Yeah. It has been a long time since I have posted. My bad.
Anyway, this week another roster move occurred that made roughly 4% sense. Much like that previous statement. The New England Patriots decided to part ways with Randy Moss and send him somewhere else. Somewhere that he will be received warmly and enjoy moving to. Somewhere with a team in contention for the Super Bowl. Somewhere like his first NFL home, Minnesota. The Vikings just made perhaps a better move than the Pats did back in '07 when they traded a fourth-rounder for Moss. Not in terms of actual value, but in terms of impact.
The Vikings desperately needed a deep threat and a great WR after Sidney Rice got hurt. They tried a variety of things, such as trading for Greg Camarillo and signing the former Packer/Bronco/Raider/nobody Javon Walker. Those things have done nothing to spark the offense, and Brett Favre is looking like he should have just retired again... that time, for good. But now that Moss is on board, they don't need to cringe and wait for Rice to return. Suddenly they have a former Viking hero and a Top-5 WR on their team. Favre is happy, Moss is happy, the Pats are happy, and Minnesota is surely happy. Way to take the spotlight away from the beginning of hockey season for the Minnesota Wild, Randy.
But now the Patriots are looking incredibly stupid. The one redeeming factor of the deal is what I call the "Madden Factor." Just like many people often do when playing Madden, the Pats just got rid of a star player in the middle of his final contract season in order to get rid of him before they get nothing for letting him go. That may be the motive behind their move, but it's not a good one.
You see, the Pats are 3-1 and have already played two of the most key games on their schedule. They have gone to both New York and Miami to face their division rivals already. Those games are out of the way. They have a schedule that still includes games against the Browns, Lions, and Bills, as well as the Dolphins, who they already beat. They look like they have a good shot to make the postseason and clearly are not in a "rebuilding" or "taking a season to get ready" mindset. So why take away their best target for the highest paid player in the league, Tom Brady? Now the defenses can focus in on Wes Welker and the unproven Brandon Tate. Instead of being in a very good place with two superstar receivers, they have now reduced themselves to one. That one will now get the attention Moss got, such as being defended by Darrelle Revis and other top CBs. This move does not make sense. Not in Week 5, not before the season, not ever.
I smell something lurking. Randy Moss expressed his unhappiness with the team and the city after a solid Week One victory. He was clearly upset about something and it is rumored that he was the one who requested a trade in secret. I'm sure that Moss is happy about this move, and I am too. Who doesn't like it when Brett Favre gets a high-profile target (and Tom Brady loses one)?
This means a lot. If the Patriots have just lost so much from the team, then obviously, the Vikings have gained it. They need to catch up to both the Bears and the Packers in the division, and this was the week to do it. They can start by beating the Jets on Monday Night. This is will be a significant game because Revis will get to face is frenemy Moss, this time in a purple uniform. It will be a fun matchup to watch. It will also mark the rebirth of Santonio Holmes. His four-week suspension is over, and he will look to make his debut for the Jets in the same game that Moss is making his second debut with the Vikings.
Here's wishing Moss luck. He has a Hall of Fame QB throwing to him, and he has a solid team around him (again). Hopefully he can provide the spark that Minnesota needed and ignite a fire of W's. That would be a fun thing to watch, and you have to admit, everyone here is silently rooting for the Vikings to win it all so we don't have to wonder whether or not Favre is joking when he debates returning to football.
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