Jets coach Rex Ryan held a question and answer session with the media this morning that ran almost 20 minutes and touched on a number of Patriots-related topics, including the fact that he thinks he got outcoached in the last New England-New York contest, how he plans to coach differently, what he thinks of Bill Belichick and his thoughts on Tom Brady going to a Broadway play Saturday night instead of watching the Jets-Colts wild card game. Here are some of the highlights:

Part of his opening statement specifically on the Patriots: “We’re going back up to Foxboro and all that kind of stuff. And after really looking at it, I realize that this is … that game, I was outcoached in that game. I said it then, and I’m saying it now. That’s [Bill] Belchick. I recognize the fact that this is a Hall of Fame coach, and he’ll go down in history as maybe the greatest football coach in the history of this game. Or he’s going to be close to it. And he was at that level that week, and I was not. For whatever reason, I never had my team prepared, the way it should have been prepared, and that falls right down on me. I recognize this week, this is about Bill Belichick vs. Rex Ryan. There’s no question. It’s personal. This is about him against myself, and that’s what it’s going to come down to. When you look at both teams, they’re very even. When you look at the players, both teams are solid across the board. When you look at the assistant coaches, we’re on level ground. So this is going to be about me raising my level against Bill Belichick. Like I said, I recognize he’s the best and all that, but I’m just trying to be the best on Sunday. And I plan on being the best coach on Sunday. That’s what it is. I recognize that my level has to come up, and he’s going to get my best shot. He’s going to get everything I have on Sunday. And if he slips at all, we’re going to beat him.”

How do you raise your level? “It’s just going to be a ridiculous amount of preparation on our part, but also have recognized that my job is to make it simpler for our players. No matter how difficult that may be as a coach, that’s your job. To get your players to play at the highest level possible. And that’s taking some of the grey area. So they do a great job with their matchups and all that kind of stuff. We have to do a great job making it — whether it’s a complex plan or not — it has to be simple. Because we have to play fast and physical. That doesn’t mean we’re going to dummy it up. You dummy it up against them, you’ll get crushed. We’ve got to find that balancing act — I have to find a balancing act — by keeping our team physical.”

On that December game being too complicated for the players: “Yeah, I definitely think so. I think the play might have looked good on paper, but I think it wasn’t realistic. And when we had to make the adjustments, we couldn’t execute them. And obviously, they were, they did a great job. They were prepared. They did a great job and that was it. It really came down to coaching more than playing, and it was obvious. They were that much better — Belichick was that much better — than I was that last game.”

Is this a defining game for you as a coach? “No question. That’s fine. I think that’s true.”

On Belichick as a coach–what are two or three of the qualities that make him, as you say, one of the best? “I think the experience, obviously, is a huge thing. He wasn’t this good when he was starting out. When you look at his track record, the Cleveland days or whatever, he was still an excellent coach then, but not like he is now. But when you get to the playoffs, I know I only have two years experience as a head coach, but I’ve had a lifetime of experiences in this game. Growing up as a coaches son like he did. But I know how to get this done. And I believe in myself, and I think we’re going to get it done.”

Is there any disadvantage coming into a game facing the Patriots, who had the week off? “I think they were probably getting ready for somebody else. I think they look at us, they beat us 45-3, they can probably just take that game plan and, you know, that’s probably what they’re thinking.”

When do you watch tape of that 45-3 game? “Every day.”

Did you know after the game that you had made mistakes, that there were things you wish you could have done differently? “Oh, no question. It happened when we played Miami the first year. And I said that will never happen to me again, where I was outcoached, and that’s kind of how I felt, but I was wrong because New England did it. That’s kind of how I felt. I knew. I also told Belichick after the game, ‘We’ll see you in Round 3.’”

Did he answer? “He just looked at me.”

When you look back at the 45-3 game, do you think they tried to run up the score on you? “Yeah, just like we would do. If we were ever in that situation, we;d try to do the same thing. You’re going to pour it on them, it’s our job to step them. That’s what they’re supposed to do. What do you want them to do, just kneel on it when there’s 10 minutes to go in the game?”

What do you think about Tom Brady going to a Broadway play Saturday night instead of watching your game? “Peyton Manning would have been watching our game.”