Moss to Tennessee just might work

by | Nov 4, 2010 | 2010 season, NFL Random Thoughts

Picture 1998. Randy Moss is a rookie. He’s ticked. Twenty teams passed on him in the draft before Minnesota took him in the draft. He plays with a chip on his shoulder. All season long he runs straight down the field. Randall Cunningham wings the ball deep. As often as not Moss catches it for a big play.

Moss tallied 17 touchdowns that season, tied for the second most prolific of his amazing and enigmatic career.

Now it’s 2010. He’s definitely no longer a rookie but Randy Moss, despite having lost a step or two, is still extremely athletic and able to trick defensive backs into thinking he has no chance to make a play only to suddenly snag the ball before it hits the turf … when he wants to. Will the Tennessee Titans figure out a way to coax the mercurial wide receiver into maximizing those talents this season now that they have claimed Moss off waivers?

Time will tell. But there are some interesting similarities between his situation in 1998 and his situation now that lead me to believe Jeff Fisher and the titans might have a chance to make this move really pay off.

Randall Cunningham was the Vikings quarterback most of 1998. He was not always the most accurate passer, nor was he always adept at reading defenses. But he was incredibly athletic, moving around to make plays, and he had a fantastic arm. I remember watching some of those long passes rainbow through the air seemingly forever, which gave Moss time to make a move, speed up, slow down, come back to the ball or do something else spectacular in order to make a play.

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SI report: The life of an agent

by | Oct 12, 2010 | NFL Random Thoughts

Everyone who pays attention knows there’s a sleazy side of professional sports. College players and agents and money under the table …

Sports Illustrated has an account from Josh Luchs, formerly an NFL agent, where he comes clean on what it took for him to get started in the business and on his exit as well.

I can’t do it any more justice than the story did itself. Click here to go to the story.

Moss to Vikings? Fantasy implications

by | Oct 5, 2010 | Fantasy Football, NFL Random Thoughts

Randy Moss back to the Vikings? Who the hell knows.But the Internets are going wild so there is something to the rumors.

And if he does return to Minnesota it’s going to have some interesting fantasy ramifications.

For the Vikings, it returns Brett Favre to prominence. The offensive line has been a major part of the problem in Minnesota so far this season — but so has the lack of a downfield passing threat with Sidney Rice out and Percy Harvin struggling with various ailments. Moss isn’t the player he used to be but he still has plenty left and he will command coverage.

Everyone — yes, everyone (except Bernard Berrian) — on the Vikings offense will go up in value. Visanthe Shiancoe, Harvin, Greg Camarillo — they all go up in value. Some will go from zero value to a little (Camarillo) and others will go from matchup play to almost every week starter (Harvin).

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Time for Dolphins to euthenize the Wildcat

by | Sep 28, 2010 | NFL Random Thoughts

Miami didn’t beat the New York Jets Sunday night but I found myself impressed with several aspects of the team.

Cameron Wake was a monster on defense, pressuring the quarterback and on one play fighting off a lineman attempting a cut block while maintaining enough balance to still jump up, knock down Mark Sanchez’ pass and almost intercept the deflection.

Brandon Marshall and Chad Henne finally found each other. The duo connected 10 times for 166 yards and almost gave the Dolphins a chance to tie the game at the end. Marshall finally justified the price Miami paid to get him this offseason and it looked to me like those two have a lot to look forward to the rest of the season.

But one thing the Dolphins didn’t do well was execute the so-called Wildcat offense. Every time someone other than Henne took a snap on Sunday night, the Jets appeared ready to stop the run. I don’t remember them gaining more than a yard or two on any run. They lost yards on a couple. And Ronnie Brown, on that fake run, drop back pass, looked like a panicked teenager surrounded by cops after getting busted on a late night beer binge before throwing a pass that landed about 15 yards over the receiver’s head.

The Wildcat was entertaining as a gimmicky offense when the Dolphins were otherwise undermanned. It helped them steal a couple games they shouldn’t have won, including the blowout over New England when Tony Sparano first unveiled the new offense.

But let’s be real. Miami has a strong-armed up-and-coming quarterback in Henne and some real weapons at wide receiver and tight end in Marshall, Brian Hartline, Davone Bess and Anthony Fasano. It’s not the strongest group in the league but it’s a good mix of players who have legit skills. They continue to have a solid two-back combo in Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, though the latter has not gotten on track yet.

And they’ve got one of the league’s best left tackles anchoring a line that seems to be sneaky good. Coupled with a defense that appears to be among the league’s better, there is less reason for the Dolphins to mess with the Wildcat, especially as it appears to be losing effectiveness.

During the game Sunday night, there were at least two occasions during which the Dolphins appeared to have some good momentum going. Then Henne went to the sidelines, Brown took some snaps and seconds later it was third and long.

It was entertaining and effective for awhile. But I don’t think the Dolphins need, nor are they better off, taking out their best personnel groupings for a high school-style offense that the league appears to have solved. Miami can now win without this kitten of an offensive strategy.

AJ Smith stakes job on nixing Jackson trades

by | Sep 25, 2010 | NFL Random Thoughts

San Diego Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith is known for being a tough executive to negotiate with over player contracts. The team has spent years drafting well, using those players through the early years of their careers, then drafting their replacements and letting those mid-to-late career guys go on to other teams.

When Drew Brees’ deal was up, the Chargers let him go to New Orleans and promoted Philip Rivers. LaDainian Tomlinson was the face of the franchise for nine years. But as his value fell even he was shown the door. That’s just two examples.

It’s led to a number of tense situations. Linebacker Shawne Merriman has had a couple of verbal sparring sessions with Smith and, likely, he will be one of the next big-name players to find a new home soon — he very likely would have already if the collective bargaining agreement’s pending end hadn’t converted a couple hundred players from unrestricted free agents to restricted free agents last offseason.

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Football season starts: Vikes v Saints, Zoneblitz v Vegas

by | Sep 9, 2010 | NFL Random Thoughts

LAS VEGAS — Zoneblitz has once again embarked on a week one trip to Las Vegas. We were here two years ago and can only hope that the tables treat us better this year than they did the last time around. So far … we’re not betting on it.

We may have been a bit distracted during our first rounds of Blackjack tonight because we were frequently sneaking glances at the television to watch the Vikings-Saints NFC Championship rematch that kicked off the season.

The game was far less important than its predecessor in January … and far less exciting. The final result, with the Saints winning again, was predictable given some of the injuries facing each side, with Brett Favre probably still knocking off some rust and with New Orleans just being a damn good team, especially in the Superdome.

But I was surprised at the score. I placed a foolish, last-minute bet on the Saints and Vikings going over the over/under, which was posted at 49 by kickoff. And when Drew Brees took the Saints down the field as though Minnesota forgot to show up on the first drive, I thought the bet was looking good.

The defenses stiffened and I was quickly out that cash. And so it goes.

We’re looking forward to some more Blackjack and to full slates of college and pro football over the next couple days. We’ll be bringing you some previews, which will feature thoughts from several bloggers who write about specific teams around the league.

And we’ll be getting back into the swing of things with more regular postings as football news hopefully swings back toward on-field activities and away from such supposedly newsworthy items as Troy Polamalu’s hair and Kendall Langford’s $50,000 earring.

Tom Boswell once wrote a book about Major League Baseball called “Why Time Begins on Opening Day.” I’ve never read it but I understand the sentiment of the title. But for me it’s most definitely the beginning of football season when everything seems right with the world.