FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Get your popcorn ready: It will be Darrelle Revis versus Terrell Owens on Thanksgiving night.
Too bad, Chad.
When the New York Jets faced the Cincinnati Bengals in back-to-back weeks last season -- the regular-season finale and the wild-card game -- Revis was assigned to Chad Ochocinco. In each case, it made for an entertaining week of trash talk and back-and-forth tweeting between the star cornerback and the loud-mouth receiver.
But on Monday, Revis announced he'll be covering Owens, who is putting up bigger numbers than Ochocinco. The Revis-Owens rivalry, well, there's history there, too.
In a TV interview last offseason, Revis used the word "slouch" when Owens' name came up in a word association. Revis also called Randy Moss a slouch in the same interview, which fueled the hype for their Week 2 showdown. That was two teams ago for Moss, who, while playing for the New England Patriots, burned Revis for a 34-yard touchdown reception. Revis pulled a hamstring on the play.
Owens apparently got a kick out of that, as he tweeted that day: "I see Revis Island gettin' exposed. Now that hammy is really hurting."
That didn't sit well with Revis, who told reporters, "He just put a big chip on my shoulder."
On Monday, Revis refused to be drawn into a war of words with Owens, but he also didn't back down from his "slouch" comment.
"I said what I said in the offseason," Revis said. "That's last year; it's a new year. I'll be on him come Thursday night, and I think it'll be a good matchup. I think it'll be a good matchup with Cro [Antonio Cromartie] and Chad, too. They've got two great receivers, and we've got two great corners."
Owens, in his first season with the Bengals (2-8), has emerged as Carson Palmer's favorite target. Owens is tied for third in the league in receptions (62) and he's third in yardage (892). He also has eight touchdowns. Ochocinco, Palmer's longtime go-to guy, is having an average season by his standards -- 50, 587 and four.
In their last encounter, Revis made Owens a non-factor, holding him to three catches for 31 yards last December in a Jets win over the Buffalo Bills. Afterward, Revis said Owens was so frustrated that he appeared to quit as the game wore on.
Now Owens, who turns 37 on Dec. 7, is playing with a quarterback who can spread the field, and he's starting to resemble the Owens of old.
"T.O. is T.O. He's always been a great receiver," Revis said. "There were probably situations where he was with certain teams and they couldn't get him the ball as much, but he's playing good this year. Come Thursday, we'll see what happens after that."
Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow him on Twitter.