The battle of words between Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss and Jets cornerback Darrell Revis continues.
It all started with the word "slouch," which Revis associated with Moss in a word game on the NFL Network back in January. Moss made reference to the Jets cornerback in his Sunday press conference, saying he "prided [his] offseason on staying of Revis Island." And when reminded of the slouch comment on "SportsCenter" Tuesday, Moss replied "We're coming to the Meadowlands on Sunday, man, so you got 60 minutes of this 'Slouch.'"
Yet the Jets cornerback took Moss's rebuttal as more of a psychological victory.
"If that's what [Moss] said, I guess that's what he's been preparing for all offseason," Revis said. "He said it with a laugh, but it's been on his mind for the whole offseason. Randy speaks the truth. He speaks how he feels. Obviously, if he said that, it was on his mind in the offseason."
Whether Revis has won the word battle will be moot come Sunday, however, when the players' actions decide the war.
*ESPNBoston.com* and the *Boston Herald* offer history on this budding rivalry.
Jets Coach Rex Ryan availed some candid comments on Patriots receiver Wes Welker, yesterday in a telephone conference.
"That's a guy I totally respect," Ryan said. "[Welker's] a tough-as-nails guy. Of all the guys, he'll talk back and forth with me, with our assistant coaches, and I appreciate that.
"He's a match-up nightmare," he said. "Who are you going to put on him? [Tom] Brady and Welker work so well that if you press him he knows that he's going to shake man coverage, and when he gets the ball the way Brady delivers it, he gets the ball where he's got room to run. And that's what you've got to try and eliminate."
Read the *ESPNBoston.com* story.
Bill Belichick reflected on the Patriots' decision to trade running back Laurence Maroney (plus their sixth-round pick) for a fourth-round slot in the 2011 NFL draft.
"I just felt like it was the right time for us to move on,'' Belichick said. "I have a lot of respect for Laurence. He came in, been here for four years, worked hard.
"I think he's improved a lot and has helped us a lot as a player. I think he would have helped us this year, but we just felt like it was time to move on.
"We felt like we got a good value on the trade, so we made it in the best interest of the football team. I'm sure he'll do well for Denver. I think they got a good player and a kid that will work hard for them.''
Read the *Boston Globe* story. The *Boston Herald* and *ESPNBoston.com* offer similar stories.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady encapsulated the rivalry between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets quite succinctly, when he said "I hate the Jets," last month in a WEEI interview.
Yesterday Brady elaborated on his terse comment.
"I will say I have respect for the Jets because I think they play extremely hard," Brady said yesterday. "And they are very well-coached. It's just the way the rivalry is. I don't think there are a lot of Boston people who like New York people. The Red Sox -Yankees rivalry goes back a long ways. Over the years, there have been very competitive football games played between the two of us."
Read the *Boston Herald* report.
