Darrelle Revis returns to practice
Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) smiles and reacts after he intercepted the ball against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay Buccaneers elite cornerback Darrelle Revis is expected to be a game-time decision for this week’s rivalry matchup against the Carolina Panthers, and it sounds like he’s going to be on the right side of the game-time decision coin. ESPN NFL Nation’s Pat Yasinskas reports that Darrelle Revis has returned to practice today for the Buccaneers after missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and this definitely bodes a lot better for his Week 13 status.
Revis isn’t out of the woods yet, but it’s hard to believe that he will miss this week’s game. Players as talented as Revis play at every chance they get, and Greg Schiano will definitely want to play him. Not only is Schiano playing for his job, but the Bucs are also going up against the Carolina Panthers and would love to mess with their rival’s seeding. Winning a rivalry game is also more important than usual when a coach is on the hot seat, and an upset win over the Panthers would really make, “Is Schiano safe?” an even more compelling question.
Carolina Panthers star receiver Steve Smith returned to the practice field today after receiving a scheduled day of rest on Thursday, and it will be interesting to see how he does against Revis, who is a different animal in coverage than Richard Sherman or Aqib Talib (two elite corners that Smith has beaten one-on-one). If Revis plays, then this should be the matchup that he wins, since it’s all about being technically sound instead of playing into Smith’s physicality; Revis isn’t going to fall into the trap that former Bucs CB Talib fell for. All told, this would be one of the most compelling WR-CB matchups of the week (season, even?), right up there with Talib vs. Andre Johnson.