Good article. Very level headed and balanced opinion. Level headed and balanced opinions have been sorely lacking around here (and I'm not excluding myself from blame).
As far as the "who replaces Moss" question goes...why can't Welker replace Moss? Now, I understand that Welker is no replacement for Moss, their games are totally different, so hold back the vitriol. You're not dealing with morons here.
In 2001, the Patriots won with Troy Brown as the primary receiver.By 2003 - 2004, Deion Branch had replaced Brown as Brady's top target. Brown, Branch and Welker are all more or less the same player...same size, same skill set. In fact, I would say that Welker is better than Brown and Branch were at their peak.
Also worth considering is the group of Edelman, Hernandez, Gronk and Tate. This crew of WRs and TEs feels an awful lot like the Branch, Givens, Graham group that emerged during the Super Bowl years. Actually, I would say that the current group is more talented, and has found their fit in the offense faster.
The culture shock of losing an all timer hurts, but I feel very confident in this young group. I'd rather watch a young team struggle and ultimately emerge than watch a disinterested group of vets bumble through another embarrassing finish.
