Baltimore Ravens safety Matt Elam is about to learn a lesson about poking the wrong Lion.
Elam suggested Wednesday that the Ravens will get physical with Calvin Johnsonthis Sunday because the Detroit Lions' star wide receiver is getting "pretty old" and his frail bones might not be able to take the pounding.
OK, Elam didn't say anything about frail bones. He actually paid Johnson a few high compliments. But it's clear that the "old" reference raised Megatron's ire.
"I'm getting old," Johnson said Thursday, via ESPN.com. "It's all good. I'll show him what that old man's strength about, though."
Johnson said he wasn't surprised by the slight because Elam won't be matched up with the 28-year-old receiver in single coverage.
"So, he can talk all he wants," Johnson continued. "He plays back and I don't see him every play unless I run past him. I'm not worried about it."
Johnson took his own shot at the Ravens' secondary, predicting "those are definitely guys we can make plays on."
Arguably the most dominant skill-position player in the league, Johnson went off for 329 yards against the Cowboys the last time an opponent instigated a war of words.
"Anything negative that comes at me throughout the week," Johnson explained, "you just take it and put it in that box over there for motivation and use it on Sunday."
The record for receiving yards in a single game is 336, set by the Los Angeles Rams' Flipper Anderson in 1989.
Johnson's teammate and fellow wide receiver, Nate Burleson, responded to Elam's comments Thursday:
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