HOUSTON — The long offseason, which included the draft, minicamps, training camp and too many preseason games, is over and now it’s time for Rex Ryan to show what he’s got as the Jets’ latest head coach.
His tenure began with bold words about bringing the Jets to the White House for a Presidential visit within the next few years as Super Bowl champions.
It has continued on to some fun-spirited verbal tweaking of Patriots coach Bill Belichick and even some rival players.
All along, Ryan has made proclamations about how good his team can be and how good he feels about it.
Today’s regular-season opener against the favored Texans at Reliant Stadium is sure to give everyone an early taste of what’s to come for these 2009 Jets.
It’s Ryan’s first game as an NFL head coach and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez’s first NFL game that counts.
“This is something I’ve looked forward to all my life,” Ryan said. “I wish we could play right now.”
Sanchez called the game “a must-win.”
Ryan loved that.
“We’re placing huge importance on this game; Sanchez said it’s a must-win game and that’s how I feel,” Ryan said. “I think we’re bringing a good team with us. Let’s see what we have.”
With that, here’s how the game breaks down:
BEST MATCHUP
This has to be Jets CB Darrelle Revis vs. Texans WR Andre Johnson. Revis, who had five interceptions last year, is becoming one of the best cover corners in the league. And Johnson, who had 115 catches for 1,575 yards and eight TDs, might be the best wide receiver in the league.
HOME COOKING
The Texans are 12-4 the last two seasons at home, where they’ve sold out every game since the franchise’s inception.
WHAT’S THE RUSH?
In an effort to both take pressure off Sanchez and attack a possibly suspect Texans’ run defense (ranked 23rd in the NFL last season), look for the Jets to run and run some more with their two Pro Bowl backs — Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. Look, too, for the Jets to incorporate Washington more into the offense with more carries.
MIA
Two of the Jets’ best defensive players — LB Calvin Pace and DE Shaun Ellis — will be missing in action for this game. Both are serving suspensions — Ellis one game for his marijuana possession arrest last year and Pace for four games because of a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substance use. That’s 15 sacks between the two of them in 2008 missing. That puts the spotlight on their replacements: LB Vernon Gholston and DE Mike DeVito, both making their first NFL starts.
HELL ON WHEELS
That would be Texans DE Mario Williams, who led the team with 12 sacks last season and has 26 of them in the last two years. Though he’ll undoubtedly get some help, the primary burden here falls on Jets LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Ferguson predicted in training camp that he was headed to his first Pro Bowl this year, and this is the kind of game, if he performs well, that can propel him there.
FIREPOWER
The Texans were ranked third in the NFL last season in total offense, averaging 382.1 yards per game. A big part of that was rookie RB Steve Slaton, who was second to the Jets’ Jones in rushing in the AFC with 1,282 yards and nine touchdowns. That rushing power combined with Johnson’s big-time receiving numbers make for a big challenge to the Jets’ defense.
NUMBER TO KNOW
6. That’s how many new starters the Jets have on defense for this game — LB Bart Scott, S Jim Leonhard, CB Lito Sheppard and DE Marques Douglas, along with Gholston and DeVito.
JETS FACT
The Jets have taken all three meetings with Texans, the last a 26-11 win on Nov. 26, 2006, at Giants Stadium.
FOE FACT
The Texans won five of their last six in 2008, which was the second-best finish in the NFL during that stretch.
mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com
CANNIZZARO’S CALL
The Jets’ blitzing defense will pressure Houston QB Matt Schaub, and that’ll keep Andre Johnson from having a big day. Mark Sanchez will avoid the big mistake and the Jets will run the ball effectively. Jay Feely wins it with a late field goal.
JETS 23, TEXANS 20