FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan is feeling Super these days.

The New York Jets' confident coach believes his team should not

only be favored to beat the Cincinnati Bengals, but to win the

Super Bowl.

During his daily news conference Wednesday, Ryan was asked what

his reaction was to being the team with the longest odds --

currently at 50-1 -- to win the championship.

"I wasn't aware of that," he said, "but to me, we should be

favorites, so that's fine."

Ryan then was asked to clarify if he meant the Jets should be

favored to beat the Bengals on Saturday in Cincinnati.

"I mean in the whole tournament," he said. "You know the way

that I feel."

That's right. The guy who mistakenly thought the Jets were

eliminated from the playoff picture after losing to Atlanta three

weeks ago believes his team can win it all.

"I think we have the best defense, I know we do," Ryan said.

"I know we have the best rushing attack. Those are two huge

factors in our favor. With a couple of exceptions on our staff,

myself probably, I think we have a great coaching staff."

When told of Ryan's statement, defensive coordinator Mike

Pettine smiled.

"Shocks me," said Pettine, whom Ryan brought with him from

Baltimore. "Like I've said before, that's Rex being Rex."

The Jets opened as a one-point underdog against the Bengals, and

are now a 2½-point underdog despite beating Cincinnati 37-0 last

Sunday to make it into the playoffs.

"I want this football team," Ryan said. "I'm not going to

trade our team. If I had a choice to coach any team in this

tournament, I would choose this one."

The Jets, of course, have not won the Super Bowl since Joe

Namath helped deliver the franchise's only title -- with Ryan's

father, Buddy, the defensive line coach -- in 1969.