Rex Ryan: Chris Johnson is 'dangerous player' for Jets' defense

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan realizes that despite the Tennessee Titans poor play this season, they certainly have one weapon that can do plenty of damage.

That would be in the form of running back Chris Johnson, who after a slow start to the season, has really come on, becoming one of the better NFL backs once again. Ryan is ready for what he expects to be a big challenge, per the team's official site:

"He’s still one of the leading rushers in the league," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said today. "He’s a dangerous guy. He’s somebody, every time he touches it, you hold your breath. He’s that kind of athlete, so a dropoff in play? I don’t know. I don’t necessarily see it because he’s the same explosive guy to me on tape. You don’t get a whole lot of sleep worrying about this guy, that’s for sure. He’s a great player. Obviously, everybody knows about him. He’s no secret.

"I think when he first got into the league, you weren’t necessarily that sure. You saw a guy, ‘Hey, he’s a little undersized for a running back,’ and then he’s blowing by you and ‘Oh, man.’ You can say a guy is fast, you can read the numbers, but when you see it on the field, it’s happening right in front of you, it’s a little scary. I saw it first-hand several times when we played against him here but also in Baltimore."

The Jets have struggled with speed for years, especially to the outside, which Johnson possesses plenty of. He's one of the best cut-back runners in the game due to tremendous vision.

It's definitely a concern for New York in terms of containing Johnson. Gang Green ranks 29th this year against the run. The good news is with Jake Locker under center instead of a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, New York can pile more men on the line of scrimmage to choke off running lanes.