CINCINNATI – Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan had some friendly advice to give to Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis on Wednesday afternoon: rest wide receiver A.J. Green.

Green, who ranks second in the league with 964 receiving yards, appeared to be fighting an injury during Monday night’s loss to the Giants. Ryan, whose team plays the Bengals this week, took note.

“I saw where he was hobbled a little bit. I think Marvin should rest him this week and that would be my advice to Marvin,” Ryan joked on a conference call with reporters. “He’s not really asking me, but just, friend to friend.”

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The Bills are ranked 11th in the league in passing defense and have allowed 242.2 yards per game. Only two teams have passed for more than 300 yards on Buffalo’s defense, and only the Patriots have managed that feat since Week 2.

But they haven’t faced Green, who has four 100-yard receiving games this season.

“Oh, god. Please, he’s the best receiver we’ve faced all year. It’s not even close. Other than that, I’d put him just below average,” Ryan joked. “What an amazing talent.”

Ryan recalled the 2011 draft, which featured both Green and Julio Jones, who is the NFL’s leader in receiving yards. Ryan, then head coach of the Jets, knew he had no shot at drafting either receiver with the 26th overall pick.

He was right. Green went fourth overall to the Bengals and Jones sixth overall to the Falcons. Before the draft, Ryan just settled for hoping they would go to the NFC and out of his hair.

“I just remember knowing we’d never be able to touch [Green],” Ryan said of that draft. "Him and Julio Jones came out the same year, I remember that, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘Please go to the NFC, please go to the NFC.’ Thank goodness Julio did, but A.J. Green is a ridiculous talent.”