Joe Namath vs. Rex Ryan: star QB and coach trade verbal barbs

Following Gang Green's shoddy performance in Oakland, California on Sunday, Jets Hall of Fame quarterback did something that might soon become a pattern if things don't improve for the Jets: criticize Rex Ryan.

Namath has had just about enough of Ryan, his bravado, and his cocky football team when he spoke with Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay on ESPN radio on Monday: "It starts at the top. Coach Rex Ryan, I think, has been doing a great job getting the team to two (AFC) Championship Games. But if there's one thing about the athlete, if you keep telling him how good he is, he's going to start believing it, to the point that he may not be preparing not quite the way he should. He may be losing some respect for the other team."

That would definitely explain the series of lazy plays by the Jets since Ryan has been coach. As has been duly noted on this web site, the Jets have a propensity for sleepwalking through three quarters of any game they play against an "inferior opponent" only to have to pull of a miracle comeback to win the game. The Jets had five come-from-behind victories last year against teams they were perceived better. Just this season, the Jets 27-24 victory over Dallas was tainted by the fact that it required a blocked punt, the least likely play of all, to give the Jets a victory over the 'Boys.

So Namath, for my money, is justified in criticizing Ryan and the Jets. They have been a sloppy football team for far too long, and it is true their bark is bigger than their bite.

Just look at Bart Scott as an example, a guy who talks big but never makes a big tackle or sack during a game. You can find Scott falling on his face while Darren McFadden passes him on about a dozen running plays last week.

Upon hearing Namath's criticism, Ryan felt it necessary to stick it to the fur-coat king.

"I'm not gonna change who I am because Joe Namath said something. Joe Namath can come in here, and if he can still throw, we'll have him as a backup quarterback. He doesn't know our team. He's on the outside. Even though he's a Jet, and once you're a Jet you're always a Jet ... but he's on the outside, he's not in these meetings. I think if he was he'd be shocked at the preparation."

Wow, not in those meetings!? Wasn't that Joe Namath sitting in on a quarterback meeting on Hard Knocks last year, or was that some scraggly old man in a bad polo shirt and shorts? Hmmm?

The questions about the Jets preparation are only going to mount as this team continues to flounder. Mark Sanchez has looked awful this year, and it is no help to him that his offensive line is a quagmire, with no answer at right tackle, and Nick Mangold out for two more weeks.

The Jets running attack has been pathetic and has anyone seen Santonio Holmes or Plaxico Burress? Do we need to send out a S.O.S. party to find them?

Their defense outside of Darrell Revis is not living up to expectations. They only sacked Jason Campbell once last week and had no answer to stop Darren McFadden. In fact the Jets have developed a reputation since that AFC title game in Pittsburg as a team that can't stop the run.

If Ryan has any plans of getting his team prepared to play, now would be a good time since the Jets have to travel to Baltimore and New England over the next two weeks. A road trip that has 0-2 written all over it. The Jets can't afford to get swept on this trip, and right now, with the way they are playing, it doesn't appear likely they will come away with any victory.