When Rex Ryan was in Baltimore, he coined a term “Play like a Raven.” He is the Jets head coach now, but the phrase still serves as the Ravens’ battle cry, etched across everything from the home page of their Web site to billboards, T-shirts and posters.
“I should have patented it,” Ryan said earlier this year. “It was something I strived to do, and I think our guys bought into that. It’s what we’re trying to have here: to “Play like a Jet.”
That’s why Ryan’s rallying cry for today’s game against the Bills at the Meadowlands is for his team to “Play like a Jet,” though a cynic might suggest that’s exactly what they did in back-to-back losses to the Saints and Dolphins. They played like Jets all right; the same old Jets; the Jets of high expectations and disappointing results; the Jets who haven’t done much since Joe Namath’s guarantee 40 years ago.
Ryan hasn’t been part of the franchise’s past misery; so when he says “Play like a Jet,” he envisions a whole different meaning. He’s not talking about the Kotite era or starting 8-3 last year just to finish 9-7 and out of the playoffs. When he says “Play like a Jet,” he wants it reflect a style of play that challenges his players “to bring our passion and emotion and effort and build each other up.”
That’s the kind of defense he built in Baltimore. That’s the kind of team he wants the Jets to be today against the Bills (1-4).
After three games it looked like it was time to print the T-shirts. But the offense gave away a game to the Saints and the defense was a no-show in Miami, so the Jets (3-2) wobble into Week 6 trying to avoid a full-fledged relapse of what playing like a Jet used to mean.
Certainly, allowing three touchdowns in the fourth quarter in 31-27 loss to Miami isn’t what Ryan had in mind when he says “Play like a Jet.” Neither is giving up
413 total yards. That’s playing like the old Jets.
“We feel confident that when we play our type of football that we can be as good as anybody else in this league,” said nose tackle Kris Jenkins. “At the same time we’ve also shown that if we don’t, then it’s not going to look too pretty. We’re not invincible and that’s where the humility has struck the locker room.
“Just because you show up and have a green uniform on doesn’t mean you’re going to win. You have to do all the little things to make sure you have the best opportunity to get it done.”
You would have thought the Jets had learned that a long time ago. Their green jerseys haven’t scared anyone in a while. That’s why you can’t blame long-suffering Jets fans, who might cringe at the phrase “Play like a Jet.” More often than not, it has ended in heartache.
Give Ryan some credit though. You don’t have to live in Baltimore to figure out what “Play like a Raven,” might mean: great defense, playing with passion, Ray Lewis smashing a running back; all that comes to mind. The new coach is hoping those are the kind of things people will one day think about when he says, “Play like a Jet.”
“It’s going to mean that we care about each [other],” he said. “It’s going to mean that we’re going to give everything we’ve got, and they’re not doing it for selfish reasons. They’re doing it to take care of each other. When you play us you’re playing against a football team and not a bunch of individuals.”
No doubt Ryan’s team will play like Jets today. The question is, which Jets?
george.willis@nypost.com