Rex Ryan says Jets are better than Giants

Christmas Eve in New York, what could be better?

How about the New York Jets and New York Giants fighting it out for a playoff spot?

On December 24, the Giants will “visit” the New Meadowlands to face the Jets.  And while it’s Monday and we usually dissect the Jets last game, this match-up is too special to wait for.

The Jets advanced to the AFC championship game in the first two years under Rex Ryan. (Patrick Semansky)

Jets head coach Rex Ryan obviously agreed and wasted no time in stirring the pot Monday as he spoke about the two teams.

“I recognize that they’re an excellent football team, but I think we’re better,” Ryan said on a conference call.

Ryan, who is in his third year as Jets coach, said there is no contest as to the superior team.

“Certainly we were the better team the first two years,” Ryan said. “We made the playoffs, went to the championship game. To say that a team is better than you that never made the playoffs is ridiculous. Clearly, we were the better team my first two years here. We get to prove it on Saturday who the best team is this year.”

“Sure there’s a lot of talk going back and forth, most of it driven by me,” he said. “But you know what? I’ll stand by everything I’ve ever said. I didn’t come here to be anybody’s little brother. I came here to win, to be looked at that way and to take over not just this city, even though it’s the city to take over, but also this league. I haven’t accomplished that yet. Saturday, I think, will go a long way toward doing that.”

Ryan did call Giants head coach Tom Coughlin “one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport,” and he said defensive end Jason Pierre-Paulis “playing as well as anybody in the league” and deserves to be a Pro Bowl starter.