The Sports Xchange

Even with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady suspended four games for his role in the Deflategate scandal, Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan has just one thing on his mind.

The goal is the same: Beat the Patriots, regardless who the Patriots play at quarterback for the Week 2 game on Sept. 20 in Buffalo.

“No matter who’s there, we’re playing the Patriots Week 2, they’re playing us,” Ryan said Wednesday. “(Coach Bill) Belichick’s going to bring his team in and he’s going to have them prepared. And I’ll promise you, I’m going to have our team prepared, as well. So that’s really all I think about it. All the particulars and all that stuff, I really haven’t given any thought to it.”

Ryan was asked if he would rather play Brady in the second game instead of second-year backup Jimmy Garoppolo under center.

“That’s what it says on the scoreboard,” Ryan said. “You just want to beat ’em. And I don’t care who’s back there. You’re playing the Patriots … whoever they have, that’s the way you look at it.”

Ryan refused to directly comment about the suspension of Brady, the league fining the Patriots $1 million and docking the organization a first-round draft pick in 2016 and a fourth-round pick in 2017 following the release of the Ted Wells report.

“They know all the facts,” Ryan told reporters in regards to the NFL and the investigation.

“Last I looked, it’s still the New England Patriots. They won the Super Bowl, right? I mean, that’s the last I looked. To me, we’re focused on getting our team better and I don’t care who we play, who’s in our division or anything else. This is about us.

“I’m not feeling sorry for anybody. We’re going to play.”

Ryan, who was fired after six seasons as the New York Jets head coach, has had many battles on the field against Brady and Belichick.

Brady’s suspension gives the Bills, who finished 9-7 last season, an opening to win the AFC East.

“I’ll be honest,” Ryan said in January at his introductory press conference as the Bills new head coach. “It’s still the Patriots that I want the most.”