December 20, 2009, Darrelle Revis sidebar for Atlanta Journal Constitution

Jets cornerback gives Falcons a workout

By Denis Gorman

For the AJC

6:42 p.m. Sunday, December 20, 2009

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. —Throughout the Falcons’ 10-7 street fight win over the Jets, Tony Gonzalez witnessed why Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL. A half-hour after the game, Gonzalez testified to that.

“I told him after the game that he’s probably the best cornerback that I’ve gone against this year,” Gonzalez said in a cramped visitors’ locker room at the Meadowlands. “The thing that I noticed about him is that he doesn’t panic [and] he’s so confident right now.”

With good reason. Before Sunday’s game, the Jets' coaching staff had credited Revis with six interceptions for 121 return yards, 30 passes defensed and 60 tackles for the season. In seven games against Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, Marques Colston, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss this season, Revis limited them to 32 catches for 179 yards and one touchdown. It is those reasons that Rex Ryan has lobbied for his third-year corner as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Lined up most of the afternoon against Revis, Roddy White finished the day with four catches for 33 yards. He came into the game with 67 catches for 915 yards and eight touchdowns.

“He’s the best guy I’ve faced this year. He did a good job today,” said White. “He’s always around you. He’s like a gnat. He never gets away from you. He never does bad things, [like] sitting on routes. Obviously he’s doing a good job watching film. He just needs to continue what he’s doing, and he’ll be a good player in this league for a long time.”

Added Gonzalez, “Roddy is a Pro Bowl receiver. He’s a Pro Bowl corner. That’s a good matchup.”

Unlike many of his fellow Pro Bowl receivers, White did not appear to be frustrated by Revis. Unlike Moss, White did not criticize the job Revis did on him.

“You just got to keep pressing. That’s kind of what I did today, keep pressing and just kind of get what I could get, and do what I could do,” said White.

At times, the Jets matched Revis up against Gonzalez. On the game’s final drive, Revis broke up a third-down pass to the sure Hall of Fame tight end, nearly picking it off. One play later, Matt Ryan hit Gonzalez with the game-winning six-yard touchdown pass.

“No. 24, he had a chance to pick that ball on third down,” said a relieved Gonzalez. “But that’s the way it goes in the NFL. When you get the plays, get the opportunities, you try to make the most of them. If you can’t, they may come back to haunt you.”

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