It would appear that the Jets have pretty much decided on the guy that they want as their next head coach, and it's Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. By the way, I'm sure this totally won't distract the Ravens at all today (Translation: Take all your money and put it on the Steelers this instant).So how exactly did Ryan wind up as a virtual lock for the job? Well, let's get right to it:
The Rams and the Jets both interviewed the Ravens defensive coordinator last Sunday in Baltimore.
Now that the Rams went with Spagnuolo, the Jets are Ryan's only suitor. If the Ravens lose to Pittsburgh in today's AFC Championship Game, expect Ryan to get an offer as early as tomorrow from the Jets.
Spagnuolo went from an early favorite to an afterthought quickly with the Jets. He did not overwhelm the team during his Jan. 3 interview and his background with the 4-3 defense made him less attractive to the Jets than Ryan, who is a proponent of the 3-4.
Eric Mangini spent the last three years tailoring the Jets' personnel to play the 3-4, making a switch back to a 4-3 a step backward for the team.
You may be wondering why the Jets aren't looking at the rather long list of accomplished former head coaches that are currently on the market, like Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden. Well, that's because the Jets don't want an accomplished former head coach:
"Gruden does not fit the profile of what the Jets have been looking for ... [as] the team clearly favors hiring a first-time coach."
Fair enough. The question, of course, is whether or not Ryan is a good hire. He strikes me as being the defensive version of Charlie Weis. Fat, stupendously arrogant, a huge douchebag, and unaware of what he was blessed with at his previous job before becoming a head coach (this is assuming he gets the Jets job, of course).
Because let's be upfront and honest about this. Ryan is a great defensive coordinator, but then again, if you were the defensive coordinator of the Ravens you might appear to be a great defensive coordinator as well, because you have guys like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Samari Rolle, and Terrell Suggs playing for you. Ryan won't have those guys on the Jets. Sometimes guys get a little bit too caught up in their own greatness - like Weis - and ride that arrogance into a full time job, only to suddenly discover that they aren't so awesome anymore with the added responsibilities of being a head coach while having to manage inferior talent.
Plus, while I know every team wants to improve their defense, the biggest problem the Jets have is at quarterback. No one on the Jets seems real interested in welcoming Brett Favre back, but then no one really knows who'll replace him either. It's the ultimate Catch-22 scenario.
The good news though is that Ryan is beloved by the Ravens defense, and they all credit him - not Ray Lewis - for giving the unit its extra fire. We'll just have to wait to see how well that goes over in New York.
Rex may be joining "gang" soon [New York Post]
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