IT’S BEEN about four months since Rex Ryan uttered some calculated words about not coming to New York to “kiss Bill Belichick’s rings” — or anything else for that matter.
Back in May, those words were mere motivational morsels designed to plant thoughts into the minds of his Jets players — most of whom he hardly even knew yet — so it would get them thinking in the kind of mindset he wants them to be in.
That mindset is — despite their collapse in the final month of the 2008 season that led to a bitter, playoff-less postseason, despite having to hear about the 40 years of franchise failure since their Super Bowl III win, despite the fact that they’re second-class citizens to the Giants in this town and despite the fact that the Patriots have owned the AFC East for most of this century — the Jets need not back down to anybody.
They certainly didn’t play like passive wallflowers against a talented and favored Texans team Sunday in Houston, dominating with a complete and physical style that hasn’t been seen around here in a long time.
But that win in Houston was a mere appetizer in Ryan’s grand plan.
A win over the Patriots Sunday for the Jets in their home opener at Giants Stadium? That could truly signal a new beginning for this franchise that, for too long, has been locked in a state of a teasing, almost-there mediocrity seemingly since Joe Namath ran off that Orange Bowl field waving his right index finger in the air in January 1969.
We’ve talked to the players and heard all about how Ryan’s bold, up-front approach has liberated them and fueled their fire to succeed in a freer way than they’ve ever been allowed.
Sunday’s win appeared to be proof in the pudding, as Ryan likes to say. This week at Giants Stadium against the Patriots could further prove that Ryan’s bravado way of coaching and conducting himself before his players and the public — unorthodox in this NFL world of lobotomy-like, politically-correct cliché droning on — might just work very well.
We already have seen the Bill Parcells/Belichick strong-handed, control-freak way of coaching, in which the players are required to play hard and keep their mouths shut or suffer the consequences, works. The multiple Super Bowls the two coaches have won are proof of that. But can the Ryan way work as effectively?
The belief here is that it absolutely can. In fact, although it’s impossible to truly measure this, the belief here is that Ryan’s way of allowing his players to express themselves and be freer on the field can mean an additional win or two to the Jets’ final record.
“I don’t have any complaint with the other system,” said linebacker Larry Izzo, who played for Belichick in New England before signing with the Jets in the offseason. “But I love playing for Rex and the confidence that he brings. That kind of coaching style is contagious. Our play is indicative of the personality he brings to the table.
“One thing I’ve learned in my years in the NFL is there are a lot of different systems and coaching styles that are successful. We had success in New England, and coming here it’s opened my eyes to a new approach, maybe one that I hadn’t been too familiar with. But I definitely see how you can be successful with it.”
Ryan’s “kiss the rings” comment drew the attention of all of his players, and the fact that he hasn’t backed down from those words further cemented their respect for him.
“A team takes on the personality of its head coach,” Jets cornerback Lito Sheppard said. “As football players at this level we all know how to play the game, but when you play it with confidence and emotion, that elevates your play. It’s a contained rage and Rex just kind of brings it out of you.”
mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com