With a night to sleep on their huge win over the Colts Sunday, neither Rex Ryan nor the Jets players had any apology for beating the Colts’ backups in the final 20 minutes of the game.
In fact, the Jets bristled at any suggestion that they were gifted the game by the Colts’ decision to pull Peyton Manning and several other starters with 5:36 remaining in the third quarter and Indianapolis leading 15-10.
“They [the Colts] don’t have to apologize to anybody about anything and neither do we,” Ryan said. “We won the game, ended up doing what we had to do whoever was in Colts’ jerseys. There’s very little credit that our football team has been given and that’s unfortunate.
“It bothers me a little bit. You have to earn everything you get in this league — whether you’re playing against a starter or a backup. People can draw their own conclusions. We won by 14 points. We’re making no excuses or apologies for getting our job done.”
REX WENT FROM JOKE TO GENIUS IN A WEEK
Linebacker Bart Scott said, “To hold (the Colts) to 15 points in three quarters is still an accomplishment.”
Added safety Jim Leonhard: “There’s nothing to say that we don’t win that game if Peyton’s in there. It might be a little different than it ended up, but we put ourselves in position and we were right in the game at the end of the third quarter.”
* RB Thomas Jones, who needs 12 yards to set a career record in rushing yards, rested during Wednesday’s practice last week and lost carries to rookie Shonn Greene in Sunday’s game until Greene hurt his shoulder in the fourth quarter.
Asked yesterday if he felt as if he needed a rest from practice, Jones said, “I didn’t feel I needed a break. The way I work out and train I can get 25 or 30 carries a game. To me, I’m physically and mentally prepared for that because of my preparation during the week.”
* Ryan said there were no significant injuries in the Colts game, though a couple of players might sit out tomorrow’s practice.
Greene hurt his shoulder but returned to the game. Ryan said CB Donald Strickland hurt his quad making his sack and might sit out tomorrow’s practice.