Gathering Moss

False hope.

That's what Randy Moss' return to Minnesota provides to the Vikings and, most importantly, Vikings fans. Sometimes, when blockbuster trades like this Moss deal get done, fans and experts just look at the fancy names on paper and start overreacting without looking at the big picture. Yes, on paper, an offense comprised of Randy Moss, Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice and Brett Favre looks pretty damn impressive. However, somebody has to be on the outside looking in here. There isn't enough touches to keep three hungry receivers happy as well as the game's best running back. Something has to give. Brett Favre, throughout his entire career, has been a man consumed with being the hero. It's why he implodes EVERY postseason. He has to be the last gunslinger standing when the dust clears. It's why he single-handedly shot the Vikes in the foot last January in the Superdome with that ridiculous cross-the-body interception to Tracy Porter against the Saints. It's why he blew the Packers' Super Bowl chances in '07 against the Giants, '03 against Philly, '02 against Atlanta and '01 against St. Louis with costly picks and all around buffoonish play. Now, he gets a new weapon who has a history of being a piss poor run blocker and who mentally takes himself out of the game(and sometimes, physically) when he isn't getting the ball early and often.

Favre has always wanted to throw bombs to Moss and, maybe now that he gets that chance, it will shake off some of the malaise Favre has been playing with the first four weeks of the season. Favre's playing like a guy who wasn't healthy enough to come back but felt compelled to return after being bullied by teammates and coaches for one last run. Maybe Moss rejuvenates him. Or maybe Moss makes matters worse. After all, there's a reason this man was ushered out of the Twin Cities and into the Bay Area a few years ago. His tendency to be a pain in the ass is equal to his tendency to split the defense for a long touchdown. Somehow, on a team that was a perennial Super Bowl contender, Moss couldn't find happiness. Somehow, on a team known for chemistry and camaraderie, Randy Moss became a distraction(something not even Corey Dillon managed to be). What happens when defenses double-cover Moss and Favre is forced to look Percy Harvin's way? What happens if AP does his own pouting and Childress begins to run the ball more in the first half and Moss becomes disenfranchised? These are the "What ifs" that need to come into play during trades like this. Yes, Moss can be a gamebreaker. That's the glass-half-full part of it. He's also a terrible self-motivator and a bit of a knucklehead. That's the other side of the coin.

Having watched Favre, as a Packer fan, for nearly two decades, I can tell you that Vikings fans are going to be in for some heartache. Moss isn't just one of the game's best receivers, he's a guy who runs one route in particular better than any other wideout: the go route. Moss is going to go straight ahead down the sideline at full speed, throw that lanky tree branch of an arm up, and Favre, no matter who is in Moss' vicinity, is going to chuck that ball with every bit of gusto he's got. That sounds great....if this was last year's Brett Favre. This year, Favre's a wounded animal. Still dangerous, sure, but wounded nonetheless. His passes aren't as crisp. The velocity isn't what it once was and he doesn't throw that deep ball like he once did. For shit's sake, he's 41 and coming off ankle surgery. You can't expect him to reclaim last year's magic now that he has a new toy. Even with Rice, Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe and Peterson last year, Favre couldn't get himself out of New Orleans and I think that offense was better than the one that will trot out Monday night against the Jets. Call me crazy, but I'd take a healthy Sidney Rice over this year's Moss any day of the week(Side note: Another thing to factor in is Moss doesn't get a bye week now. He'll play all 17 weeks because he's coming in after Minnesota's bye week. Moss is 33 and he's never been, how do you say, a husky fellow. I'm not saying Moss is going to get hurt, but I don't know if I like the chances of a skinny 33-year old receiver who has to play balls-to-the-wall for the next four months without a break not getting banged up a little bit.)

So, Moss' acquisition is a hit-or-miss gamble that will ultimately tell the tale of the 2010 season. A team that may have very well been a 10-6 team with Tarvaris Jackson handing off to Adrian Peterson and letting the defense hold opponents instead went into desperation mode and begged a 41-year old man to play QB and then rushed into getting him a new weapon when the old man started to lose interest. If rolling on the dice on Favre and Moss pays off, then the Vikings are the clear-cut team to beat in a wide-open NFC. However, the history of both men, combined with the incompetence of Brad Childress and the uncertainty of both Rice's health coming off hip surgery and AP's role now that Moss is in town, gives people like myself a legit reason to be skeptical.

(Another side rant: I had the Patriots finishing 3rd this season in the AFC East..and that was WITH Randy Moss. Now that he's gone, I'm not sure how New England makes the postseason. Yes, they beat Miami with Moss not even registering a catch, but how many teams are going to throw three picks and allow New England to score touchdowns off numerous blocked kicks and kickoff returns? Moss is gone. Wes Welker's knee is, admittedly, not 100% and now his workload increases. The running game is non-existent. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is serviceable, but hardly someone who keeps defensive coordinators up at night. The defense, outside of last Monday night's rout of the Dolphins, has been terrible and I'm not in love with Brady's offensive line. Yes, the Patriots have eight picks in the first four rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft....but none of those guys are playing this season for New England. Maybe the team plays better with Moss distraction gone. Maybe Brandon Tate steps up. Or maybe this trade bites them in the ass. We shall see.)

So brace yourselves, Vikings fans, the Favre rollercoaster just got revamped and it may very well be a bumpy ride.