CORTLAND — So much for Rex Ryan getting out of the prediction business.
The Jets’ famously confident coach was at it again Wednesday, all but guaranteeing his defense would finish in the top five of the NFL’s statistical rankings this season.
Gang Green slipped to 11th in the league in total defense last season after finishing in the top eight in each of Ryan’s first four seasons as coach — including a No. 1 overall ranking in 2009.
“I don’t think it’ll be [down] there this [season near No. 11],” Ryan said. “I think we’ll get back to where we are accustomed to being.
That’s at least in the top five. But again, our goal is to be set higher than that. Top five, that’s to be expected. That’s what I know.
Ryan appears to exempt defensive rankings from his recent list of no-no predictions. Wednesday marked the third consecutive year he has made the top-five prediction, even though the Jets came up short on the first two.
Ryan went to the top five well again, even though his defense has been battered by injuries in the preseason.
Three of the Jets’ top cornerbacks — Dee Milliner, Dimitri Patterson and Dexter McDougle — are either sidelined indefinitely or out for the season, leaving the Jets in such a pinch safety Antonio Allen will start at cornerback this week against the Bengals.
Ryan was undeterred by the injuries and their impact on his latest boast.
“If you just think you’re going to have all the pieces for a whole season and all that, that doesn’t work,” Ryan said. “That’s not the case in this league. The [coaches] with staying power, guys that have been fairly successful through the league know how to make adjustments and play to the strength of your team.
“That’s certainly what we’ll do,” he continued. “Do I fall back on my experiences and all that? I know we’ll have a tremendous defense. There’s no doubt. That’s one thing you can say, throughout the years, I’ve been right on that. And I’ll be right again on this.”
Tight end Jeff Cumberland exited Tuesday’s practice with tightness in his Achilles tendon and missed Wednesday’s workout, too, but Ryan said he expects Cumberland to play against Cincinnati.
“It’s not to the extent where he ruptured an Achilles tendon or anything like that,” Ryan said. “But clearly, we’re going to make sure that he’s fine before he gets out there. I don’t anticipate him being out long. But again, the trainers will tell us.”
Rookie first-round pick Calvin Pryor, who is working his way back from a concussion that caused him to miss two weeks of camp, is expected to see plenty of action against the Bengals.
Pryor got several repetitions with the first-team defense in Wednesday’s practice, and Ryan predicted the concussion wouldn’t cause the Louisville product to change his hard-hitting style.
“This kid is not backing off,” Ryan said. “No, that is not happening, so I’m not looking for that.”