FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - Darrelle Revis is ready to play, and you can bet Randy Moss hopes the Jets cornerback is out there defending him Monday night.
Revis added another chapter to their personal rivalry Wednesday, saying Moss _ now with the Minnesota Vikings _ eased up in the second half of New England’s 28-14 loss to New York three weeks ago.
“He came out full force, early in the game,” Revis said. “In the second half, you could tell he was kind of like putting his foot on the brake. But everybody knows that’s Randy: sometimes he plays 100 percent, sometimes he doesn’t.”
Revis was limited at practice Wednesday, but hopes to play after missing the last 2 1/2 games with a strained left hamstring. He was injured defending Moss on a touchdown catch late in the first half of the game in Week 2.
“You can see the effort,” Revis said. “Playing football, you can see the body language and the effort of people when they’re out there playing, if a guy’s going hard or if a guy’s hesitant.”
Moss, traded by New England on Wednesday, was held without a catch in the second half while being defended mostly by Antonio Cromartie. Revis thinks Moss’ lack of effort was the main reason for that blanking.
“That’s just the way football is,” Revis said. “You can see the truth comes out. I don’t know if it was frustration of him not getting the ball a lot or whatever, but you can see it.”
Revis referred to Moss as a “slouch” while playing a word-association game on the NFL Network in January. Moss playfully fired back during an interview with ESPN before the Patriots played the Jets, saying: “I don’t really get into the trash talking, but if what he called me was a ’slouch,’ then I guess the ’slouch’ will be there to see you on Sunday.”
Whether the matchup even happens Monday night remains to be seen, given Revis’ health. He said he felt great _ “no pulls or anything today” _ after practice, but reiterated that he wants to be 100 percent healthy before playing again.
“I want to play right now,” Revis said. “But I know they wouldn’t be letting me play if the game were today.”
Coach Rex Ryan said it’s too early to tell if Revis will play, and if so, where he’ll line up _ on his usual left side, the right side or even in the slot.
“We’ll see,” Ryan said. “He moved out there pretty well today.”
Revis heard the rumors of an impending trade between the Patriots and Vikings for Moss while checking Twitter late Tuesday night.
“A lot of the fans were coming at me a little bit on Twitter saying I better get my hamstring ready for Monday night against Randy again,” Revis said. “Hopefully, if I get to play Monday, I get to see him sooner than I thought I would.”
Revis might have also added some bulletin board material for the Patriots.
“I was surprised that New England would do something like that, because he’s a big part of their offense,” he said. “I don’t think they’re going to have a vertical game.”
The Jets play the Patriots at Foxborough, Mass., on Dec. 6 _ also a Monday night game.
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