By Daniel Torres / Staff Writer
By Daniel Torres / Staff Writer
Following a painful defeat at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts in last season’s AFC Championship game, the New York Jets solemnly vowed to return this season with full force, nonstop, straight into the Super Bowl.
Led by their boisterous, yet exceedingly confident coach, Rex Ryan, the Jets have stepped out from under the radar to make it known throughout the league that they, and not the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, are the team to beat.
One reason for the team’s overconfidence this season is the play of its defense.
The Jets defense, which was ranked No. 1 overall last season, shut down such offensive powered teams as the New England Patriots, the Houston Texans, and the Cincinnati Bengals.
A crucial part of that defense was elite cornerback Darrelle Revis, who single-handedly stopped wide receivers Randy Moss (New England), Andre Johnson (Houston), and Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati), leaving their teams deprived of a passing game.
After last season, Revis, such an adept defender, is now hailed as the best defensive player in the game.
With such strong adulation toward Revis, especially by Jets management, one would believe a contract upgrade would be in the works.
Revis, set to make a measly $1 million this season, a pittance for a player of his caliber, has decided to holdout from training camp and all other team activities, including games, until he is paid what he believes he deserves.
Revis believes he deserves to be paid like Nnamdi Asomugha, cornerback of the Oakland Raiders, who is set to be paid over $15 million this upcoming season.
Revis, a far superior defender, won’t earn more than most first round draft picks this season.
So how long will this holdout last? Well, as long as team owner Woody Johnson and General Manager Mike Tannenbaum let it.
This is an issue that shouldn’t be prolonged seeing how the Jets defense crumbled at the hands of New York Giants new receiver, Victor Cruz, who scored three touchdowns in the Jets preseason opener on August 16.
Cruz would have been immediately been placed on Revis Island, a nickname for the area Revis plays letting others know that once they are on Revis Island, nothing can and will go there way.
To make matters worse, in the Jets first three games of the regular season, the defense will have to face some of the league’s best receivers such as the Baltimore Ravens’ Anquan Boldin, Moss, and the Miami Dolphins’ Brandon Marshall.
If the Jets defense struggles against these top wide outs, then Johnson and Tannenbaum will certainly hear it from Ryan, not to mention the City of New York, who have been waiting impatiently for another Jets’ Super Bowl since the days of Joe Namath over 40 years ago.
Revis and the Jets are currently on the same path. The Jets do not need Revis to win the Super Bowl, but he greatly increases their chances.
The only ones content with this whole situation are teams facing the Jets this season.
Knowing Revis could be out of work means their best receivers can go out and make plays.
With Revis on the field, the rest of the Jets’ defense can focus more on stopping the opponents running game, making them a top defensive force once again.
Ryan, formerly being the defensive mind behind the Baltimore Ravens intimidating defense the past few seasons, will give hell if his defense does not rise to his standards.
This is Ryan’s time, he’s made it known and will not let all his talking and hard work go down the drain because the front office refuses to pay their top defender the money he deserves.
The Jets have tried to improve the defense, making some off-season acquisitions such as Antonio Cromartie from San Diego and drafting Kyle Wilson from Boise State.
Cromartie can’t cover the premiere receivers the way Revis can and Wilson has yet to prove anything.
Revis is the top defensive player in the league, and yet he’s not even one of the top five highest paid players on the team. Without Revis Island the Jets are stuck with “AlCroTraz”, the self-proclaimed area in which Cromartie will take over amid Revis’ absence.
