What can Randy Moss do for you?
Apparently, nothing for Bill Belichick. In a bizarre twist of events, Moss became a former New England Patriot after week four in the 2010 NFL season to the team that made him the twenty-first selection in the 1998 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings.
A possibly reason for the trade is Moss entering the final years of his contract with the Patriots.
Maybe the justification for the trade is the press he brought upon himself concerning New England’s unwillingness to negotiate a new contract agreement.
Perhaps they did it because it’s just their way, letting key players go at any time (look at Richard Seymour getting traded to Oakland prior to the start of the 2009 season)?
Nothing could validate the craziness of trading your number one passing threat. This is, of course, the same player who escaped Revis Island to make an eye-popping, one-handed catch for a touchdown.
Aside from his ability, this trade will be the biggest move of the season and change the direction the NFL was headed.
There are some key benefits to this trade that impacts a variety of players and teams.
1) Christmas comes early for Brett Favre
Brett Favre should send Belichick a nice Christmas present because the coach just gave him what he’s always wanted not only now in Minnesota, but throughout his whole career.
Favre has been spectacular without a superstar wideout on his side. All great quarterbacks have had great complementing receivers; Joe Montana and Steve Young had Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman had Michael Irvin, and Peyton Manning had Marvin Harrison (currently he has Reggie Wayne).
Despite having one of the best in Sterling Sharpe, the receiver was only around for six years and left as Favre was becoming the legend.
Moss gives Favre an option he never had before; a player with the ability to stretch the field and throw it deep with faith that the six foot four inch receiver can nab it.
2) Vikings will reap big benefits with Moss trade
Minnesota should call this the Moss effect because his trade ripples throughout the team. The team as a whole now becomes the legitimate Super Bowl contenders they were thought to be as the season commenced and will be deadly if they make the playoffs.
Adrian Peterson is currently averaging around 130 yards per game and over five yards per carry. Defenses will now have to play deeper with the big play possibility of Moss and that means less men in the box to stop Peterson.
Along with more open lanes for Peterson will mean more one-on-one coverage for other receivers.
Percy Harvin can now be the new Wes Welker with the ability to make players miss and great underneath route running. If Sidney Rice can make a return, he will find himself more open than ever before. Visanthe Shiancoe will also find the middle clear of defenders to make easy grabs.
3) AFC playoff hopefuls have a easier chance to leap frog New England
Before the trade, the outlook of New England’s team for the 2010 resembled a song by Rapper Kanye West in comparison to past Patriots teams: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.
With a record of 3-1 after week four, they are sixth in the AFC and sit in the driver’s seat of a car steered towards another playoff run.
They may lose some gas now though with the loss of Moss. At this point, Miami, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Denver and San Diego are all 2-2 and one game behind the Patriots.
Indianapolis will be stronger as the season progresses and Cincinnati remains dangerous as their weapons are on the verge of exploding into something special. San Diego always puts on a late run while the other four teams are continuing to improve.
New England’s loss could be a boost for any, if not all, of these teams looking to bump the Patriots out of the playoff picture.
Now that all those benefiting from the trade were discussed, here are those who will lose out thanks to Moss getting dealt.
1) The last twelve games could be difficult for New England
While the beginning of this season could be summed up by the West track, the rest of the year could be reminiscent of another West track: Welcome To Heartbreak.
The Patriots offense benefited greatly from Moss, even when he doesn’t touch the ball.
Defenses are geared towards containing one of the tallest and fastest players in the league with the jumping ability equivalent to a NBA player with serious hops. Usually a safety will have to work over the top of the wide out with a cornerback glued to him.
How else does a former receiver with no seasons of seventy catches or 1,000 yards come to New England and grab at least a hundred catches and 1,000-plus yards receiving each year in Wes Welker? The only way possible, be teamed up with Moss.
Now Welker will be the focus of all the attention and quarterback Tom Brady will probably see more pressure with safeties playing closer to the line, unafraid of a deep threat because of Moss’s departure.
Good luck stretching the field Patriots.
2) NFC playoff hopefuls may see trade as a dagger that slits their playoff hopes
While other AFC potential playoff teams see the trade as a benefit for them, other NFC teams are probably sounding the alarms on their playoff hopes.
The Vikings are currently 1-2 and on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. The new acquisition of Moss could bring long-term dividends for getting back into the playoff picture, especially if Moss can quickly be asserted into the offense.
For teams in the playoff mix, they can only hope that Moss implodes the team’s chances rather than explode the team towards the post season.
Teams, such as Tampa Bay and everyone in the NFC East and West (except San Francisco at this point) now can add the Vikings as a threat to their playoff hopes. Many of those teams are currently 2-2 and will need to remain winners to stay in the post season discussion.
Their division will also now have to place Minnesota back on their radar as a possible missile that could sink their hopes of winning the NFC North.
Green Bay and Chicago are both 3-1 at this point, but both have yet to play the Vikings with Moss on the squad. Both teams will also face Minnesota later in the season (week seven for Green Bay and week ten for Chicago), which will allow Moss to get acclimated with the team when they face their division rivals.
While Belichick and New England believe that Moss is insignificant enough to trade (they only received a future third round pick in the trade), the receiver’s tank is still plenty full of greatness. Favre and the Vikings should be glad to line up Moss on the outside of their offense.
This trade makes one thing clear, another team’s trash is another team’s treasure.
Randy Moss Trade Could Transform The Entire 2010 NFL Season
