Now it's personal.
The New York Jets' trash talk has escalated all week before Sunday's divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots, starting when Rex Ryan criticized Tom Brady for pointing at the Jets' sideline after a touchdown pass gave the Patriots a 35-point lead in Week 13's 45-3 at Gillette Stadium.
But while Ryan has caught the majority of flak for speaking his mind, cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who joined the Jets before the start of the season after four years with the San Diego Chargers, catapulted things into the stratosphere Tuesday with an obscenity-laced interview with the New York Daily News.
When asked if he has ever seen Brady point at the Jets' sideline after a score, Cromartie agreed -- a little too emphatically.
"We see that a lot. He does it a lot," Cromartie told the *Daily News*. "That's the kind of guy he is. We really don't give a damn, to tell you the truth."
So Brady is ...
"An ass----. ---- him."
Cromartie said there was clear evidence from watching game film.
"He's doing the pointing at our defensive line and stuff like that," he said. "That's the kind of a guy he is. He's a competitor, he loves what he's doing. He's going to compete. When you're competing, you are not worrying about anything else, about what anybody else is doing. You're just worried about what you have to do."
Cromartie was asked why he feels this way about Brady.
"I don't really give a damn about him," he said. "I don't have to play against him. I play against the receivers."
And not against Brady.
"Yeah, but if I beat the s--- out of his receivers, he can't throw the ball," Cromartie said.
When asked for comment Wednesday morning, Brady laughed.
"I've been called worse," he told reporters in front of his locker. "I'm sure there's a long list of people that feel that way, but he's a good player, (Darrelle) Revis is a great player. They've got a great secondary. They're one of the best defenses we face. We're going to spend a lot of time preparing for them."
Brady also responded to Ryan's accusation that he pointed to the Jets' sideline after big plays.
"I'm an emotional player, so it's all in the spirit of the game and the competition," Brady said. "I don't know (if there's anything to Ryan's observations), he can probably answer that better than I could."
Brady said the war of words didn't bother him.
"We're spending our time getting ready to play," he said. "I don't think we're spending our time figuring out what we can do to combat what people may say about us. Not everybody has great things to say about our team or organization, or certain players. That's kind of the way it's always been. We're just going to do our talking on the field. That's the way we've always chosen to do (it)."
Ryan also was asked about Cromartie's comments during his Wednesday conference call.
"We respect New England. But we don't fear 'em. And a comment like that is just the fact that they're the enemy as we look at them this week."
Asked about his comments Wednesday, Cromartie stood his ground.
"Why would I regret them?" he asked. "That's my opinion and how I feel about it. There's no reason for me to sit back and take anything I said about him back, and I'm not. My opinion is going to be my opinion. I don't care if anybody doesn't like it."
Does he believe the Patriots will alter their game plan to go after him?
"I hope so. I really do," Cromartie. "I hope he'll throw the ball 10 times my way. I hope I go out and make him pay. That's the only thing you can do."
On an afternoon conference call with New York reporters, Brady again was asked about Cromartie's choice insult.
"Belichick's called me that," Brady said. "My offensive coordinator calls me that. I know they like me. So maybe he really likes me."
