Terrell Owens wants to show New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis that he's no slouch.
The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver bristled Tuesday at the mention of Revis, who is expected to cover him when the teams play on Thanksgiving night.
Last January, Revis referred to Owens as a "slouch" and to then-New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss as a slouch, too, suggesting in an NFL Network interview that both failed to give their best when he guarded them last season. Owens had a total of six catches for 46 yards in the Buffalo Bills' two games against the Jets.
Owens hasn't forgotten.
"He came out and said that I was a slouch, myself and Randy," Owens said. "I heard it. It's in the back of my mind. As far as me being a slouch, that has never been anything to describe me."
The Jets (8-2) beat the Bengals in the regular-season finale last season, when Cincinnati rested its starters. The Jets then came to Cincinnati and beat the Bengals again one week later in the playoffs. Revis shut down Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Ochocinco in those two games, but the cornerback later described him as a "competitor."
Owens? Revis wasn't so impressed.
"Yeah, I called him a slouch last year," Revis said in a conference call Tuesday. "That's how I felt at that point in time because of the two games that I did cover him. He didn't have great games against me.
"But I mean, it's good that he's looking forward to it. You know, I wouldn't expect anything less from him. I'm sure he's licking his chops for this game and will try to come out and compete."
Revis also told NFL.com senior writer Steve Wyche that "it's going to be war out there," then called Owens and Ochocinco "great players."
The tweaks between T.O. and Revis go back a ways.
Before their second game last season, Owens suggested he would invite Revis to his birthday party, passing along the invitation after he scored a touchdown on him. Revis kept his thoughts to himself and got the better of that matchup.
Then, Revis got in his own barb, belittling Owens as the Jets made their run to the AFC Championship Game.
Finally, T.O. has a chance to give it back.
Asked Tuesday how he would describe Revis as a cornerback, Owens said, "Just an average corner to me."
Later, when asked to rank Revis among the cornerbacks who have covered him, Owens said, "In my career? He's a great corner." He then caught himself and changed his answer to, "Uh, a good corner.
"No disrespect. He's only done one thing for one year," Owens added. "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 he started feeling himself, then he wanted to come out and say that I am a slouch."
Owens, who turns 37 on Dec. 7, leads the Bengals and is tied for third in the NFL with 62 catches. He's third in the league with 897 yards and has a team-high eight touchdowns.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
