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After a lengthy contract dispute with the Jets, two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis is back with the team and will be on the field when the Ravens head to the Meadowlands for the regular season opener Monday night.
Just in case you hadn't gotten that piece of news via the internet, SportsCenter, text message alerts, emails or last night's episode of "Hard Knocks", now you know.
Many people expect the Ravens to avoid throwing at Revis, who is widely considered the best corner in the league and often completely shuts down the opposing team's top wide receiver.
But the Ravens say they're not intimidated by Revis, and they expect to attack him on Monday night as if he were any other cornerback.
"No, we don't feel like we have to shy away from anybody," wide receiver Anquan Boldin said. "As an offense, we're going to do what we do best, and that's just go out and play football."
"He's a very good corner, and we understand that part, but we're not going to tailor our offense because of one guy," wide receiver Derrick Mason said, echoing Boldin's comments. "They've got 10 other guys that can play football as well. It just so happens they have the best corner in football on their team. We're not going to tweak our offense or anything. We're just going to go out there and play football and try to find some matchups, and hopefully, we can move the ball down the field."
The Ravens have a clear respect for Revis, as they should. He's a special player, which is why the Jets were willing to put up with the contract demands and the fact that Revis missed all of training camp and the preseason.
"I think there's a reason that they wanted him back so badly," head coach John Harbaugh said. "There's a reason they paid him so much money; he's worth it. So, it puts them at their very best, but we expected it. We didn't think for one second he wasn't going to be there."
Revis will likely be matched up on Boldin most of Monday night, pitting two Pro Bowlers against each other. Because Revis hasn't been practicing with the Jets all summer, some expect him to be a little rusty.
New Ravens wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh suggested on Tuesday that while Revis will be in shape, he might not be in football shape. Boldin disagrees with that line of thinking, saying he expects Revis to be in peak form come Monday night.
"No, He's a professional," Boldin said. "This isn't his first year in the league, and I'm sure he knows how to prepare, even if he wasn't in training camp."
