National Football League

Rex runs mouth before Giants showdown

Published Dec. 19, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Jets coach Rex Ryan wasted no time Monday getting the hype machine rolling for Saturday's showdown with the Giants.

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

The Jets and Giants are both coming off disappointing losses Sunday, but that has not taken away from this week's game. The loser won't officially be eliminated from playoff contention, but it will deal them a serious blow.

Besides the playoff implications, Ryan will drive the interest in this game -- can he back up his boasts or will the Giants shut him up? Ryan wrote in his book that he believes the Jets are the "big brother" to the Giants in the football landscape.

"I never came here to be little brother to anyone. So, it's on," Ryan said.

He later added, "There's no way I'm going to be second fiddle. If we were playing the New York Yankees, I don't want to be second fiddle to them."

Ryan, who is in his third year as Jets coach, said it is not debatable which team has been better since he arrived.

"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."

Ryan acknowledged he leads the way in pushing this rivalry to a place its never been before.

"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."

Naturally, Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka disagreed, predicting Big Blue will prove the outspoken Jets coach wrong.

"Talking trash isn't going to help you out on the field," he said. "I know we're the better team. We just have to go out there and prove it."

The Jets are coming off a 45-19 thrashing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving them tied with Cincinnati at 8-6 for the final AFC playoff spot.

The Giants, despite a lackluster 23-10 home loss to the Redskins Sunday, can still win the NFC East by beating the Jets and Cowboys in the final two games of the season.