INDIANAPOLIS — Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne had this to say about his matchup with Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis: “May the best man win.”
It sounds like something you might hear before a prize fight.But there was Wayne yesterday talking about his showdown with Revis in Sunday’s AFC Championship game as if Revis Island were Disneyland.
“One thing about Revis is he’s going to challenge you,” Wayne said. “He’s going to make you play your best. That’s all you can ask for. I accept that challenge. I feel like he’s one of the best. So that’s going to make me play my best. It’s going to be exciting. Now we have a whole game to play each other.”
And that’s when he said: “May the best man win.”
Wayne got a taste of Revis Island during the Jets’ 29-15 victory over the Colts in Week 16 when Wayne barely played into the third quarter before being pulled, along with Peyton Manning and several other starters.
Wayne caught just three passes for 33 yards that day, which tied for his fewest catches all season.
Though his impact that day was minimal, Wayne has been one of the league’s elite receivers for years, catching 100 passes for 1,264 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
Logical thinking suggests Revis will spend much of his time Sunday being matched man-to-man against Wayne, leaving the rest of the Jets defense to deal with tight end Dallas Clark and young receivers Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie.
Wayne seems to relish the thought of a one-on-one matchup. With the departure of Marvin Harrison, he has seen more double-coverage this season than in previous years.
“You always want to be the guy,” Wayne said, “but at the same time, there’s always something that comes with it. I’ve seen more double teams and coverages rolled my way this year. I’m sure [the Jets] are going to mix it up also.
“But Peyton does a good job of figuring out a weakness and taking advantage of it.
“We as his teammates have to come through for him and make him look good. If we get the single coverage, we have to take advantage of it.”
That is easier said than done, especially against Revis, who has an interception in both playoff games.
“He plays football,” Wayne said. “He understands the game. He understands routes. He understands combinations. That comes with watching film and understanding the game. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. He’s a student of the game. He understands what’s going on and coming at him. You’ve got to put your best foot forward when you’re playing against him or he’ll get the best of you.”
The only time Colts coach Jim Caldwell smiled during his press conference yesterday was when he talked about Revis. It was a smile of admiration.
“The guy is a great player,” Caldwell said. “I’m not certain I’ve seen a corner play as well as he’s playing right now. He’s special. He’s a guy that’s a complete ball hog with all the tools required to cover and cover well.
“What he does for them is he takes one receiver and tries to eliminate him from the offense, so they can concentrate on the other available receivers and he does it quite well.
“It doesn’t happen very often. But he’s good enough to do it.”
The Colts gained just 42 yards on 25 carries in their 20-3 win over the Ravens last week, which means Indianapolis likely will beat the Jets with their passing game.
If Revis wins his battle with Wayne, it will limit Manning’s options.
“You can tell they have a lot of confidence in [Revis], as they should, because he’s a highly talented cover guy,” Manning said. “How that affects where we throw the ball, I’ll probably wait until Sunday to tell you that.”
george.willis@nypost.com