By Brad BiggsThe architect of the "46 defense" will attend Sunday's AFC Championship Game in Indianapolis to see the closest thing in the NFL to the vaunted Bears' defense of the mid-1980's.
Buddy Ryan will be at Lucas Oil Stadium to watch his son Rex Ryan lead the underdog New York Jets against the Colts with a trip to Super Bowl XLIV on the line.
"He's done a great job," Ryan said Tuesday of his son. "He's turned it into an aggressive team."
Ryan has not attended a Jets' game this season, according to a Newsday report, and does not like to travel at age 75. The game in Indianapolis is about a three-hour drive from the horse farm Ryan lives on in Shelbyville, Ky.
Photo: Buddy Ryan was the architect of the Bears' Super Bowl-winning defense. (Tribune)
Ryan says he liked the looks of his son's Jets team from the start.
"When I was in training camp I thought they had a (heck) of a team," Buddy Ryan said. "They have a good offensive line. The best defense in the league. Everything he said he'd get, he did get."
The Jets employ the man for whom Ryan named the 46 defense, former Bears safety Doug Plank. Rex Ryan hired Plank as an assistant defensive backs coach.
"It's been a really good run for me, I've had nothing but success in coaching and I think a big part of it is just because when you're a player, you know what works and what doesn't work," Plank told "The Danny Mac Show" on WSCR-AM 670.
Asked if he would like the chance to return to the Bears as defensive coordinator, Plank said, "Yeah, you know what, everybody is looking for the next challenge."
Contributing: Tribune News Services
"When I was in training camp I thought they had a (heck) of a team," Buddy Ryan said. "They have a good offensive line. The best defense in the league. Everything he said he'd get, he did get."
The Jets employ the man for whom Ryan named the 46 defense, former Bears safety Doug Plank. Rex Ryan hired Plank as an assistant defensive backs coach.
"It's been a really good run for me, I've had nothing but success in coaching and I think a big part of it is just because when you're a player, you know what works and what doesn't work," Plank told "The Danny Mac Show" on WSCR-AM 670.
Asked if he would like the chance to return to the Bears as defensive coordinator, Plank said, "Yeah, you know what, everybody is looking for the next challenge."
Contributing: Tribune News Services
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Doug Plank for DC? Are you people serious? So have him jump from 2 years NFL coaching experience and ASSISTANT db coach to defensive coordinator. Please people..tell me you can't be that batchit crazy.
I would have no problem hiring this guy as say...defensive backs coach, but the reason people are brining his name up is becuase of his name. Talk about meatballs..
Creighton, even mentioning the name of Vince Tobin should get you banned for a day here. But seriously, what a joke that guy was. And yes, the beginning of the end.
Buddy Ryan's students have done very well, besides his son, Mike Singletary, Ron Rivera, Leslie Frazier, Jeff Fisher, Doug Plank and I'm sure I missed a couple. GET RID of that "Cover 2"! That is loser football! I don't want a team that takes the ball away, I want a defense that makes them hand it back, right away!
Lovie just doesn't like hiring former Bears. I like Lovie as a coach but I think he, and the Bears organization, have hurt themselves for not being plugged in with former Bears. Lovie passed on Singletary, got Rivera, then couldn't live with him, and the defense hasn't been so hot since.
I'm surprised Doug Plank has not gotten a chance to be defensive coordinator somewhere. He won't fit with the cover 2. That's a hilarious conversation Kevin posted and so Lovie.
Mark my works, Plank would make a great defensive coordinator.
So would Steve McMichael. But he's too loose of a gun I guess for plain Lovie. Steve should be in the NFL. His team won the title for indoor league.
Buddy's defense was awesome. I loved that aggressiveness. We lost it under Wannstedt, and sometimes see it under Lovie. But those were great attacking defenses to watch.
I love hearing about Buddy. I hope he's doing OK. He had some kind of accident.
Lovie Hiring Plank for D-Coordinator, after Plank has worked for Rex Ryan, ha, ha, ha, ha. Here's the interview:
Plank: I like to be aggressive. The mission of my defense would be to intimidate the Q-Back and receivers so they were afraid to touch the ball.
Lovley: Well Doug, we don't do things like that here. We like to play soft with our linebackers and d-backs and prevent the big play.
Plank: I've found that the 46 defense is very successful. We've really shut teams down with that. Did you see our playoff games in Cincy and San Diego?
Lovely: Well Doug, things are just fine here. We won't be changing anything from our successful cover 2 defense. Even though we were at the bottom of the league for the last 3 years, there's reason for optimism. It's a brand new year next year. My friend Marinelli was the best pickup of the year in free agency and we also have my friend Babich coming back.
.....and on and on.....until Plank leaves and Lovely calls Marinelli and says "Rod, another one just didn't work out. He doesn't get it. I've been thinking about a promotion to D-Coordinator for you.........."