Ryan Declares Jets Should be Super Favorites

By MARK CANNIZZARO
Last Updated: 6:00 AM, January 7, 2010
Posted: 2:32 AM, January 7, 2010

Safety Jim Leonhard, who like Douglas played for Ryan in Baltimore, hardly was surprised when Ryan’s words were repeated to him.

“Rex isn’t an under-the-radar kind of guy,” Leonhard said. “He has strong beliefs and he’ll let you know what he believes. It’s not arrogance or anything against any other team. It’s just that he has confidence in the group of guys he’s put together.

“If you don’t feel that way I think there’s something wrong with you. If you don’t have faith in your team that you can go

to the Super Bowl and win it, you’re in the wrong business.”

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who’s coached with Ryan since 2002, smiled when told of Ryan’s statement. “That’s Rex being Rex,” he said.

“That’s our mentality,” Pettine said. “We’re going to be a confident group. We have the mindset on defense that we can shut down anybody in the league. And this time of year if you can play great defense and have a No. 1 rushing offense it’s been proven over time to be a formula for success.

“There’s not going to be a game, this one included, that we’re going to go into thinking we’re not going to win.”

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