While the Jets have pretty much held back with the trash talking this week in their matchup with the Steelers in Pittsburgh, it seems that the line is finally starting to be crossed. Even a little bit.
Two Jets safeties on Friday spoke out about the physical nature of the hitting that Steelers WR Hines Ward does on Sunday’s out on the field. Both had some choice words for Ward if he feels he’s going to get a shot in on one of the Jets Sunday.
“We’re going to deal with him early so he knows what type of game it’s going to be, and that none of that stuff is being tolerated,” Jets safety James Ihedigbo said.
What “none of that stuff” is remains to be seen. Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the Jets refer to Ward as “the toughest player in the league, when no one’s looking.” Basically saying in so many words that Ward is a cheap shot artist.
The Jets took Pettine’s lead, and started running their mouths about Ward as well.
“We saw some of those plays, like in the Ravens game, he’s out there hitting Dawan Landry in the back, he came across and hit Ray Lewis in the back,” Jets safety Eric Smith said. “Ed Reed was 30 yards downfield and he’s going down and hitting him. It’s just unnecessary things like that that make you mad as a defender.”
While the safeties are crying like babies about Ward, one guy that seems to actually appreciate the hard nosed play of Ward is none other than Jets coach Rex Ryan, who knows all about the physical nature of Ward from his days in Baltimore as defensive coordinator.
“He’ll look for you now. If he can hit you, he’s going to. And I’ve seen him knock out a ton of guys before,” Ryan said. “Let’s face it, they changed a rule [for] Hines Ward about hitting a defenseless player and all that kind of stuff. But, quite honestly, he’s just finishing plays and there was no rule [before]. So he went out and he plays hard and he plays to the whistle. And that’s the kind of guy he is. I respect the heck out of Hines Ward.”
Maybe after a couple hits Sunday, Ryan’s safeties stop whining and will feel the same way.
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John Costanzo
January 22, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Hey, you know what they are always preaching to the rookies in NFL 101 during summer training camps—“Keep you heads on a swivel in the NFL or you will get hurt! Bad!”. With Hines Ward running around on Steelers offensive plays, you as a defensive player on the other team, have to keep your head on a swivel for him. If you don’t, if you are that stupid, then when he hits you and you don’t expect it and you get knocked out cold, it’s your fault! Hines Ward is Jack Tatum on offense. He likes to lay opposing players out almost as much as he likes catching TD balls. So whining about Ward being a “cheap shot artist” is wrong. This is tackle football, not flag football. If Ward drills a Jets player this Sunday, its that Jet’s players fault. You should have been looking for #86 out of the corners of your eyes. After all, Wards taken his share of cheap shots going over the middle stretching out for a ball, or, trying to tackle someone on an interception. Therefore, he’s more than justified in laying out players stupid enough to not be looking for him. It’s the law of the jungle–dog eat dog, eat or be eaten, watch your back or become somebodies dinner, do unto somebody first before they do it unto you….and don’t whine about Hines if he gets you. You had it coming like you had a whooping coming from your Daddy when he got home from work the day you mouthed your Momma and ran the streets with a pack of wolves she didn’t like….
big rich
January 22, 2011 at 2:30 pm
CAN’T WAIT!!!!