By Glenn Naughton
While it’s no secret to even the most casual NFL fan that the term “what have you done for me lately” applies to any and all players regardless of past achievement, it appears to be a mind-set with which Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is unfamiliar.
After years of complete dominance at the cornerback position, Revis has come crashing down to earth, finding himself not only targeted by opposing quarterbacks, but beaten with a great deal of regularity. As a result, the media has piled on with a slew of “Revis Island” jokes, a jab at his former nickname that he earned through years of making some of the game’s best receivers virtually disappear on Sundays.
While some scribes are having a field day with his demise, Revis appears confused as to why that is.
During an interview with the Associated Press, Revis had this to say about his skeptics:
“I think people don’t respect me enough, which is fine. I don’t know why, though, because the numbers are there. I’ve proven myself year in and year out for a number of years, and they’re not being respectful to that.”
Clearly Revis isn’t off base in regards to his past achievements, but how honest is he being when he says the lack of respect on display is “fine” if he then refers again to the disrespect at the close of the sentence?
It’s been a rough season for Revis, but not every big play has been on the cornerback as frequent breakdowns in communication were cited earlier this season by several members of the organization. How does Revis feel about some of the big plays that aren’t solely his fault? It seems he feels the frustration, but refuses to point fingers…literally.
“I’m burning inside, but I don’t show the fire,” he said. “I don’t need to. Any time you see me get scored on, do I point, even if it’s a blown coverage? I never bash anybody in our secondary, even if it might be somebody else’s fault. I take the heat.”
Next up for Revis and the Jets is Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry who will look to join the long list of receivers to post big numbers against Revis this season. By Sunday night we’ll know if we’re in line for more weak jabs at the cornerback, or if he’ll take a step in getting back some of the respect Revis feels he still deserves.
