If Falcons coach Dan Quinn is looking to make any last-minute adjustments to his Super Bowl game plan, ex-Jets and Bills coach Rex Ryan has some advice.
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Actually, apparently, he has the game plan to shutting down the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady. Well, sort of.
“You need to consider all of the flexibility [the Patriots] system has with their players and their intelligence,” Ryan said on ESPN’s NFL Countdown, where he served as a guest analyst. “Atlanta would make a huge mistake if they try to match up with those things. You just need to go and play the positions.
“Don’t worry about who’s in, if a tight end’s outside, or whatever. They are so flexible they can get you confused quickly … You have to be simple, or you’re going to get crushed by them.”
If history has anything to say, Ryan’s advice can keep things close … but it won’t necessarily lead to a victory. Ryan coached in the NFL parts of eight years — six with the Jets, two with the Bills. He faced the Patriots 17 times. He won just five times.
Ryan did beat the Patriots in Foxborough in the divisional round of the 2011 playoffs, but he went 2-10 against Bill Belichick’s club after that.
Ryan did admit when Brady’s on, there’s no stopping him.
“I played them decent at times,” Ryan said. “The times I got absolutely destroyed, I’d go on the sideline with the ‘I hope’ defense out there.
“I hope Brady’s off. I hope Brady is sick. I hope a receiver drops a ball. I hope, I hope, I hope. You’re in trouble if that happens.”
Connor Hughes may be reached at chughes@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connor_J_Hughes. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
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