New York Jets coach Rex Ryan rips Cincinnati Bengals for making 'excuses' in ... (This probably won't come as a surprise)

New York

BY Rich Cimini

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, January 9th 2010, 4:00 AM

CINCINNATI - It got hot inside the Jets' meeting room Friday night at their Cincinnati hotel, and it wasn't because somebody was fiddling with the thermostat.

On the eve of the playoffs, the Daily News has learned that Rex Ryan delivered a short but fiery speech in which he listed the myriad "excuses" used by the Bengals in the aftermath of their 37-0 loss to the Jets last Sunday, according to people in the room. Among them: A vanilla game plan. Resting starters. Nothing at stake.

"He's pissed," said one person at the team meeting. "He wants respect for this team."

Today, the Jets can shut up the critics - and the whiny Bengals.

After a wild regular season that included two three-game losing streaks, 20 Mark Sanchez interceptions, three fourth-quarter meltdowns, two Ted Ginn daggers, a Maurice Jones-Drew knee to the gut, an uncovered Tony Gonzalez and a Peyton Manning hook, the Jets play a wild-card rematch this afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium.

No more excuses. It's 'go' time. The Jets, the biggest long shot in the 12-team field (sorry, Rex, but Vegas says it's so), intend to stick around for awhile. They're determined to prove they're more than just the product of the Curtis Painter folly in Indianapolis.

"We're in it to win it," said tackle Damien Woody, who won two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. "We're not satisfied with just getting to the tournament and bowing out. We feel like we're going to go all the way. That's just our mind-set."

Said safety Kerry Rhodes: "We really feel like we have a chance to win it all, not just one game."

The fifth-seeded Jets (9-7) are remarkably confident for a team that received tremendous breaks in recent weeks, but there are good reasons for the positive vibe. They're hot (a 5-1 stretch run) and they're physical, boasting the league's top-ranked rushing attack and the No. 1 defense in points and yards allowed. That they smacked around the Bengals last week also didn't hurt their confidence.

"I won't be surprised when we win," Ryan said.

The Jets haven't won a playoff game since Jan. 8, 2005, a wild-card game in San Diego. This matchup features two old-school teams, run-heavy offenses that complement stifling defenses. Considering the similar styles, and the frigid conditions, this figures to be a low-scoring, field-position game.

And that's okay with Ryan, who believes it sets up perfectly for his defense, which has allowed only 47 points over the last six games. The No. 1 scoring defense has reached at least the divisional round every year since 1993, including five that won the Super Bowl.