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A team-by-team look at the players I expect to be the most dominant in the AFC East from 2014 to 2016.

ESPN.com launched a series of stories this week in which we ponder the ultimate Dream Team of Tomorrow, players who should dominate the NFL in the three-year window from 2014 through 2016.

ESPN.com assembled offensive and defensive ballots for you to decide the starting lineup. But there are some prominent names missing from the AFC East. Regardless, here are my predictions for the best candidates from each club.

Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills defensive tackle: Dareus hasn't played an NFL game yet, but he arguably was the safest selection in this year's draft. The Bills were ecstatic to see him still on the board with their third selection. Dareus is immensely talented and versatile along the line. He can't help but make an immediate impact on Buffalo's meager defense and will get better. Dareus will draw multiple blockers and will help stop the run (Bills ranked 32nd) and get after the quarterback (only three teams had fewer sacks).

Jake Long, Miami Dolphins left tackle: Long is the obvious choice for the Dolphins. The top selection of the 2008 draft has been named to the Pro Bowl each of his three NFL seasons. He was voted first-team All-Pro last season. Some might consider outside linebacker Cameron Wake to be a good bet. He started in the Pro Bowl after recording 14 sacks in his second NFL season. But Wake isn't a youngster. He took a circuitous route to the big leagues and is 29 years old already -- and not even on the Dream Team of Tomorrow ballot. Does he have a better shot of being dominant at 32 than Long does at 29? Nope.

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots inside linebacker: Mayo is the safe bet. He was voted first-team All-Pro after his third season and has proven himself a tackling machine. He should be a defensive star for many years. But the Patriots have a few other intriguing possibilities. Devin McCourty played left cornerback as a rookie and started in the Pro Bowl, but I give Mayo the edge because of his three-year track record. Rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski (10 touchdowns last season) and Aaron Hernandez (2009 Mackey Award winner) didn't make the ballot somehow.

Darrelle Revis, New York Jets cornerback: He'll be 29 years old when the Dream Team of Tomorrow window opens, but he has been so dominant it's hard to pick any other Jet ahead of him. I realize All-Pro center Nick Mangold and Pro Bowl left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson are on the ballot, but Revis is as elite as they come. Revis is compared to Deion Sanders, who is considered the greatest cover corner of all-time. Dustin Keller was another AFC East tight end strangely left off the ballot.

Four players with AFC East ties were chosen for this year's College Football Hall of Fame induction class.

Miami Dolphins safety Jake Scott (Georgia), Buffalo Bills linebacker Darryl Talley (West Virginia), Bills fullback Bill Enyart (Oregon State) and New York Jets defensive lineman Marty Lyons (Alabama).

The stars of the class will be cornerback Deion Sanders (Florida State) and running back Eddie George (Ohio State).

Of the AFC East inhabitants, Scott had the most decorated NFL career. He won a pair of Super Bowls with the Dolphins and was MVP of Super Bowl VII, the game that capped their undefeated 1972 season. He's on the Dolphins' Honor Roll.

Talley played on Buffalo's conference title teams and is on the team's Wall of Fame. The Bills drafted Enyart 27th overall in 1969, but he spent only three seasons in the NFL.

Lyons never went to a Pro Bowl, but he was a member of the Jets' famed New York Sack Exchange.

The NFL Players Association has been vilified for recommending prospects give next month's draft ceremony at Radio City Music Hall the ol' Heisman stiff-arm -- or act like Deion Sanders in the path of an oncoming power back.

Stay away.

Detractors assert the union -- I mean, "trade association" -- wants rookies to throw away a special moment they'll never get back. No walking across the stage. No shaking the commissioner's hand. No putting on his team's ballcap amid the flashbulbs. No holding up the No. 1 jersey.

That would be a shame.

ESPN analyst and former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi hotly disagrees with the criticism.

In a column for ESPNBoston.com, Bruschi explained his hard-line stance.

Bruschi wrote:

What these rookies have to force themselves to realize is that this year in the NFL is more important than them. The NFLPA is fighting not only for their benefit, but for future NFL players who are not even in high school yet. It's what Reggie White did and what Gene Upshaw did.

Bruschi also explained how the decisions of quarterbacks Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert will be in the spotlight even more. They are on the verge of franchise leadership positions, and Bruschi claimed their new teammates would withhold respect.

Bruschi also appeared on a recent episode of "NFL Live" and debated the topic with Darren Woodson.

Bruschi said: "It's unfortunate that they have to do this, but this is the league as it is right now. It's unfortunate that they're so young that they already have to make a statement and already sort of have to choose sides, whether it's the players' association or the NFL. Which event will they go to? But I feel it's their responsibility because of the players that were before them that laid the groundwork for the deal that they're going to have, that they have to show solidarity and be one with the players that aren't going to be there."

Woodson countered: "I look at it and say 'Shame on the NFLPA for even putting these kids in this situation.' There's no way these kids should have to make a choice on whether to go to the draft or not go to a draft or do whatever the NFLPA wants them to do. ... Allow them to go and have a good time with their friends and family and then move on from there. But right now, they are not a part of this union."

Andre Reed and Curtis Martin received bad news about their Pro Football Hall of Fame bids.

Reed and Martin were among the 15 finalists for induction, but neither AFC East star made the cut Saturday when the next induction class was determined.

The 2011 class includes running back Marshall Faulk, tight end Shannon Sharpe, defensive end Richard Dent cornerback Deion Sanders and NFL Films patriarch Ed Sabol. Senior nominees headed to Canton are linebackers Chris Hanburger and Les Richter.

Reed has been a finalist five times. For the second year in a row, the Buffalo Bills legend finished ahead of Cris Carter and Tim Brown in the selection process, which pares down the group of finalists from 15 to 10. Reed made the top 10, while Carter and Brown did not.

But Reed didn't make the next cut to five. That's the group the selection committee makes a final yea or nay vote on, with 80 percent agreement required for induction. The committee approved all five.

Reed will have to wait to join his former teammates already honored in Canton: quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, receiver James Lofton, defensive end Bruce Smith and head coach Marv Levy.

Reed made 951 catches for 13,198 yards and 87 touchdowns and played in four consecutive Super Bowls. He's known as one of the best yards-after-catch receivers in NFL history, perhaps second to only Jerry Rice, and among the grittiest over-the-middle threats.

Reed was a seven-time Pro Bowler. He posted 13 seasons with at least 50 receptions, tied for second all-time. He's tied for third in postseason history with five 100-yard games. His 85 postseason receptions rank third.

Martin, a star running back with the New England Patriots and New York Jets, was on the ballot for the first time. His former coach, Bill Parcells, advocated Martin be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Martin ranks fourth in all-time rushing yardage behind Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders, a pretty good crew -- if you're into that kind of thing.

Martin rushed for 14,101 yards and scored an even 100 touchdowns, 90 on the ground and 10 more off catches. He ran for 1,000 yards in 10 straight seasons, the second-longest streak in league history. Martin was the 1995 offensive rookie of the year and made five Pro Bowl rosters.

Carter was another Hall of Fame finalist with an AFC East connection, albeit barely. Carter finished his career with the Miami Dolphins, catching eight passes over five games in 2002. His 130th and final touchdown was with Miami.

That gave every AFC East club a link to Saturday's selection process.

Receptions come a lot cheaper these days.

The game has changed, and all you need for proof is a glance at Paul Warfield's career stats. He caught more than 50 passes once. He gained more than 1,000 yards once. In some of his Pro Bowl seasons, his numbers wouldn't have justified a roster spot in your 10-team fantasy league.

Yet Warfield is considered one the most dangerous receivers NFL history, a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.

"Our game is beginning to resemble baseball in which everyone is looking at numbers," Warfield said this week from his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. "Numbers tell the story to a degree, but I like to look at one's full body of work.

"I'm from the old-school generation. You might be termed a wide receiver, but you should be a football player first."

Steve Largent is another example of how stats don't quantify a receiver's worth like they used to. Largent retired after the 1989 season as the NFL's all-time leading receiver with 819 catches. He, too, was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Twenty-one years later, Largent ranks 20th in receptions behind such names as Derrick Mason, Torry Holt, Keenan McCardell, Muhsin Muhammad and fullback Larry Centers.

In 1985, only four players had caught 600 passes. The list is 55 players long now.

"It doesn't necessarily undermine a player's ability to get into the Hall of Fame because he had great stats or doesn't have great stats," Largent said Monday from his office in Washington D.C. "You're looking for a guy who was the total package."

With that in mind, you might consider Andre Reed's stats if you choose when deciding if he belongs in the Hall of Fame. They're sterling -- if a little outdated and discounted by time.

To both Largent and Warfield and other legendary receivers, Reed qualifies for Canton without even looking at the numbers.

"I saw the value Reed had to that team not only as a receiver, but also as a leader," Largent said. "There are some attributes you don't keep statistics of, but you become aware of as one player watching another play the game."

Reed is Largent's "total package" and Warfield's unequivocal embodiment of "football player."

"It's long overdue for Andre," Warfield said.

Reed is among the 15 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists who will learn Saturday whether they will be included in this year's induction class.

The star Buffalo Bills receiver has been a finalist five times. There's a belief this year offers his best chance yet. In previous years, he has shared the ballot with at least one receiver who took precedence because they were icons (Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin) or had been waiting longer (Art Monk).

Reed could become the sixth Hall of Famer from a team that went to four straight Super Bowls but failed to win one.

Already enshrined are Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, defensive end Bruce Smith and head coach Marv Levy. Wide receiver James Lofton also is in Canton, but he didn't play on all four Super Bowl teams, and is more closely associated with the Green Bay Packers.

"I was a part of something special, and I'll take that to my grave," said Reed, 47. "We were a family. But the Hall of Fame, I don't know how I would react. It would be a validation of your work and what you did.

"Hopefully on Saturday I can be in that fraternity with them, but every year it's a tough ballot."

The other finalists include running backs Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis, receivers Tim Brown and Cris Carter, tight end Shannon Sharpe, center Dermontti Dawson, tackle Willie Roaf, defensive ends Richard Dent, Charles Haley and Chris Doleman, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, cornerback Deion Sanders and NFL Films patriarch Ed Sabol.

The Hall of Fame's 44-member selection committee will decide Saturday. The group includes NFL writers, one representative per franchise, 11 at-large voters and one from the Pro Football Writers Association. The committee will pare the group of 15 finalists down to 10 and then to five. At that point, a vote will be held, with 80 percent agreement needed for induction.

Up to five modern-era candidates may be elected each year. First-time nominees Faulk and Sanders are virtual locks to get inducted. That leaves three spots available for Reed and the other finalists to get in.

Buffalo News reporter Mark Gaughan will make the case for Reed's induction. It's a compelling one.

"He certainly had a great career, one of the great clutch receivers," Warfield said. "He was consistent, one Jim Kelly could always go to and always find open in a situation where they're trying to make a big play. He's an all-encompassing receiver."

Reed was third on the NFL's all-time receptions list when he retired after the 2000 season with 951 catches, behind only Rice and Carter. Reed was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a superstar on a team that won four conference championships in a row.

"He was as dangerous a receiver as there is," former Bills quarterback Frank Reich said. "Versus press coverage, he was almost impossible to stop, coming off the ball. We always felt if they tried to play tight man on Andre it didn't matter who was guarding him. Any shutdown corner in the league in press coverage, Andre was going to beat him."

Reed was a force on the big stage. In 19 postseason games he had 85 receptions for 1,229 yards and nine touchdowns. He didn't score any Super Bowl touchdowns, but he did have 27 receptions for 323 yards.

In the Bills' epic comeback against the Houston Oilers in the 1992 postseason, he made eight catches for 136 yards and three touchdowns.

Reed is known as tremendously durable. He played 253 games, counting playoffs. He often darted into traffic to make plays in a crowd of defenders.

"No fear," Reich said.

Reed was one the greatest ever when it came to yards after the catch, second perhaps only to Rice.

"Most people that were on that team or played against us will remember how explosive he was in run-after-the-catch," said Reich, now Peyton Manning's position coach with the Indianapolis Colts. "He rivaled Jerry Rice in that category. Like Jerry Rice, his 40 time was good and probably not great. But there was nobody faster with the ball in his hands."

What put Reed's production in even greater context is a closer look at Buffalo's offense in the 1990s.

Many fans, even those who closely followed the Bills then, recall a prolific aerial attack. They remember Kelly running the no-huddle, K-Gun offense and slinging the ball all over the field to Reed and Lofton.

As Gaughan will point out again Saturday, the Bills ranked 17th in passing offense throughout Reed's career. In Reed's six prime seasons from 1988 through 1993, the Bills passed 51 percent of the time. By comparison, the Washington Redskins' famed "Hogs" offense passed 50 percent of the time when Monk was there.

Reed didn't have much receiving help either. He played with Lofton for four seasons, but Lofton was 33 years old when he joined Buffalo. In 1988, for instance, Reed's second and third receivers were Trumaine Johnson and Chris Burkett.

So far, the chief impediment for Reed's induction hasn't been his resume, but the other names on the ballot.

A wide receiver has been inducted each of the past four years, and in seven classes out of the past decade.

Gaughan noted there is room in Canton for at least two more receivers from the 1990s. A breakdown of membership shows seven receivers who predominantly played in the 1960s, four from 1970s, four from the 1980s and two from the 1990s.

Reed, Carter and Brown are the worthiest receiver candidates to join Rice and Irvin from that decade.

There's a velvet rope. This is Reed's fifth year as a finalist. Carter has been a finalist four times, Brown twice.

Reed apparently jockeyed to the head of the receiver line last year. In the selection process, Carter and Brown didn't make the top-10 stage, but Reed did.

That development has raised Reed's hopes for 2011.

"I'll be more nervous because of the way the voting went last year," Reed said. "I feel I'm more deserving of it. It was pretty close. The anticipation is enhanced this year."

But there are no guarantees. Several legendary receivers have waited longer than five years to get the Canton call. Don Maynard, John Stallworth and Monk got in on their eighth time as finalists. Lynn Swann was a finalist 14 times. The Seniors Committee was necessary to induct Bob Hayes 34 years after his last NFL game.

Reed admitted he has fantasized about the phone call too many times to count. He's even tried to research the moment.

"I've talked to a bunch of Hall of Famers who say when they get the call they're at a loss for words," said Reed, who plays a lot of golf and sells his own line of barbeque sauce in the San Diego area. "They don't know how to react.

"I'll just have to wait and see."

And hopefully not have to wait some more.

Curtis Martin has the credentials to justify induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But does the popular New York Jets and New England Patriots running back belong to an even more elite group that that?

Martin is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time and will find out Saturday whether he will join the 65 other legends who've gone straight to Canton without delay.

New York Daily News writer Gary Myers examines the possibility Martin will get the Hall of Fame call Saturday. Martin's beloved coach, Bill Parcells, asserted Martin should coast into Canton.

"If the idea is to separate yourself, you got the case right there, you can't dispute it," Parcells told Myers. "Come on. That is roller skates."

Martin played 11 seasons and led his team in rushing every time. He finished with 14,101 yards (fourth all-time behind Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders) and 90 touchdowns. Martin added 484 receptions for 3,329 yards and 10 more touchdowns, giving him an even 100.

Martin was Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1995 and made five Pro Bowl teams.

Up to five modern-era candidates will be inducted. But with fellow first-timers running back Marshall Faulk and cornerback Deion Sanders almost certain to gain approval, essentially three spots are left.

The other 15 finalists include running back Jerome Bettis, receivers Andre Reed, Tim Brown and Cris Carter, tight end Shannon Sharpe, center Dermontti Dawson, tackle Willie Roaf, defensive ends Richard Dent, Charles Haley and Chris Doleman, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy and NFL Films patriarch Ed Sabol.

"I haven't been an individual accolades type person," Martin told Myers. "But I have found myself thinking about the Hall of Fame more. I think that it speaks to the intangible qualities that I like to be associated with my name.

"To even be in consideration for the Hall of Fame, you've done a little more than just performed on the football field. It speaks to your dedication, to hard work, the level of competition, the way you compete. Even being mentioned is very humbling to me."

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan doesn't remember a single time a healthy Darrelle Revis ever was scorched by a receiver.

Revis Island was invaded a few times this year, but let's just say he had border patrol issues. A contract dispute caused him to miss training camp and led to a hamstring injury that dogged him for the first half of the season.

But he returned to his usual, dominant self in November and has been sensational in the playoffs. He'll return to his hometown Sunday to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.

"It's not like he's just playing corner," Ryan said at Wednesday's news conference. "A lot of times we'll give him the toughest down: 'You have no help. So that offense knows you have no help.' A lot of times that's when [an offense should] take a shot over there. We want you to because we think we have as good a chance of catching that football as you do.

"I've only seen it one other time in my life, and that was with Deion Sanders."

Revis held NFL receptions leader Reggie Wayne to one reception for 1 yard in the wild-card round, effectively erasing Peyton Manning's top target. Stats analyst KC Joyner credited New England Patriots receiver Deion Branch with one reception for 8 yards against Revis on Sunday.

Where will Revis line up Sunday against Pittsburgh? Will he be on Mike Wallace? Hines Ward?

Ryan didn't offer many specifics.

"We'll be multiple in what we do with Darrelle," Ryan said. "But there's only one of him. If we had more, that would be great. I'd sign up for that.

"But he's the best in the business. Regardless of who we put him on, that's probably not a good thing for that person."

Joyner, who has Revis allowing only 4.3 yards per target since Week 9, looked back on the Jets' victory over the Steelers in Week 15 for some clues.

In a column for ESPN Insider, Joyner wrote:

Revis was almost never assigned to cover Wallace: They did not square off in coverage on any of the 45 pass plays. On running plays, Wallace was on the field and lined up across from Revis only once.

The reason Revis didn't face Wallace is that the Jets had decided to assign Antonio Cromartie to the Steelers speedster. This tactic was fairly effective, as Wallace gained only 32 yards on three targets (two completions) when facing Cromartie in coverage.

Another problem the Steelers present the Jets is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's ability to strike for big gains on broken plays. Revis said the Jets have practiced "plastering" receivers all week.

"If you're playing against a quarterback like Ben, just latch onto [the receiver] as tight as you can when the plays extend," Revis said. "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.

"It's hard for secondaries to do that."

Maybe not difficult for Revis.

But, as Ryan already noted, there's only one Revis.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber, Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely and "First Take" raconteur Skip Bayless discussed where New York Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis rates among the all-time greats at his position.

"He does everything you expect a corner to do," Barber said. "He hits people. He tackles. He makes plays on the ball. He locks people down in man-to-man coverage. ... But he had no interceptions this year. Largely on reputation right now, he is a great, great corner. But he doesn't make a whole bunch of game-changing plays."

Barber said his Buccaneers teammate, Aqib Talib, already is in Revis' realm.

Feely gave his perspective as someone who played with Revis for two years.

"No one can objectively say he's the greatest of all-time, but he can get there," Feely said. "I'll tell you why: because he's strong, he's physical, he can play man, he can play bump, he can be off the ball and play well.

"One of the things that makes him so great is he's diligent. He studies hard. I played with him two years and watched him and was thoroughly impressed with him. ... He practices harder than I've seen another guy practice. He gets after it in practice.

"There was a story he told me. I asked him 'Why do you go so hard against Braylon Edwards.' He said 'Because my rookie year he burned me twice, and I want to prove to him every day in practice that I'm better than him.' That said a lot to me."

Barber's all-time pick was Rod Woodson. Feely and Bayless went with Deion Sanders.

All three Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists with AFC East ties have advanced to the final round of the selection process.

New York Jets and New England Patriots running back Curtis Martin, Buffalo Bills receiver Andre Reed and brief Miami Dolphins receiver Cris Carter are among 15 modern-era finalists for Canton.

The stars of the class are defensive back Deion Sanders and running back Marshall Faulk, who are in their first year of eligibility along with running back Jerome Bettis.

Other finalists include receiver Tim Brown, tight end Shannon Sharpe, center Dermontti Dawson, defensive linemen Richard Dent, Chris Doleman and Cortez Kennedy, defensive end/linebacker Charles Haley and NFL Films founder Ed Sabol.

Linebackers Chris Hanburger and Les Richter were selected as senior committee nominees in the summer.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the semifinalists for next year's induction class.

The preliminary list of 114 eligible candidates was pared down to 26, including three with AFC East ties:

• Cris Carter, Dolphins receiver
• Curtis Martin, Patriots and Jets running back
• Andre Reed, Bills receiver

The stars of this class are first-year candidates Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk and Deion Sanders. Martin also is on the ballot for the first time.

Ten months ago, New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis called Terrell Owens a slouch.

Turns out, Owens doesn't think too highly of Revis either.

The Cincinnati Bengals receiver told reporters Tuesday he didn't think Revis was all that special. The Jets will host the Bengals on Thanksgiving.

"Just an average corner to me," Owens said. "Everybody has assessed his abilities as far as what he did last year, shutdown corner, this and that. He did very well last year. But I think I'm looking forward to the challenge just like he's looking forward to the challenge."

Owens certainly didn't perform last year against him. Owens had six catches for 44 yards and no touchdowns in two games with the Buffalo Bills versus Revis.

Then again, Owens' numbers were modest in most games for Buffalo. He has returned to his usual, dynamic self in Cincinnati. He has 62 receptions for 897 yards and eight touchdowns.

"No disrespect," Owens said. "He's only done one thing for one year. You talk about shutdown corners, you need to repeatedly do it, year in and year out. I think he did it one year, and everybody made a lot of hoopla about it. I think, you know, he started feeling himself. Then he wanted to come out and say that I'm a slouch."

In an interview with NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders last postseason, Revis called Owens and Randy Moss slouches. Owens acknowledged he hasn't forgotten.

"After the season, around the Super Bowl, so many media people pumping him up, with him shutting so many people down," Owens said, "he came out and said that I was a slouch, myself and Randy.

"You know, I heard it. It's in the back of my mind."

Nobody can deny outside linebacker Cameron Wake is compiling a Pro Bowl campaign for the Miami Dolphins.

One of Miami's biggest concerns before the season was how it would generate a pass rush without Joey Porter and Jason Taylor. That issue appears to be resolved.

Wake recorded three sacks, including an overtime biggie I selected as my AFC East decisive moment for the week (check back later for that story), to help the Dolphins beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

His performance Sunday is the sort that captures league-wide attention and thrusts a player into Pro Bowl conversations. Deion Sanders was banging Wake's drum Monday on the NFL Network.

Wake has six sacks this year, tying him for fourth in the NFL, 2.5 behind league leader Clay Matthews. Wake also has eight tackles for losses and 13 quarterback hits -- both team-highs. He has Miami's only forced fumble and three passes defensed.

Looks like Wake finally has arrived after several years of relative anonymity. He wasn't drafted out of Penn State, was cut by the New York Giants before he could make it to camp, shuffled mortgage papers and worked as a personal trainer and then caught the attention of NFL scouts with two stupendous seasons in the Canadian Football League.

That's why he's in just his second NFL season and a first-time starter for the Dolphins at almost 29 years old.

Porter created a fuss last winter, publicly ridiculing the Dolphins' coaching staff and front office for taking him off the field in favor of Wake in certain situations. The rants eventually got Porter released.

But Porter was wrong. Wake was on the make.

Football Outsiders managing editor Bill Barnwell noted Wake had nine quarterback hurries last year, tying him with Larry English and Ahmad Brooks for the league lead among linebackers with five starts or fewer.

Wake's sack total so far this year, by the way, is two more than Taylor (three) and Porter (one) combined.

New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis isn't sure if he's going to suit up Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings.

So what?

Revis already is playing verbal bump and run with Randy Moss.

The New England Patriots traded Revis' archrival to the Vikings on Wednesday, setting up another potential showdown between superstars who have chirped back and forth for the past year.

The last time Moss ran a route against Revis, he blew by and scored a 34-yard touchdown with a gorgeous, one-handed grab in the end zone. Revis re-aggravated a hamstring injury on the play and has missed the two games since.

But in the second half of that Week 2 game against the Patriots, cornerback Antonio Cromartie held Moss without a reception. The Patriots, playing from behind, couldn't catch up and lost 28-14.

"In the second half, you could tell he was putting his foot on the brakes," Revis told reporters Wednesday at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, N.J. "I mean, everybody knows that's Randy. Sometimes he plays 100 percent. Sometimes he doesn't."

Revis called Moss a slouch in an interview with Deion Sanders during last season's playoffs because Moss gives up on plays too often.

"You can tell. You can see the effort," Revis said. "Playing football, you can see the body language and effort of people, if a guy's going hard or a guy is hesitant. That's the way football is. The truth comes out. You could see it in that game."

Like the Fonz saying he's sorry, New England Patriots receiver Randy Moss struggled to praise New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis last year.

Revis nearly shut down Moss in their two meetings last year. Moss had four receptions for 24 yards and no touchdowns against the Jets in Week 2. In their Week 11 rematch, Moss had five catches for 34 yards and a touchdown, a bang-bang Tom Brady dart from 4 yards out that was virtually impossible to defend.

Moss declined to give Revis any credit. They sniped back and forth. Moss claimed Revis had extra help from safeties. Revis insisted he thwarted Moss man-to-man.

Revis, in a word-association game with NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders, called Moss a "slouch" and in an interview with the Boston Globe explained "It's a respect thing that Randy Moss, for some reason, doesn't get."

Turns out Moss was highly impressed with Revis -- so much so that it motivated Moss throughout the offseason. They'll square off again Sunday at the Meadowlands.

"Am I excited to see Revis? I think I am because there was a lot of talk last year," Moss said Sunday in a colorful news conference after beating the Cincinnati Bengals. "And I'm not taking anything from him. He did do some good things last year to be the shutdown corner that he is.

"And I'm not scared to say this: I prided my offseason on Revis. Like I said, I take pride in what I do, but what he did last year was something that even opened my eyes up as a wide receiver, that there's a cornerback out here that I really have to be on my A game. So I prided my offseason on staying off of Revis Island."

The incentive to win his next matchup with Revis helped Moss have what he considered his greatest summer as a Patriot.

"We have a great task next week with the Jets," Moss said. "Hopefully, Baltimore will beat them up pretty good or beat each other up Monday so we can get a good game on Sunday.

"I've definitely been up and down just because I don’t know what to expect. The only thing I can do is take care of me, and that's to go out here and prepare each day, work hard and do whatever I can to help this team win."

Darren Woodson knows a little bit about how defensive backfields work.

He was voted All-Pro three times and selected to five Pro Bowls as a safety for the Dallas Cowboys. He won three Super Bowls.

Now an analyst for "NFL Live," he certainly had the credentials to field this viewer question on the latest episode:

Are the Jets still a viable playoff team if Darrelle Revis doesn't play this season?

"No," Woodson replied. "I played with a guy named Deion 'Prime Time' Sanders. He did a great job of taking away a half of the field. When you look at the New York Jets, they like to bring a ton of pressure.

"Without Darrelle Revis, they'll be half the defensive team they were last year."