ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood responded Wednesday to a message that New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson sent to Bills quarterback EJ Manuel.
"[That] just kind of fits their mold. They talk, they follow the lead of their head coach, who we have a lot of respect for," Wood said. "They're a cocky bunch and they talk, but in the past they've backed it up."
According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Richardson sent Manuel a Facebook message saying the Jets "were after him" and that he should "make sure he's in his playbook." Manuel did not respond to the message as of Monday, the paper said, but Richardson also told Manuel "good game," so the message may have been more friendly banter than anything else.
Either way, Wood emphasized that what Jets players say is a reflection of the personality of their head coach, Rex Ryan.
"He lost the weight, but I don't think he's lost his edge," Wood said. "He's entertaining. Every coach is different. His deal is he's cocky, he's in your face, and then his teams mimic it. In the past it's worked for him."
Wood will line up across from Richardson in the trenches on Sunday, but said his days of letting pregame chatter get under his skin might be passed.
"Anytime there's talking it definitely adds some fuel to their fire. When I was a guard I would always think about that stuff a lot more before a game and really get fired up and try to knock some people's heads off," Wood said. "At center, I feel like you get too fired up, you lose some of your responsibilities from a schematics standpoint. It might be in the back of my mind, but I can't let it affect me or get me too fired up or I'll probably end up blowing an assignment or not get somebody going in the right spot."