PHOENIX -- Free-agent-to-be Randy Moss says he wants to stay with the New England Patriots. Good. He should. But that's not what I want to know.
My question is: Forget about next year. Does he disappear again Sunday?
No way, said Moss.
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| Despite his big reputation, wideout Randy Moss has done little in the postseason. (US Presswire) |
Terrific. Because it's about time.
Moss has one catch in each of the last two playoff games, and, no, that's not like him. Except it is. In four of his last five playoff games he has seven catches and no touchdowns -- and one of those stinkers was against the New York Giants.
OK, so that was the 2000 NFC Championship Game, which was so long ago Tom Brady wasn't the starter in New England. But Moss has been atypically quiet since, making noise only in a Jan. 9, 2005 playoff game against Green Bay.
You can look it up. Philadelphia shut him down in the 2004 divisional playoffs. Jacksonville shut him down in this season's divisional playoffs. And San Diego shut him down in the conference championship game.
The bigger the stage, the smaller Randy Moss -- and what's going on?
"Once teams try to take a certain player out of the game," said Moss, "it's up to the other players to step up and make it happen. The last couple of weeks they've been doubling me and somewhat triple-covering me. It's a team sport, so it's up to the other guys to make things happen."
Actually, no, it's not. It's up to Randy Moss. Because he's the guy who this season set a league record with 23 touchdown catches, and he's the guy who made the critical receptions in come-from-behind wins over Indianapolis and the New York Giants.
He is a difference maker, only he's not making a difference.
Moss insisted he is because opponents are double-covering him, which means someone must be open. Against Jacksonville that someone was Wes Welker, who led the team with nine catches. Against San Diego it was running back Kevin Faulk, who had eight receptions.
