Almost everything went perfectly for the Jets in the opening week of the 2012 season.
After a tumultuous offseason that featured the acquisition of Tim Tebow, and after an embarrassing preseason in which neither he nor a futile Mark Sanchez managed to throw a single touchdown pass, New York looked excellent in Week 1 against the Bills, posting a 48-28 victory.
And then, of course, the other shoe dropped.
The day after the season opener, reports surfaced that cornerback Darrelle Revis had suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of the game, according to The New York Times' Ben Shpigel, and his status for Sunday's matchup against the Steelers is questionable.
According to ESPNNewYork.com's Rich Cimini, Revis said he felt fine post-game, but due to NFL regulations, following a concussion diagnosis he must be cleared by team doctors and an independent consultant before he is eligible to return.
There couldn't be a worse time for this injury to happen, and there couldn't be a worse Jets defensive player for it to happen to.
Revis has long been the linchpin of a Jets defense that has been one of the strongest units in the NFL nearly every year since his arrival. He is one of the best, most dangerous ball hawks in the league, and his impact has been crucial in a division like the AFC East, where tripping up Tom Brady is No. 1 on any other team's agenda.
Revis is one of the Jets' primary playmakers, which he displayed against the Bills on Sunday when he pulled in the interception that set up New York's first touchdown of the game.
The Jets need him. They especially need him against the Steelers, who boast a top-10 quarterback and three receivers, including Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown, who are capable of victimizing the Jets' defense if New York isn't at its best.
Even New York linebacker Aaron Maybin recognized the potential impact on the Jets if they lose Revis. He told Cimini:
You can't lose a player like Darrelle and say you're not going to suffer a dropoff in production. He's the best cornerback in the league.
Revis could be the difference-maker in a game that will prove to be incredibly important for the Jets. It's all good and well when you beat up on Buffalo to kick off the season, but in order to prove that you're one of the best of the best, you have to take down a team like Pittsburgh, too.
You have to beat the best to be one of the best, and if the Jets can score a road win over Pittsburgh on Sunday, it will be huge for them. They need this win, even though it's only Week 2.
But stopping the Steelers' offense will require a top-notch defensive effort from the Jets, and that starts with Revis, their X-factor.
Without him, they're just another average AFC defense.
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