How Will the Foot Story Affect the New York Jets Sunday?

It is an unfortunate reality that we have to discuss such silliness, but the story about Michelle Ryan's feet that came out this week provided the Jets with a major distraction heading into a big game. Wednesday's press conference was particularly uncomfortable according to reports.

The chagrined coach could not have looked more anguished if he had been sacked by Julius Peppers, the crafty defensive end his linemen will face this weekend when they play the hard-hitting Chicago Bears.

Ryan repeated the words "personal matter" five more times before mercifully moving on to questions about player injuries and playoff possibilities.

In those uncomfortable moments, Ryan clenched his teeth and hung his head.

I couldn't even venture a guess as to how this will affect the Jets. Some guys view the game as an escape from the real world and block it out. Others use a stable home life as an escape from the pressures of football. It is difficult to imagine this not being on his mind.

We will probably never know the full extent of how it really will affect the team. It will be in intangible ways. Did a lack of focus cloud Rex's thinking and hinder him during game planning? Did he forget to install something he wanted to? Did the distraction make him miss things he would normally pick up? Maybe the episode will get him upset and sharpen his focus.

It's also possible that a locker room full of guys who respect him will be fired up even more to win a game for him.

I couldn't even venture a guess as to how this will affect the team. Maybe it won't have any effect at all. It is something to keep a mind on.