Steve Serby

Steve Serby

NFL

A win over the Bengals could save Rex Ryan’s job

This wasn’t supposed to work, this shotgun marriage between Rex Ryan and rookie general manager John Idzik.

It is working.

It is working so well that if Idzik were to walk into the team meeting Saturday night at the team hotel in Cincinnati and announce, “We have decided to offer Rex an extension,” Jets players, almost to a man, would stand and cheer.

I have seen enough from this Jets team, witnessed the growth of Geno Smith and the young, developing muscle and swag in the trenches on both sides of the ball to dismiss the likelihood of any second-half collapse.

I recognize a lot can happen between now and the end of the season, of course — these are the Jets, where any moment can be a Buttfumble moment — but I say if they can beat the Bengals on Sunday on the heels of beating the Patriots, get to 5-3 and establish themselves as legitimate playoff contenders, it would not necessarily be too early for Idzik to seek owner Woody Johnson’s consent to begin Rextension talks.

Because it is clear these Jets are Rallying ’Round Rex.

“I think that we’re building something here,” Austin Howard said. “It definitely would not be anything that anyone would be upset about, that’s for sure.”

Ryan is far from perfect on game day — he is challenged by coach’s challenges, sacrificing Mark Sanchez for the Snoopy Bowl would have been a fireable offense in some circles and letting Nick Folk attempt a 56-yard field goal could have been catastrophic against Tom Brady — but who could have possibly imagined he would be closer to MetLife Stadium’s Super Bowl than Tom Coughlin? Winning, and winning against all odds, with a rookie quarterback and no A.J. Green for him to throw to, is a great deodorant.

Perhaps most importantly, the buffoonery is gone, but what remains is a master motivator who once again has his finger on the pulse of the locker room.

He has shown himself to be a team player, more Corporate Rex than Corpulent Rex, able to navigate the treacherous back room minefield as he fights to keep his dream job as an erstwhile lame duck whose contract is up after the 2014 season.

“He’s just being himself. He’s not uptight. He gets the guys playing where they can play loose. You don’t have to worry about making a mistake, you just go ahead and play. It’s not how some coaches can be like drill sergeants or something, like, ‘You have to do this right here,’ ” Jeff Cumberland said. “I would love to play for him however long that I can.”

This arrangement can work as long as Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg continue their effective working relationship — “You got offense, I got defense.” If the Jets win, Ryan won’t have to hear the constant reminders he needs to be the coach of the whole team. A big key will be whether Mornhinweg can continue to nurture and mold Smith into a franchise quarterback.

“You could see each game that he’s ready, like if he can put some pads on and go out there and play he would,” Cumberland said.

It is all well and good to be a so-called players’ coach, but that by itself won’t save you if you are not respected.

“He has that type of fight in him that makes you want to go out there and fight hard in the fourth quarter and just lay it on the line for that type of dude because you know he makes you feel like he would do it for you,” Jeremy Kerley said. “He’s a great motivator, he has a great scheme, everything about him kind of motivates people.”

I asked Kerley if he senses guys would love to play for Ryan for years and years.

“Definitely,” he said. “Like I said, he’s just that type of guy. You can’t really put your finger on it, it’s just the vibe when you get around him.”

To some degree, there is always an element of lip service to questions about the coach. But there should be no downplaying the connection this coach has made with these players.

“Walking around, I’ve never heard anything said bad about Rex, or some guys questioned his judgment on how he goes about things,” Willie Colon said. “Whatever Rex says, we just go with it, because that’s our belief in him.”

The Bengals are 12-1 to win the Super Bowl. The Jets are 100-1.

“One of the reasons I came here was for Rex,” Colon said. “I came to be a Jet because of Rex, ’cause of his passionate side, his fearless side. … That’s how [Steelers coach] Mike [Tomlin] was. Coach Tomlin was a fearless, confident, compassionate person — probably not as outspoken as Rex is, but nevertheless, he had no problem stepping up to the plate. That’s what you want a coach to do — stand behind the guys and you stand behind him. This game is about fighting for each other. Rex is definitely that coach you know he’ll fight for you.”

As Darrelle Revis has learned, the grass is not always greener. Has anyone heard a Buccaneer say he loves Greg Schiano?

“I love Rex, man, on the field or off the field,” Colon said.