NEW ORLEANS — Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan — Jets coach Rex Ryan’s twin brother — decided to go the subliminal route Friday in his one shot to speak publicly before Sunday’s game between the Saints and Jets at MetLife Stadium.
On Monday, Rex displayed what looked like the back side of a play-calling sheet. It had two photographs, one of Rob writhing in anguish after a last-second 27-24 loss to the Patriots, which was bad news for the Jets in the AFC East. The caption read: “Sorry about that, Jets.”
The other picture showed a smiling, svelte Rex saying: “I wish I could look as good as my twin.”
When Rob lumbered over to the microphones Friday to talk about trying to beat his skinny brother for the first time in five NFL meetings, he prominently carried a white play-calling sheet, but in this case, the card was blank on both sides. Rob held it up against his ample chest during his seven-minute interview.
“I mean, he’s got a 4-4 team and he’s working hard,” Rob said of Rex’s picture show on Monday. “He’s trying to deflect a little heat, and, obviously, I’ll be the bigger man. I always walk away. We’re just trying to do our job. That’s just that. We’ve got no pictures. We’re just trying to do our job and win a game.”
Rob said he and Rex — the twin sons of former Eagles coach and defensive genius Buddy Ryan — are “as tight as brothers can be, so off the field we’re the best of friends.”
“We had our own language when we were kids,” Rob said. “I guess the most creative thing that ever came into play was when the woman who is now my wife walked on the airplane. In ‘twin talk,’ I told [Rex], ‘Hey, man, look at this babe!’ I ended up marrying her, so it worked out. … That’s a true story.”
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So, what is “twin talk?”
“We can’t give away all our secrets,” Rob said. “All twins would be [furious] at us from here on out.”
When Rob was unceremoniously fired as defensive coordinator of the Cowboys following the 2012 season, Saints coach Sean Payton snapped him up to revive a defense that had been historically bad. In 16 games last season, the Saints allowed an NFL record of 7,042 yards (440.1 per game) and 454 points (28.4 ppg). In sprinting to a 6-1 record this season, the Saints defense is allowing just 332.4 yards and 17.1 points per game.
Rob said Rex was “jacked” when Payton, coming off a one-year suspension, hired him immediately.
“I was the most excited, and my son Matthew was probably a close second, and Rex was right there, third,” Rob said. “It was such a blessing to get a chance to come here. It’s a big deal. When you go to an organization like this, it’s like winning the lottery.”
Coaching defense for a team that has Drew Brees to erase a mistakes is even better. Rob said he has stayed away this week from offering Brees advice about how to attack his brother’s defense.
“I kind of know my brother, but if Rex plays [against] him the way I played [against] him, then it’s going to be good for the Saints, because there’s no stopping Drew,” Rob said. “Drew doesn’t need my help. He’s the best quarterback in the league for a reason.”
While Rex often will rib Rob for being 0-4 against him, Rob said he’s ready.
“I mean, hey, I got two Super Bowl rings and he’s got one, so it’s an easy comeback,” Rob said. “But it is what it is, and we’ll find out Sunday if he can make that same statement.”
Although the Saints have not blitzed often this season, look for Rob to disguise his pressure packages against Geno Smith in an attempt to get him rattled.
“The more you can do to disguise things and do things to give yourself an advantage, you try to do them,” Rob said.
On Halloween night, many children in the New Orleans area dressed up in Rob Ryan costumes and trick-or-treated through the streets. Rob said he didn’t notice.
“I was here working till 3 [a.m.],” he said.
From one jokester to another, that was no joke.
“Right now, our season’s too important to have any little distractions,” Rob said. “And, I’m sure it is for him, too.”