NFL

As crazy as it sounds, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Pats picked up Moss again. That’s just the type of shrewd move I would expect from them, and why they’re the only legitimate dynasty since the glory days of the 90s.

The Shanahan story is getting crazier and crazier. I’m starting to doubt his decision-making. Surely he can’t think any of these QBs are better than McNabb? I tell you, Donovan is the ultimate Rodney Dangerfield in professional football. No one else is even close.

On that subject, here’s a question: when all is said and done, is McNabb Hall of Fame material?

I think yes. The lack of rings hurts his case, but judging by the stats, he compares pretty favorably with a number of HoF QBs:

Mcnabb career QB rating 85.9 passing yds 34,844 W-L 92-49-1 6 Pro Bowls

Jim Kelly QB rating 84.4 passing yds 35,467 W-L 101-59 5 Pro Bowls

Terry Bradshaw QB rating 70.9 passing yds 27,989 W-L 107-51 3 Pro Bowls

Aikman QB rating 81.6 passing yds 32,942 W-L 94-71 6 Pro Bowls

Roger Staubach QB rating 83.4 passing yds 22,700 W-L 85-29 6 Pro Bowls

Bob Griese QB rating 77.1 passing yds 25,092 W-L 92-56-3 8 Pro Bowls

Probably so judging from those stats. I’d like to see him get a ring to cement his status though. If he’s not respected now, no reason to believe he will be when it’s time to vote.

How funny would it be if Moss clears waivers

If he does, the Pats will – why wouldn’t they?
Moss might play for free to get a ring – that would make sense, since his clearing waivers means his career ended.

That’s not what clearing waivers means. At least not in Moss’ case. There’s some strategic thinking going on out there. Someone will take him.

Right, the smart move for any team would be to let him become a free agent, stick Minnesota with his remaining salary ($3.5 million), and sign him for $450,000 (the veteran minimum). I think it’s a question of which team caves in and decides they have to claim him from the waiver wire and pay him the $3.5 mil. This would probably be a team that Moss would never consider joining on his own (which would invite all of the Randy Moss baggage). The more I think about it, the likelier I think it is that he becomes a free agent and signs with a contender.

And I don’t think RWP3 meant that literally, Bobby.

Actually, if he clears waivers, it just means that the Vikings will have to pay the $3.388 million left on Moss’ contract and Moss would be able to choose between any time that would take him and was willing to pay about $450,000.

I haven’t seen every snap the Pats have played this year, but it looks to me like they’re a better offense without Moss. If they were to bring him back it seems like he’d be, what, the fourth or fifth option in the passing game (after Branch, Welker, Hernandez, maybe even after Woodhead)?

What about Kansas City?—the GM came from New England and Cassell and Moss played together there. They’re a playoff contender with a very good running game, but not much of anything going on at WR.

@Matt: looks like we were thinking the same thing at the same time.

You’re crazy. Moss the fifth option? Welker would be first. Moss as a deep threat comes right after.

I like that KC angle.

-Moss as a deep threat comes right after-

Not this season. Moss:

Catches +20 yards = 5
rec yds/game = 39.1
YAC = 57
TDs = 5

Only the TD total is better than average/below average (it’s tied for 10th with TO and a bunch of others).

To me, if I’m the Pats, I don’t risk sacrificing the chemistry you have on offense right now for a guy who’s shown little upside this year other than a the ability to come down with jump balls in the endzone.

Not to mention the reports coming out of the Vikings clubhouse that said Moss was being a pain. He’s talented, no doubt, but he seems to have issues working in a system. I’m not sure even the most hard up offense is going to take a shot, unless it’s the ’Boys.

There’s some strategic thinking going on out there.

You mean the “contender team” and Moss have agreed that when Moss becomes a free agent they will make him a 450K offer? Yeah, great deal for Moss. – no, there is no free agency strategy by the stakeholders that makes sense.

Look, if you have a playoff shot with Moss, 3M$ means nothing. I think the lower teams will not bother making a bid, since Moss wont make that much difference (they don’t have good QB) and Moss will just get himself fired again to the embarrassment of all.

We’ll know today at 4PM.

And yes, if no one were to bid on a player the caliber of Moss, it is terminal. The reason is that no one could build around the guy into future seasons – you think he will sign a multi-year deal at $450k?
In fact, if he makes free agency, and he wont, the only real reason for the Pats to pick him up is so they don’t have to play against him.

Jerry’s already on record saying Dallas won’t claim him.

From ESPN.com:

“Various league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that the Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets and even the Patriots are among the teams possibly interested in claiming Moss.

However, a league source told ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini on Wednesday that the Jets did not submit a claim for Moss."

Gotta figure the Redskins are a bad fit considering Shanahan’s approach to handling Haynesworth and McNabb.

I guess I should add that Moss has no say now, but as a free agent he can pick the team – good luck to his agent.
Re: Skins
Yeah, talking heads think not possible, but also doubt running teams would want him, which I think is wrong. One of the value added propositions of Moss is the down-field threat – but that takes two.

haha would Jerry lie?

is the contract bid on? Vikes could get more than they paid?

I don’t think Jerry can afford him—especially now given how many fewer seats he’s going to be selling out.

Perhaps not coincidentally, today the Vikings announced that Sidney Rice has been removed from the PUP, so he can start practicing with the team today.

-is the contract bid on? Vikes could get more than they paid?-

Nope. The best case scenario for the Vikes is some team claiming him off waivers and assuming the balance of the contract.

23rd team : Tenn Titans

Okay so the team ranking determined who got first claim.

Right, teams get priority ordered worst record to best.

. . . apparently the Titans were the only team that put in a claim. Kinda surprised.

. . . and Merriman goes to Buffalo.

-talking heads think not possible, but also doubt running teams would want him, which I think is wrong-

Yeah, clearly Tennessee took Moss with the idea of taking some of the opposing defense’s focus off Chris Johnson

How do you think this impacts the way Young plays? I know it might work for Collins, but Young scrambles so much that the deep pass is usually not an option.

Dunno. So far this season Moss hasn’t looked like much of a deep threat anyway. Young hasn’t thrown for a lot of yards this year because he hasn’t had very many attempts, but he’s third is the league in yards per attempt (after Philp Rivers and Kyle Orton) at 8.18 and only has 2 interceptions, so, though I doubt they’re really going to start throwing the ball deep a lot, Young does seem to be getting better at reading secondaries downfield.

One of the things I would look for is when Young scrambles, is Moss going to be able/willing to react and break off routes to get open.

I think this is ideal for Vince Young. A scrambling QB can cause safeties to drop their deep coverage responsibilities to support the run, leaving one on one coverage on the outside. I think we will see more (improvised) deep routes from Moss with Young as the QB than we saw with Brady or Favre.

Via Fark, here’s more Dallas Cowboys Stadium sleaze . Getting women drunk at a Cowboys game seems like a good strategy if you can afford to.

Is Jim Fassel Right? Can his Las Vegas Locomotives or a UFL team beat the Bills or a bottom tier NFL team?

It woouldn’t actually shock me, as halfass & demoralized as a lot of the NFL has been this year. I do doubt that they could beat anybody but say the bottom five or so, and that there’s no way they could do well against an 8 or 16 game schedule of NFL teams.

Way to go Cleveland wow. Who saw that coming?

Friday, the talking heads were giving me a queasy feeling with their 35 -10 predictions.
Jets won.

-Way to go Cleveland wow. Who saw that coming?-

I’m pretty impressed with the way the Browns are playing now, though—this was not a fluky win. Peyton Hillis carried the ball 29 and averaged 6.3 YPC. Colt McCoy was 14 for 19.

I thought the Lions were going to sneak one past the Jets, too.

Despite the best efforts of the officials, Eagles beat the Colts. Gutsy win, but I’m still infuriated by the phantom roughing the passer penalty on what should have been the game-ending play.

Nice job by Vick. And Andy Reid is 12-0 after the bye.