Unfortunately there's been no hate this week.
No venom or vitriol to spice up postgame pressers.
Jets coach Rex Ryan has had nothing but unending praise for his upcoming foe, the Steelers and their coach Mike Tomlin.
The Jets have played the role of the ugly duckling quite well the last couple weeks. In the wild card round, Ryan proclaimed that the matchup with Peyton Manning and the Colts was "personal." That was followed by Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie calling Patriots quarterback Tom Brady an assh*le.
Ryan and his minions have always been bombastic so why shy away now? The Jets purely dominated New England last week in Foxborough. But now his defense doesn't just need to pressure Ben Roethlisberger, it also needs to bring the big boy down.
Roethlisberger was sacked six times last week, including a "Tuck Rule" fumble that laid on the Heinz Field turf for several seconds before the Ravens raced into the end zone. The pressure did take an early toll but not before the 6-foot-5-inch 240-pounder upped his playoff record to 7-2.
The Steelers have never been a flashy team that will keep your eyes glued to a highlight show, but they are seeking their third Super Bowl title in the last five years. Pittsburgh got rid of former Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes, who has had plenty of trouble with drugs and partying, that they didn't mind getting back a fifth-rounder for a 26-year-old who still hasn't reached his prime.
The team that got him was, of course, the Jets. The same team that also rolled the dice on Braylon Edwards and Cromartie. Luckily, it has all worked out, as New York is playing in its second straight AFC championship game.
But none of that matters if Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson can't crack through a Steelers defense that hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher all season. Mark Sanchez has to work the ball downfield and test Pittsburgh's shaky secondary. Without a solid running game to lean on, the play-action pass could be eliminated forcing Sanchez to prove why the Jets traded up to take him with the fifth overall pick last year.
The Jets defense will be coming after Roethlisberger from every conceivable angle. Roethlisberger is most dangerous when defenders can't bring him down, then he escapes with his legs or finds an open receiver for a big gain. With Mike Wallace likely guarded by Pro Bowl corner Darelle Revis, Roethlisberger will look to expose the middle of the field by finding his security blanket in tight end Heath Miller.
Pittsburgh lost by three to the Jets Dec. 19 because a couple fumbles and a safety sealed its fate in a game in which the Steelers were 11-for-17 on third down. Last week, the Jets had a lot of success chipping tight ends and receivers at the line of scrimmage. The Steelers could use that overaggressive nature against them by running slants and quick passes.
There hasn't been a lot of talk but Tomlin has sure been vocal. Before last week's game with New England, ESPN reporter Bob Holtzman reported that Pittsburgh would use a trick play if it caught the Patriots in the right defense. For some reason, the folks at ESPN let Holtzman cover Pittsburgh again and after Holtzman asked the coach during the week about preparing for Ryan's defense, Tomlin shot back with: "It depends on whether or not you gave him my plays."
