Robby Anderson gave Stephon Gilmore a bit of bulletin-board material ahead of their matchup this Sunday.
Asked Thursday for his thoughts on the New England Patriots cornerback, Anderson acknowledged Gilmore’s greatness but claimed he sometimes relies on illegal tactics.
“He’s one of the best,” the New York Jets wide receiver told reporters, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “Holds a lot, you know. Gets away with a lot, you know. So I’ve got to come with my A-game, know what I’m saying?”
Given Anderson’s track record against Gilmore, antagonizing the first-team All-Pro probably isn’t the smartest idea.
In his last three games against New England, Anderson has totaled just six catches on 16 targets for 48 yards. When matched up against Gilmore in those games, Anderson’s stat line is even uglier: 10 targets, two catches, 11 yards, one interception, four pass breakups, according to Pro Football Focus.
2017, Week 17
Anderson overall: three targets, one catch, 2 yards
Anderson vs. Gilmore: no targets
2018, Week 12
Anderson overall: five targets, two catches, 22 yards
Anderson vs. Gilmore: four targets, zero catches, one interception, one pass breakup
2018, Week 17
Anderson overall: eight targets, three catches, 24 yards
Anderson vs. Gilmore: six targets, two catches, 11 yards, three pass breakups
After the Patriots blew out the Jets 38-3 in last year’s regular-season finale, Gilmore openly said Anderson, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 190-pound, couldn’t handle his physicality.
“Just get my hands on him,” he said. “He’s a smaller guy, so I was physical with him every time, and he didn’t like that.”
Gilmore has continued to play like the best cornerback in football this season. After largely neutralizing 2018 Pro Bowler JuJu Smith-Schuster in Week 1, he returned an interception for a touchdown during Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins and created another pick by batting a pass to teammate Devin McCourty.
Anderson has seven catches on 13 targets for 104 yards thus far for the 0-2 Jets.
