Rex Ryan might love Mark Sanchez as his quarterback, but as a NFL historian?
Not so much.
Sanchez got more than a little carried away yesterday morning, comparing this year’s Jets defense to the famed 1985 Bears unit that rampaged its way to a 15-1 regular season and a Super Bowl crown.
Ryan promptly overruled Sanchez on that count, and the Jets coach knows of what he speaks — he saw it up close at the foot of his father, Buddy Ryan, the architect of that ferocious, relentless Chicago defense.
“This team’s not there,” Ryan said. “The ’85 Bears, in my opinion, were the best defense in the history of our game. Teams knew they were beat before they even played the game. They played not to get hurt. That was an amazing group.”
The Jets consider their defensive line so stocked that second-year tackle Matt Kroul
apparently is having to move to the offensive side to keep his roster spot.
Kroul is taking snaps at various offensive-line spots in practice, and Ryan indicated the switch could be permanent.
“He’s a smart guy,” Ryan said. “He can always pop over to defense, but his weight’s up over 310 [pounds]. He’s a tough guy, an Iowa state champion in wrestling.”
Such a move certainly isn’t unprecedented, even in the Jets’ own locker room. Brandon Moore
, whom Ryan keeps billing as the best offensive guard in football, is a converted defensive lineman.
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Derrick Mason
sported pink-striped cleats during his first practice as a Jet yesterday as a tribute to his mother, who is in remission from breast cancer for a second time.
Mason got permission from Ryan to don the cleats and said he plans to wear them the entire season.
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Ryan practically rubbed his hands together and licked his lips while announcing the Jets would hold their first goal-line drills during Thursday’s practice.
Fans who love hitting — which, at least when it comes to NFL practices, is dying out quickly — should mark their calendars.
“That’ll be a good day to watch,” Ryan said, smiling.