Revis & Co. must deal with Steeler receivers
Mike Wallace #17 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs around the New York Jets defense after making a catch. (Dec. 19, 2010) Credit: Getty Images
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Darrelle Revis has always gotten his man this postseason. The key for the Jets secondary in Sunday's AFC Championship Game is whether the rest of the defensive backs can contain the Steelers' varied attack.
Revis may get a chance to try to shut down Hines Ward. Or, he might try to run with speed receiver Mike Wallace.
There's also Emmanuel Sanders, the third wide receiver who had four catches on Saturday against the Ravens. And Heath Miller, Ben Roethlisberger's most reliable target out of the tight end spot.
In short, the Steelers throw a lot of different weapons and different offensive sets at a defense. So Revis, who rendered Reggie Wayne irrelevant in Indianapolis and helped contain Wes Welker in Foxboro, may not have a single assignment on Sunday in Pittsburgh.
And even if Revis is successful in shutting down his target, Dwight Lowery, Drew Coleman and the rest of the Jets depth corners have to come up as big as they have the first two weeks of the postseason.
"We'll be multiple with what we do with Darrelle," Rex Ryan said. "Regardless of who we put him on, that's probably not a good thing for that person. The Steelers have a great receiving corps with Hines Ward and Wallace. So who do you put him on?"
Ward and Wallace will likely be the responsibility of Revis and Antonio Cromartie, who handled Pittsburgh's two main receivers in the 22-17 Jets win on Dec. 19, but Miller missed that game with a concussion.
Even with limited targets, Roethlisberger made good use of his receiving depth, getting Sanders a season-high seven catches and going to backup tight end Matt Spaeth for three and rookie Antonio Brown for two.
When the Steelers got to the Jets' 9 in the final 20 seconds last month, Roethlisberger tried twice for Spaeth, usually in as a blocking tight end when Miller's healthy, and missed in the end zone.
"Whoever's got their third corner, whether it's Emmanuel or Antonio, we'll be looking for them to have a big game," Ward said.
The challenge, too, is in Roethlisberger's ability to extend plays with his strength and his feet. That's where plastering comes in.
"A receiver might run a curl route or a slant, but his next read, if he sees Ben scrambling, then he'll break it off and run vertical, or maybe turn around and run to the sideline," Revis said. "When we played them the first time, the coaching staff said to make sure we just plaster those guys. When the plays are extended, just find your guy and plaster him and get on him as tight as you can."
