You often hear NFL players or coaches say they won’t speak in hypotheticals, but Giants defensive back Logan Ryan had no problem doing that after Sunday’s Big Blue victory – he texted Tom Brady about what could be their third playoff meeting all-time next week.
“I texted him already that I look forward to it. I envision it happening, and I’m ready,” Ryan told the media in his postgame press conference after the Giants’ 23-19 win over Dallas kept their NFC East championship hopes alive.
The Giants needs Philadelphia to beat Washington for that to happen – a WFT win or tie means Tampa Bay is headed to DC for the playoffs – but Ryan is optimistic.
Brady was 28-of-40 for 279 yards and two touchdowns in the Bucs’ 25-23 win at MetLife Stadium in November, but it’s more of the playoff atmosphere desired by Ryan, who played his first four seasons alongside Brady in New England.
Ryan and Brady have squared off twice in the postseason. In Ryan’s first season in Tennessee (2017, so the 2018 playoffs), Brady’s Pats defeated the Titans 35-14 in the Divisional Round, but Tennessee got New England back last year, knocking them out with a 20-13 win on Wild Card Weekend in Foxboro.
Perhaps the biggest play in that game was Ryan’s pick-six of Brady, which came with nine seconds left to seal the win – and came less than 30 seconds after a Derrick Henry rushing touchdown put the Titans ahead for the first time since the first play of the second quarter.
Can it happen again?
“I’m ready for Round 3,” Ryan said. “It’ll be the greatest test, no matter what the stats say; he has the highest IQ of quarterbacks in the game, and it’ll be good for the fans.”
Ryan was asked if Brady texted him back yet, which prompted the DB to whip out his phone to laughter from the media and disappointment from his face.
“He’s a busy man…nope, not yet,” “If he’s listening to this, which he’s not, but text me back.”
Playoff matchups and times won’t be fully determined until after the Washington-Philly game, but it is likely that a Brady visit to New York would draw a premium time slot.