Rex Ryan high on Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers recorded a quarterback rating above 124 each of the Chargers’ past three games.
Rex Ryan can give context to that.
Since he became head coach in 2009, a Jets quarterback has reached the figure three times. That spans across 90 games in five-plus seasons, never occurring twice in the same year.
Ryan didn’t volunteer the stats.
He did, however, the praise for the man who’s totaled them.
The Jets look to end Rivers’ streak Sunday, meeting the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. San Diego’s passing game, like the team itself, is off to a fast start. Ryan can appreciate the value of a franchise quarterback more than most, having spent a good amount of his tenure either looking for one or compensating for its absence.
Since 2009, the Jets own a team quarterback rating of 71.2, lowest in the NFL. They’ve started four quarterbacks in that span, Geno Smith now being developed. The second-year pro has a 75.1 quarterback rating with seven turnovers in four games.
The Chargers have a 98.2 rating, third highest in the league, since 2009. Rivers is their only starter.
“I know certainly, whenever I’ve gone against him, I’ve felt like he was one of the top quarterbacks in the league, without question,” Ryan said. “I must not be an expert or something, but he’s always been that in my opinion. It’s not just the skill set he has, which obviously is unusual. I mean, the guy’s got talent. But it’s how competitive he is, the poise that he has. He’s just a tough ass.
“Right now, I think he’s leading the league in quarterback rating (114.5). He’s probably the league MVP if you took that vote right now. So, he’s obviously a great player.”
Rivers has garnered national attention through four games.
After leading an upset Week 2 win over Seattle, he was voted FedEx Air Player of the Week. Rivers is now up for the same award again after a 377-yard, three-touchdown game during a Sunday win over the Jaguars. He has completed 70.1 percent of his passes this season with nine touchdowns to one interception.
And as Ryan referenced, MVP talk has begun. Take that for it’s worth through four games, but according to Bovada, Rivers and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers are given 7/1 odds to win MVP.
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is listed 4/1. Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is at 5/1.
“I really don’t get too caught up into (outside attention),” Rivers said at his weekly Wednesday press conference. “I mean this — I know you guys think I say it all the time — but I just think it’s a reflection of our team; it’s playing really well. Anytime you’re completing a lot of passes or throwing touchdowns, there are a lot of people involved.
“Pass protection, we put it up a bunch of times and haven’t been sacked very much, let alone hit for that matter. And then there’s somebody on the other end that’s getting open in a hurry, making catches and running with it. It’s always a collective effort. ... I know more than anybody that this is a week-to-week league. You can be everybody’s favorite one week, and nobody cares for you the next. You’ve just got to keep going and not get too high or too low. Who knows what it’s going to be like (stat-wise) this week? What matters is that we win the game.”
