FOXBORO, Mass. -- Keyshawn Johnson and Ty Law don't only play a good game. They talk a good game, too. One of them will get the last word tonight when the New York Jets play the New England Patriots.
They warmed up last week for their confrontation."I have a lot of respect for him," said Law, New England's star cornerback, "but, at the same time, I feel if we have to go one-on-one, I'm going to bet on me."
"I always think I'm open," said the ever-confident Johnson, the Jets' star receiver. "Every wide receiver who plays this game should feel that way."
They have good reason for such boasts.
Law, a first-round pick in 1995, led the NFL last year with nine interceptions. Johnson, the top choice in the 1996 draft, had a career-high 83 receptions.
The Patriots can tie Miami and Indianapolis for first place in the AFC East with a 7-2 record if they win tonight. The Jets (2-6) lost quarterback Vinny Testaverde for the season in the first game, but Johnson has continued to thrive, whether Rick Mirer, Ray Lucas or Tom Tupa is throwing to him.
Lucas, recovered from an ankle injury, will replace Mirer as the starter tonight, Jets coach Bill Parcells said.
"I could line up with nine people on me and I'd still feel open," Johnson said.
In the season-opening 30-28 loss to the Patriots, he had eight catches for a career-high 194 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown. He's had two eight-reception games since then and had the winning 43-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of a 12-7 victory over Arizona in New York's last game.
In his two games against the Patriots last season, Johnson had 11 catches for 135 yards.
"Ty and I have gone at it a few times already. I think I've done pretty well, but he's a good matchup for me," Johnson said. "He likes going against me and I like going against him."
And he loves throwing verbal jabs at the man who's supposed to stop him from doing his job.
During a conference call last week with New York reporters, Law heard a question he didn't like, presumably from a writer.
"He's talking about (Johnson) thinks Sam Madison is better than you," Law said, referring to the Miami cornerback. "I was like, 'OK. That's just a matter of opinion.' I said, 'Ask Keyshawn, I'm not going to get into it.'
"He's like, 'Aw, man, it's me.' It was him acting as a reporter so that's the kind of games that me and Keyshawn play because he was really starting to get me fired up."
It won't take much for either to get fired up when they face each other across the line of scrimmage tonight.
"I like Ty. He's a lot like me. He's making $50 million. I'm going to make him earn it. He's one of the best around," Johnson said.
Then, he added one last shot: "Sam Madison has got my vote for the Pro Bowl, but Ty's right up there."