NEW YORK -- Rex Ryan was humbled, his boasts little more than hot air.
Forget kings of the city. The New York Jets are now a desperate team on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since Ryan took over as coach. They need to win at Miami on Sunday and get lots of help to keep their season alive.
"We've won eight games," Ryan said Monday. "Obviously, we were hoping to win more than that."
Ryan guaranteed as much months ago, when he declared this Jets team the most talented bunch he has coached in New York. Even better than the teams that went to the AFC Championship Game in each of his first two years.
The Jets (8-7) have proven themselves to be anything but. Still, at this time last week, the Jets controlled their playoff destiny -- a win, and they would've likely made the postseason. Ryan claimed his Jets were the best team in New York, superior to the Giants based on their two previous playoff runs.
Not this year.
"Anything can happen in the NFL," left guard Matt Slauson said. "The Packers were kind of in a similar situation last year and sneaked in through the back door and wrecked shop. The NFL is a crazy world and anyone can win any day."
"I'll stand by everything I said," Ryan said on a conference call. "Did it work out? No, and I'll be the first one to say it never worked out. I'm responsible for that. Obviously, the Giants were the better team that day, without question. So, I deserve the criticism that I take for it. I definitely deserve it."
Despite being a win away from the Super Bowl two years in a row, some fans and media believe it's time for Ryan to pipe down. Don't count on that anytime soon.
"I've always said from Day 1 that I'm going to be true to myself," he said. "When I leave this job 10 or 15 years from now, I'm going to be true to myself."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press