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New Jersey – There are a couple of ways to look at this Darrelle Revis groin situation.
I know some will make it into the end of the world if he can’t play.
But maybe not.
If Darrelle Revis is limited by his groin I wouldn’t play him.
And what I’m about to write might be a controversial since he was just named AFC defensive player of the week, after his three-turnover game against the Colts.
But I haven’t been blown away by his play so far.
I’m not into hype. I’m into reality.
Today he was asked if the groin injury impacted his performance at all against the Colts.
Revis turned to the reporter who asked the question and replied “What do you think?”
The reporter said, “No.”
I think it did or he’s lost a step.
Yes he had two fumble recoveries and a pick and that is quite an impressive body of work for one game, but there were some coverage issues mixed in.
Revis had two bad plays on the Colts scoring drive that made it 10-7. On the drive, on the two pass plays he gave up, the Colts amassed 52 yards.
On a T.Y. Hilton gain of 27 on the left side on Revis, the cornerback had two issues.
Revis was pretty far off him to start and the Hilton ran a hitch route where he pretended like he was going deep, but put on the breaks, and cut the route off, but Revis continued up field a bit. Hilton caught the pass and then broke a tackle attempt by Revis with a stuff-arm, to gain the final few yards.
This was the second time in the game Revis got beat on a hitch route. So you have to wonder if the Colts determined he was vulnerable on the route because perhaps he doesn’t change directions as well as he used to.
In the third quarter, Dante Moncrief ran hitch route on the right side where he drove up field and cut it off and gained 15 on Revis. Similar scenario, where Revis couldn’t back quick enough.
Perhaps it was the groin, or maybe it’s 30-year-old player slowing down.
Going back to the Colts’ TD Drive. Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett had a gain of 25 on the right side. Revis made a bizarre decision on this play. He was covering Dorsett initially, but then left him to help Jaiquawn Jarrett cover tight end Coby Fleener. To me, it didn’t look like Jarrett needed any help. But to leave the speedster Dorsett uncovered to go help Jarrett seemed odd.
Look Revis is clearly still a very good playe,r but in both Week One and Week Two he had issues with young, speedy receivers. The quick twitch might not be the same as his younger days.
So to me if he has a groin issue this could make this apparent problem even worse.
If he has a groin problem, sit him, and let the more-than-capable Marcus Williams start.
September 24, 2015
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