Rex Ryan has changed his approach to the bye week. Good idea.

Instead of no practice and a six-day respite, the New York Jets will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before a four-day break. Ryan said Monday he decided long before the 2-8 start that it made sense to shake up his usual schedule. The reason is simple: He's 1-4 the week after the bye.

Ryan said he tried "the Andy Reid approach," meaning an extended break, and "we laid an egg." So now they will practice, although the two sessions this week will be geared toward the younger players, evaluating bottom-of-the-roster and practice-squad members. The NFL's collective bargaining agreement mandates a minimum of four consecutive days off.

"We definitely had to change it up," Ryan said. "We have not played well off the bye. Sometimes it’s hard to get back on a fast-moving train and that’s what we have to do."

Ryan has been criticized over the years for his easygoing attitude toward the bye, and the you-know-what hit the fan last season. Not only did he give the players six days off, but he took them to a Dave & Buster's restaurant on the eve of their first game back, Week 11, at the Buffalo Bills. The Jets lost 37-14, resulting in a torrent of bad press.

No, Ryan said, the Jets won't be making a return trip to Dave & Buster's when they resume their season, Nov. 23 in Buffalo.

A look at how the Ryan-coached Jets have fared the week after the bye:

2013: at Bills -- a 37-14 loss

2012: at Seattle Seahawks -- a 28-7 loss

2011: at Bills -- a 27-11 win

2010: Green Bay Packers -- a 9-0 loss

2009: Jacksonville Jaguars -- a 24-22 loss