I know this subject may be a little bittersweet considering just how close the Ravens were to playing in the AFC title game. But I feel like what transpired this past Sunday between the Patriots and Jets is conversation-worthy especially when you look at the way in which everything happened. Rex Ryan has been putting his foot in his mouth (no pun intended) for the entire season, and really his entire career as a head coach. His trash-talking ability has a lot of us scratching our heads and wondering how he generates some of the content that comes out of his mouth.

The press conference that really had me baffled was the one held the week before they played the Colts on Wild Card weekend. Ryan came up with the bright idea to call out Tom Brady and say that Peyton Manning was more of a student of the game than Brady. Why in the hell would you even mention Brady’s name in a press conference when you’re not even playing his team that week? Furthermore, why would you call Brady out knowing that he thrashed your defense to the tune of 45 points and you could be facing him if you beat the Colts? It seemed as if Ryan was digging himself a deeper hole with all his conversational antics throughout the weeks leading up to both games. But there was still one thing that could make his jargon worthwhile, and that was winning. Well the Jets were heard loud and clear in Foxborough last Sunday and I’m sure people will be listening to what they have to say this week leading up to the AFC championship game against the Steelers.

I have to admit that I am somewhat of a fan of trash talking, but only in certain situations. For example, I didn’t think it was appropriate, or smart for that matter, for anyone on the Jets to do any trash talking leading up to the game against the Patriots. They had no reason to do any talking considering what happened to them the last time they played the Patriots. But of course they did their normal talking and even managed to get Wes Welker to take some shots at Ryan, which were pretty funny I may add, prompting Bill Belichick to not start Welker this past Sunday. I thought for sure the Brady and the Patriots were going to make the Jets eat their words. Instead, the Jets made good on their word and displayed a dominant performance at the expense of the Patriots.

It’s hard to root for a team like the Jets unless you’re already a fan. It’s especially hard for Baltimore fans to pull for the Jets considering their loud mouth of a head coach used to be a part of the Ravens’ organization. And to add insult to injury, if the Ravens would’ve been able to close out the Steelers last Saturday, they would be hosting the Jets this weekend in the AFC championship and would have the chance to shut them up once and for all. Instead, all the Ravens and their fans can do is watch and listen to Ryan and his Jets talk about how they’re going to beat the Steelers and advance to the Super Bowl. I’m not sure how many Ravens fans are actually going to watch the AFC championship solely based on the bitterness and hatred they have toward both teams. But I can be almost certain that most Ravens fans are hoping the trash-talking Jets can squeak by one more time and prevent the Steelers from appearing in yet another Super Bowl.

Submitted by Steve Giles