Vontae Davis isn't lacking for confidence, something he made clear when he claimed last month that he and fellow Miami Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith were "the best tandem in the league" at their position.
That was news to a lot of people, including Darrelle Revis, the All-Pro corner who teams with Antonio Cromartie in New York to form one of the NFL's most respected duos.
On Wednesday, Davis stepped back from his comments during a conference call with reporters ahead of the Dolphins' season-opening matchup against the New England Patriots.
"I absolutely was surprised (about the reaction), because they kind of got blown out of proportion," Davis told The Boston Herald. "I mean, I respect all the guys before I came into the league that I looked up to, the (Darrelle) Revis and the (Antonio) Cromartie. But I play with confidence. And I didn't expect to that get much attention. But I mean, that's the media for you."
Revis is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in football, garnering the nickname "Revis Island" for his ability to maroon the opposition's top receiver with his tight coverage.
When Revis learned of Davis' comments last month, he welcomed a film study.
"It really don't matter because the film don't lie," Revis said. "The film don't lie. You can say what you want to say. You can say the sky is red, but it ain't red. That's just what it is. We know how we play and we know what we do on that field not just as a corner tandem but as a secondary. We play great football."
On Wednesday, Davis sidestepped a follow-up question asking if he stood by his initial comments.
"I'm just going and getting better as a player, me and my teammates, working," Davis said. "Just let the season take care of itself."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
