Breer on Moss

[bbabin]

Now, for your Randy Moss Minute. One thing you notice about the guy is that he catches absolutely, positively everything with his hands — nothing hits his chest. And it’s pretty eye-opening how effortlessly he does it. On one play, Moss ran a 12-yard out cut, and as he went into his break, his arms were still pumping. The ball was coming, and as it arrived, he calmly shot his arms down for the low throw, and hauled it in. What does this do? Well, a DB is taught to look for “tells” that the ball’s coming, and one’s the receiver putting his hands up. When the target doesn’t need to do that until a split-second before the ball arrives, it puts the opposition at big disadvantage.

From Boston Herald Blog
http://news.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/

News on Moss just keeps getting better. I really can't understand those who criticize him for just being a speedy receiver. I can't see how he could have the production he has had without being an excellent all around receiver.

I for one can't wait for the first Brady to Moss of the season.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

From Boston Herald Blog
http://news.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/

News on Moss just keeps getting better. I really can't understand those who criticize him for just being a speedy receiver. I can't see how he could have the production he has had without being an excellent all around receiver.

I for one can't wait for the first Brady to Moss of the season.

Nor can I. That combo is gonna be something special to watch.

As for those who are critical of Moss for being who he is. I can only venture to guess that they do so because they a) have never really watched him play b) don't have a clue what to look for if they have watched him play c) have nothing to be critical of where Moss is concerned so dream up negative material d) are just clueless. Or some combo of the 4.

 

[holyredeemer]

Actually, you're pretty far off. Last yr. I went to the Raiders Vs. Steelers game (posted a thread about it here) and even then I came on and stated how big of a joke Moss was. He was slow, never tried to catch the ball, and was scared ****less to even reach with Polamalu around. It was extremely sad. Hell, when he was supposed to block he never tried.

Now, at present date, I am happy we have aquired Moss. The reason why is simple. We paid hardly anything to get him. We really have nothing to lose. So, I have every right to be critical of Moss until I see something different from him then what I saw last yr. Really, he was pathetic.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Actually, you're pretty far off. Last yr. I went to the Raiders Vs. Steelers game (posted a thread about it here) and even then I came on and stated how big of a joke Moss was. He was slow, never tried to catch the ball, and was scared ****less to even reach with Polamalu around. It was extremely sad. Hell, when he was supposed to block he never tried.

Now, at present date, I am happy we have aquired Moss. The reason why is simple. We paid hardly anything to get him. We really have nothing to lose. So, I have every right to be critical of Moss until I see something different from him then what I saw last yr. Really, he was pathetic.

So you saw him have a bad day. Happens sometimes. His career stats show bad days to not be the norm.

The guy's dominated like few ever have at the WR position yet people are critical of him because "he dogs it" periodcally or because "he won't catch the ball going across the middle" or because "he doesn't like to block". Well, you'd think by now that some people would realize not to expect him to do such stuff. I mean what does it matter if the guy can't block his way thru a wet paper bag or if he isn't interested in going across the middle when the guy catches TD's like crazy and dominates downfield as he does?

 

[VJCPatriot]

I'd say treat this year as a fresh one for Moss.
The reports so far have been all positive.
If he picks up this offense, then watch out.
I could easily see 1,200 yards and 10 TDs out of Mr. Moss.

 

[stinkypete]

So you saw him have a bad day. Happens sometimes. His career stats show bad days to not be the norm.

The guy's dominated like few ever have at the WR position yet people are critical of him because "he dogs it" periodcally or because "he won't catch the ball going across the middle" or because "he doesn't like to block". Well, you'd think by now that some people would realize not to expect him to do such stuff. I mean what does it matter if the guy can't block his way thru a wet paper bag or if he isn't interested in going across the middle when the guy catches TD's like crazy and dominates downfield as he does?

The reason he dogged it with Oakland was because he was playing around a bunch of incompetent guys and had no leadership. The man is competitive and when others around him don't play up to his level of competition he walk away.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

I could easily see 1,200 yards and 10 TDs out of Mr. Moss.

I don't see a ton of catches out of Moss but I do so a high YPC total as well as mid teen TD production.

I'm going with 70 catches, 1190 yds, 15 TD's.

 

[Dragda]

Actually, you're pretty far off. Last yr. I went to the Raiders Vs. Steelers game (posted a thread about it here) and even then I came on and stated how big of a joke Moss was. He was slow, never tried to catch the ball, and was scared ****less to even reach with Polamalu around. It was extremely sad. Hell, when he was supposed to block he never tried.

Now, at present date, I am happy we have aquired Moss. The reason why is simple. We paid hardly anything to get him. We really have nothing to lose. So, I have every right to be critical of Moss until I see something different from him then what I saw last yr. Really, he was pathetic.

I am rethinking the role and production of Moss on our team. Initially, I thought he didn't fit our offense. I am changing that line of thinking, though. We put a lot of balls out there deep. Few are hauled in. I think Randy can haul those in. It will really keep a safety or two deep. Our entire offense will benefit.

Welker can be the new Dieon Branch who finds the hole in the zone.

 

[Nordberg]

I chalk up everything that happened to Moss in Oakland....as just that.....he was in Oakland.

 

[PonyExpress]

I think we're going to find that the much ballyhooed "Patriot system", whereby the Qb must spread the ball around, and Brady's "favorite receiver is the open receiver", different on any given play, was really a slogan used to disguise the lack of elite receiver talent. Great receivers are open all the time. That's why they catch more balls. When Brady had a great receiver (Troy Brown in '01-'02), Brown caught 200 passes. If Terry Glenn had remained sane, he would have exploded statistically. If Moss remains healthy, he will explode. But durability has dogged him for 3 years, and I expect him to run into some problems. 70 catches, 1100 yards, 10 TDs.

 

[rabthepat]

I don't see a ton of catches out of Moss but I do so a high YPC total as well as mid teen TD production.

I'm going with 70 catches, 1190 yds, 15 TD's.

Wowza, "I'm going with 70 catches, 1190 yds, 15 TD's" !!!!! All of our WRs combined last year had 15 TDs.

 

[BelichickFan]

All of our WRs combined last year had 15 TDs.

Moss is probably more talented than all of them combined . . .

 

[patriot lifer]

Wowza, "I'm going with 70 catches, 1190 yds, 15 TD's" !!!!! All of our WRs combined last year had 15 TDs.

not to mention that our leading receiver last year, Reche, only had 61 receptions with 760 yards and 4 touchdowns.

That being said, It's still doable for Moss

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Wowza, "I'm going with 70 catches, 1190 yds, 15 TD's" !!!!! All of our WRs combined last year had 15 TDs.

We had receivers last year ?

In his career Moss has 101 TD's in 138 games played for an average of 12 TD's per 16 game season played. Of note. Moss got these totals with duds as his QB's. Now with a stud QB I figure he's good for 3 more TD's this season to come up with 15.

 

[rabthepat]

So you guys expect Randy Moss to break the Patriot's single season touchdown record with 15?

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

So you guys expect Randy Moss to break the Patriot's single season touchdown record with 15?

Provided he stays healthy, I expect Moss to do many things that we Pats fans have never before witnessed. One of those might as well be the TD record.

 

[rabthepat]

Provided he stays healthy, I expect Moss to do many things that we Pats fans have never before witnessed. One of those might as well be the TD record.

If he does it, then I think our chances for another SB are pretty good!!!

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

If he does it, then I think our chances for another SB are pretty good!!!

Moss has posted 15 or more TD's in 3 of his 9 seasons played. If this yet another one of those seasons then I'll go you one better and say that the Pats chances of another SB win i better than excellent.

Heck, even if Moss posts his 12 TD yearly average this season all will be good. I just have a feeling that Brady and Moss are going to set the NFL world on fire this season.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Right, a few things:

1) God I love reports on Moss' physical gifts. I mean, that's the upside of the deal. And we all know it's true. He has a past performance record prior to Oakland a mile long, and he's still got the speed, which is no small part of what he's able to do.

2) God, I hate the "surrounded by incompetents" excuse. It may be true. It looks true. It's consistent with the facts. But a man who requires excellence of himself doesn't complain there's no leadership, he becomes the leadership. And you don't demand respect, you command it, by example. Moss failed in these regards, end of story.

3) He's not being asked to rally the team, he's just asked to exercise his physical gifts, pure and simple. We are fine as long as that understanding is enough for all parties, and by all appearances it should be. Basically there seems to be an understanding... Moss says things like "Belichick seems like he could motivate me..." and the Pats -- as usual with a big star -- say things like "he won't be asked to carry the whole world on his shoulders." It's a good fit that way.

4) Sometimes the unlikely happens, and a lot of key players go down, leaving one or two to fire the team up. This is where, we'd hope, Moss emerges as having absorbed the team ethic. Of course we hope it never happens anyway.

Guys with an external locus of control bug me, and that's what we all railed against when Moss wasn't on the team. We called it stunts, or pouting, or whatever, but really that's at the bottom of his issues.

My greatest hope isn't 15 TDs and 1500 yards, it's (on the outside) 10/1000, PLUS maturity. A Moss that can handle 5/500 with Stallworth, Welker, or whoever equaling or surpassing him, would be the true test, in some ways -- especially since all the new guys except Welker are in essence competing for a limited number of roles in 2008.

Way too verbose, I know... just my thoughts on Moss.

By the way, I LOVE what I'm hearing. Don't get me wrong. It would be great to have this guy around performing at a high level the rest of his career -- and that's a distinctly possible outcome.

PFnV

 

[FarScapeR]

Well said. I'm slightly nervous that he'll revert to the Oakland Moss in the middle of the season, and with a questionably healthy Stallworth, we might find ourselves right where we were last season at receiver + Welker, which isn't bad, but not so great either.