New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan on the Penalty that Saved the Game

Oct 20, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan leaves the field after defeating the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. The Jets won the game 30-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

There has been a lot of talk about the penalty that gave the Jets a second life on Sunday. Was it the right call? Why had it never been called before? Did the Jets tip the referees off about it? Did the Jets see it on video?

Yesterday, coach talked about whether or not the call was appropriate:

Well, one school of thought would be that you don’t know if the kick’s going to be made or not. It’s an emphasis. It was a rule emphasis this year and it’s all about protecting the players just like a hit on an unprotected player and things like that has been a big emphasis. This has also been a big emphasis on protecting the players. Was it an appropriate call? Yes.

During the same press conference, he was asked whether or not he knew that the Patriots tried this illegal tactic against the Saints the previous week. Look at how he answers without answering:

Again, you know what, let’s just put it this way – we watch every single play. I don’t care if it’s Week 16 or whatever. We’re going to watch every play of the opponent. That’s what we do as coaches. I know Ben Kotwica watches all the special teams. I don’t know if I watch every game, but I watch a bunch of them. But certainly the coaches, the coordinators watch every single play of every single game. We’re aware of opponents’ tendencies and everything else.

He is definitely saying here, without coming out and saying it directly, that either he or coach Kotwica saw it. If they did, they absolutely tipped the refs off. You know what?

Good. Why? That is their job. It happens all the time, bringing items seen on film to the ref’s attention. This guy holds, this guy pushes off. This, that, and the other thing. It was made into a big deal because it’s the Jets and the Patriots.

Enough actually happens in this rivalry that we can see. There is no need to make things into a story when they aren’t.