Rex Ryan looked as if he had seen a ghost.
Darrelle Revis hasn’t played a game in a nearly a full calendar year, and Ryan was asked Thursday whether he would test his former star and his surgically repaired left knee. The Jets coach shook his head violently in response.
“We know [Revis] well. That might be some teams, but I don’t think that’s going to be our philosophy,” Ryan said of the Buccaneers’ new shutdown cornerback. “I can’t even lie. I don’t see that happening. We know what kind of talent he is, all Jets fans know what kind of talent he has.
“If I had my way, he would rest one more week. I think that would be the best thing to me.”
Wide receiver Stephen Hill, however, doesn’t share his coach’s conservative approach concerning Revis, who tore his ACL in a Week 3 victory over the Dolphins last year and was traded to the Buccaneers for a couple of draft picks in April. Hill would like to challenge the star defensive back.
“Why not?” Hill said. “He’s on the field just like other guys on the field. I wouldn’t mind going after him.
“I’m not going to back down from competition.”
The speedy 6-foot-4 wideout is grateful for the lessons he learned from Revis in training camp last year, even if he said this week “nothing is scaring me” about facing the sensational corner.
“It meant a lot, first year coming into NFL and going against the best corner in the NFL,” Hill said.
The Jets’ second-round draft pick last year, Hill is hoping to get off to another fast start, only this time he plans to avoid a drastic drop-off. After hauling in five receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening win over the Bills, Hill’s production fell off significantly. He had just 16 receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown the rest of the year and suffered an ankle injury that cost him five games. He also failed to hold onto the ball at a 22 percent rate, according to Pro Football Focus.
“It’s not disappointing, it’s learning,” Hill said. “A lot of guys played off coverage. It helped me out a little. I got a little complacent, maybe. Once it got time for me to understand everything, it got better as the year went on. It’s definitely behind me. I’m just ready to get this week started.
“Of course, I’m excited, I’m anxious to go out there and play, just take it one play at a time, make sure I hone into my techniques. That should help me out this year.”