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The New York Jets' defenders are talking big for their Week 2 matchup against the New England Patriots. Earlier this week, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins called this game the Jets' "Super Bowl" and on Wednesday, free safety Kerry Rhodes said he wanted to "embarrass" the Patriots.
The Patriots (1-0) have owned the Jets (1-0) since Bill Belichick became their coach in 2000, going 13-6, including one playoff game, against New York. Tom Brady and Co. have won the past eight games played against the Jets at the Meadowlands.
Rhodes wants to change that -- and make a statement doing it.
"You go out from the first quarter on, from the first play on, and try to embarrass them," Rhodes said, according to the New York Daily News. "Not just go out there and try to win, try to embarrass them. Try to make them feel bad when they leave here. We don't want to just beat them. We want to send a message to them, 'We're not backing down from you and we expect to win this game, and it's not going to be luck, it's not going to be a mistake.' "
Belichick made the Patriots aware of Rhodes' comments Thursday.
"It's said one time, and that's it," Patriots running back Kevin Faulk said. "Coach brings it up and that's it. He says 'This is what was said, but don't worry about it. We have to go execute on the field.' This is not anything were concerned about. That's it."
Running back Laurence Maroney had a different reaction.
"It's funny just listening to it," he said.
Jets coach Rex Ryan, the former Baltimore defensive coordinator, brought the attacking Ravens defense and its propensity for trash-talking to New York. The Jets surprised the Houston Texans in Week 1, romping to a 24-7 victory. The Jets' defense didn't allow a point, as Houston's lone score came on a defensive touchdown.
Brady, returning from a knee injury that cost him almost the entire 2008 season, was hit only six times by the Buffalo Bills in Week 1's comeback victory. Rhodes said Brady will be hit far more often by the Jets' defense, which hit Texans quarterback Matt Schaub eight times in Week 1.
"We will hit him more than six times. I promise you that," Rhodes said, according to the Daily News.
Rhodes insisted the Jets "won't play dirty" but that Brady will be vulnerable.
"I'm sure if somebody is around his leg, or he feels pressure below, he's not going to step into his throw," Rhodes said, according to the Daily News.
"Any quarterback can be rattled," Rhodes said, according to the newspaper. "He's one of the best, don't get me wrong. That's evident. Any quarterback, Peyton Manning, even if you get in his face, if you rattle the quarterback, you get pressure on the quarterback, any quarterback it is, he's not going to be the same. Nobody. That's not to say he's not going to come back and make a play after."
Brady, in remarks to reporters on Wednesday, said he wasn't rattled by the Jets' tough talk and that in the end, "talk is cheap."
"I think we follow the lead of our head coach," Brady said. "I think because we feel a certain way, we don't necessarily need to tell everybody about it. I mean, we're confident. We have as much confidence as most teams in the league.
"No matter what you say on a Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday, it doesn't matter much. I think our execution is what's most important and that's what we choose to focus on."
The Patriots (1-0) have owned the Jets (1-0) since Bill Belichick became their coach in 2000, going 13-6, including one playoff game, against New York. Tom Brady and Co. have won the past eight games played against the Jets at the Meadowlands.
Rhodes wants to change that -- and make a statement doing it.
"You go out from the first quarter on, from the first play on, and try to embarrass them," Rhodes said, according to the New York Daily News. "Not just go out there and try to win, try to embarrass them. Try to make them feel bad when they leave here. We don't want to just beat them. We want to send a message to them, 'We're not backing down from you and we expect to win this game, and it's not going to be luck, it's not going to be a mistake.' "
Belichick made the Patriots aware of Rhodes' comments Thursday.
"It's said one time, and that's it," Patriots running back Kevin Faulk said. "Coach brings it up and that's it. He says 'This is what was said, but don't worry about it. We have to go execute on the field.' This is not anything were concerned about. That's it."
Running back Laurence Maroney had a different reaction.
"It's funny just listening to it," he said.
Jets coach Rex Ryan, the former Baltimore defensive coordinator, brought the attacking Ravens defense and its propensity for trash-talking to New York. The Jets surprised the Houston Texans in Week 1, romping to a 24-7 victory. The Jets' defense didn't allow a point, as Houston's lone score came on a defensive touchdown.
Brady, returning from a knee injury that cost him almost the entire 2008 season, was hit only six times by the Buffalo Bills in Week 1's comeback victory. Rhodes said Brady will be hit far more often by the Jets' defense, which hit Texans quarterback Matt Schaub eight times in Week 1.
"We will hit him more than six times. I promise you that," Rhodes said, according to the Daily News.
Rhodes insisted the Jets "won't play dirty" but that Brady will be vulnerable.
"I'm sure if somebody is around his leg, or he feels pressure below, he's not going to step into his throw," Rhodes said, according to the Daily News.
"Any quarterback can be rattled," Rhodes said, according to the newspaper. "He's one of the best, don't get me wrong. That's evident. Any quarterback, Peyton Manning, even if you get in his face, if you rattle the quarterback, you get pressure on the quarterback, any quarterback it is, he's not going to be the same. Nobody. That's not to say he's not going to come back and make a play after."
Brady, in remarks to reporters on Wednesday, said he wasn't rattled by the Jets' tough talk and that in the end, "talk is cheap."
"I think we follow the lead of our head coach," Brady said. "I think because we feel a certain way, we don't necessarily need to tell everybody about it. I mean, we're confident. We have as much confidence as most teams in the league.
"No matter what you say on a Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday, it doesn't matter much. I think our execution is what's most important and that's what we choose to focus on."
