By Jason Klein
Be thankful for Rex.
He’s won 5 out of 11 games with a bunch of turkeys.
He deserves an extension.
Coach of the Year consideration too.
Seriously.
You think his paltry crop of receivers have bad hands? Look at the one Rex Ryan was dealt this season.
Rex Ryan has the Jets in contention on Thanksgiving.
These days, his team’s roster of talent is slimmer than he is. He reports to a new general manager, is forced to start a new quarterback, and could be looking for a new job at season’s end – a move predetermined by management.
He lost his bravado when John Idzik arrived. He lost his best player when Darrelle Revis departed. His secondary regularly gets carved up like a Thanksgiving Turkey.
His team was picked dead last in ESPN’s preseason rankings and there was no indication things would turn out differently than predicted.
When everyone else gave up on his team, and his coaching abilities, he stayed the course.
Ryan has overcome the odds, outlasted the “Three T’s” (Turmoil, Tannenbaum and Tebow), and miraculously won 5 of 11 games. Despite horrific performances the last two weeks, he still has this feeble Jets roster in playoff contention on Thanksgiving.
To his credit, his players continue to play hard for him and he continues to get the most he can out of what he has to work with.
Which isn’t much.
Ordinarily, a 5-6 record should not be celebrated.
Yet, for these New York Jets, who many expected to flock among the NFL’s biggest turkeys, it’s something to be thankful for.
Start by thanking Rex.
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