, they can talk about it for one more week.

"If [Ryan] didn’t think we could handle the pressure of his comments," Leonhard said, "I don’t think he would do it."