OK, so as a lifelong Patriots fan, I was very leary when the Pats signed Randy Moss, fresh off all those troubles both on and off the field. However, as the last few years have played out, he has towed the line and been a very productive member of the Pats. Watching Tom Brady air it out and throw those long bombs to Moss has been a lot of fun and has been one of the most feared QB/WR combos in the NFL.
However, recently there have been some rumblings from Mr. Moss and it was apparent from the start of the year that this had potential to be an ugly season with him choosing to voice his displeasure with everything. Anybody that has a pulse and watches football a little bit, knows that Bill Belichick rules the show and if there is going to be a public issue, it will not last long as he will deal with it swiftly and harshly. I am as sure as the day is long that the Pats have been secretly searching for a trade for their top WR since the season started. And after last weekend, when Moss had 0 (yes, zero) catches vs the Dolphins and the Patriots still won big, they felt they could pull the trigger. I'm sure there was also a part of them that was concerned that if he wasn't being productive, his value may go down a little bit as well.
Now, obviously even though he didn't have a catch, no one can be foolish enough to think that just his mere presence on the field doesn't have a major impact on a game. Defenses have to plan for him. However, when he decides to dog it when he isn't the targeted receiver, defenses adjust and don't worry about him as much. That is something that Moss has been known for and there has been some of that with him during his time in New England.
So, to sum up my thoughts...I am disappointed that Brady's down field threat is gone, but it was inevitable. With the emergence of the 2 rookie tight ends and exciting potential of Brandon Tate, there is talent there to go along with Wes Welker. It will hurt in the short run, but in the long run I think this is another great move by the Patriots.
How does this affect the Vikings? Well, it obviously gives Favre that deep ball threat that he is severely lacking with Sidney Rice out injured. The key will be how long it takes Moss to get the Vikings playbook down pat. He will definitely help in many regards: stretching the defense, thus opening the underneath for Shiancoe and Harvin as well as creating more room for Adrian Peterson to run like crazy. A big question will be what happens when Rice does come back...will he be comfortable going back to being the #2 guy instead of the alpha dog? Will there be enough passes for them all to be happy?
I have a feeling this is exactly what Favre needed so that he can try to get back to his form from last year. This makes the Vikings a very dangerous team and catapults them back up the list of favorites to win the NFC Championship and reach the Super Bowl. I'm not saying they will, but if they can develop close to the chemistry that Brady and Moss had, coupled with arguably the best running back in the game, this team could be scary good!
So, I bid adieu to Moss and look forward to life PM (post-Moss)...GO PATRIOTS!!
- The Sports Nut
RIP John Wooden, the greatest coach in history
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