FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Brian Schottenheimer, a frequent target of second-guessing fans, will return for his sixth season as the offensive coordinator of the New York Jets.

"Yes, absolutely," coach Rex Ryan said Monday.

Schottenheimer is under contract for the 2011 season, according to a league source.

Statistically, the Jets improved in most offensive categories in 2010, including total offense, passing offense and scoring offense. Schottenheimer came under fire last month, when the Jets went 11 consecutive quarters without an offensive touchdown. The lowpoint came after the 10-6 home loss to the Miami Dolphins, when VIP fans watching Ryan's postgame news conference started chanting, "Schotty must go!"

Schottenheimer admitted that he heard the fans, telling reporters a few days later, "I know I'm a damn good football coach."

His ever-fluctuating popularity plummeted Sunday night in Pittsburgh, where the Jets failed to score on four plays inside the Steelers' 3 in the fourth quarter. Mark Sanchez threw incomplete passes on second and third down and LaDainian Tomlinson was stuffed for no gain on fourth down from the 1. The botched sequence loomed large in the Jets' 24-19 defeat, their second straight loss in the AFC Championship Game.

Ryan said Monday if he had to do it all over again, he would have had his offense try to pound the ball in from the one-yard-line instead.