缅北禁地

Oct 9, 2016 By Chris Bradford for The 6 min read

PITTSBURGH 鈥� Despite what one of the best nicknames in sports suggests, no man is an island. Not even Darrelle Revis.

The Aliquippa great is 31 years old these days, a young man in almost any other profession but his chosen one: NFL cornerback for the New York Jets, a most unforgiving position in the most unforgiving media market in the world.

For a decade, Revis has dazzled on the field with his otherworldly ball skills and ability to frustrate the league鈥檚 finest receivers at the line of scrimmage. He鈥檚 been the last of a dying breed, a shutdown corner in the truest sense: A defensive back who follows the opponents鈥� top receiver everywhere on the field, daring quarterbacks to throw his way while effectively taking away one side of the field. It鈥檚 a position that demands near-perfection at the risk of embarrassment.

Among the Steelers鈥� cornerbacks, Revis鈥� game film is legend. Artie Burns, the 25th overall pick in this year鈥檚 draft, says he grew up studying Revis鈥� technique and tendencies.

鈥淗is press coverage, how good he is at covering receivers and shadowing them and being aggressive on them at the top of his routes and then coming down on run support,鈥� Burns said of what stood out.

Will Gay, the Steelers鈥� veteran cornerback and his New York counterpart, are kindred spirits of sorts. Both entered the league in 2007 鈥� Revis the 14th overall draft pick and Gay the 170th 鈥� way back when defensive backs still had a fighting chance against increasingly complicated schemes and rules that didn鈥檛 favor offenses so heavily.

鈥淚 might be biased, but we have the hardest position other than quarterback on the field, and for somebody to master it for a long time, is crazy,鈥� Gay said. 鈥淚t makes him unique. I think we鈥檝e been in the league 10 years so far, and he鈥檚 got seven Pro Bowls. You鈥檙e on top of the world like that and the top of the position, especially at what we do. That makes him unique and special.鈥�

These days, however, Revis Island has been taking on water, drowning in criticism over the Jets鈥� 1-3 record which threatens to get even worse after today鈥檚 game against the Steelers and their high-powered offense. Revis, who suffered a 鈥渕ild鈥� hamstring injury last week, hasn鈥檛 practiced this week and is a game-time decision.

Along with Ryan Fitzpatrick and his 10 interceptions, Revis has been hammered by the media.

A screaming headline in one of the Big Apple鈥檚 tabloids called Revis this week 鈥渢he most overpaid underachiever in the NFL right now.鈥�

Ouch.

After winning a Super Bowl with New England two years ago and re-signing with the Jets for five years and $70.1 million ($39 million guaranteed), Revis鈥� second run on Broadway hasn鈥檛 gone exactly according to script.

After recording five interceptions in 2015 and just missing out on the playoffs with a 10-6 record, he has no interceptions, no passes defensed and opponents are completing 81 percent of passes thrown his way this year, according to Pro Football Focus. Somewhat understandably, Revis was burned badly by Cincinnati鈥檚 A.J. Green for 180 yards in Week 1. Less understandably, he was scorched by Buffalo鈥檚 Marquise Goodwin for an 84-yard touchdown on the Bills鈥� third play from scrimmage five days later in a nationally-televised Thursday night game.

鈥漈hat was just good football plays by the other guys,鈥� said Jets coach Todd Bowles. 鈥淔or the most part, he鈥檚 been normal. He鈥檚 a little nicked up now, but we鈥檒l get him back to normal.鈥�

Gay only nods his head when he hears the criticism that鈥檚 been lobbed Revis鈥� way of late.

鈥淢an, there鈥檚 always excuses that people are going to make up any time you play,鈥� Gay said. 鈥淵ou can slip and they鈥檒l be like 鈥榶ou鈥檙e getting too old.鈥� We play the hardest position and you get critiqued when you鈥檙e doing good or doing bad.

鈥淚 know me, probably the same for him, he can care less what people are saying as long as he鈥檚 still doing his job and making plays and doing the necessary things for his team to win. That鈥檚 all that matters.鈥�

The game has fundamentally changed since 鈥�07 and Revis has had to adapt along with it. This season Revis has been both matched up one-on-one and played just the left side. If he plays today and if he鈥檚 matched up against Steelers All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown, he鈥檒l almost certainly require safety help over the top.

He may have lost a step, age catches up with everyone eventually, but Revis says he thinks the game better now than in 2009 or 鈥�10 at his dizzying height, when he led the Jets to consecutive appearances in the AFC championship game.

鈥淓very year, just getting smarter and smarter at the position and just film study, the preparation on a week-to-week basis of going against the best receivers in the league,鈥� Revis told Pittsburgh reporters this week. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a lot of work put into it, but at the same time it helps you be a student of the game. It makes you smarter and more savvy out there on the field.鈥�

Five years after he hangs up his cleats for good, a spot in Canton surely awaits Revis. The question is when that might be. Listening to Revis, it doesn鈥檛 sound like it鈥檒l be anytime soon. He is, after all, a student of the game and a game he still loves.

Revis, arguably the best cornerback since Deion Sanders, doesn鈥檛 rule out making the switch to safety, a move many a defensive back has made in order to extend their careers.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 always in consideration,鈥� Revis said. 鈥淎 lot of the greats have done it in the past 鈥� the Charles Woodsons, the Rod Woodsons. Yes, it鈥檚 definitely something I鈥檓 sure that鈥檚 presented to (the Jets), as well as it鈥檚 probably been presented to me as well as down the line here. It鈥檚 something if I can still be effective in helping the team win but also playing a game I love is the key.鈥�

Revis might be an island but doesn鈥檛 live in a bubble. Obviously, he鈥檚 well aware of the criticism that comes in New York with his play and his hefty contract, which runs through 2019 when he鈥檒l be 34.

A lot can change between now and then. Revis doesn鈥檛 pretend to know what may happen.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 predict my future,鈥� Revis said. 鈥淥nly thing I can do is control the day by day and the week by week.鈥�