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Ryan vows to be more in touch with Jets' defense

Rex Ryan said Saturday he will take a more active role in running the New York Jets' defense next season.

"I know I can make an impact on defense, I always have my whole life, and I think I'll even get more involved," the coach and former NFL defensive coordinator told The Star-Ledger.

Mike Pettine has been the Jets' defensive coordinator for three seasons. The Jets allowed just 312.1 yards per game this season, fifth-best in the league.

"I've already talked to Mike about, 'Shoot, I'm going to run more meetings.' ... Not because he can't; he is terrific, Mike is absolutely terrific. But just for myself, I want to be more in touch with our players," Ryan said.

Pettine called the plays this season, according to the newspaper.

"We'll see how that goes," Ryan said regarding who will call the plays next season. "We'll share like we have done in the past. I think that will be what we do. We have always gotten input, whether I am making the final call or Mike Pettine is making the call."

Most of the headlines about the discord in the Jets' locker room have centered on the offensive side of the ball -- including quarterback Mark Sanchez, wide receiver Santonio Holmes and running back LaDainian Tomlinson. But when cornerback Darrelle Revis added the perspective of someone from the defensive side, he said Ryan wasn't aware of the trouble brewing on the team.

"After the season, we talked, and basically, he didn't know a lot of things that were going on behind the scenes," Revis told NFL.com and NFL Network last week at the Pro Bowl. "There was so much stuff, I'm really not going to get into because some of the stuff is real deep, but he didn't know a lot of the things. He wanted people to say things to him, but obviously it didn't come out."

On Saturday, Ryan defended his contributions as a coach.

"I want to win, and I want to be here, I want to be in this Super Bowl," said Ryan, who's in Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI. "And I have never been considered the weakness of a football team, ever. I've always been a strength, if anything, and when I look at this past season, I have to do a better job."