Randy Moss Trade Fallout: Who Won and Who Lost?

While counting the days until the Miami LeBrons perform another childish dance before their home opener, let’s examine some of the winners and losers from yesterday’s Randy Moss trade.

Winner:  Brett Favre

Let’s face facts.  Favre certainly didn’t conduct his annual offseason drama of “Will I or Won’t I” to not have Sidney Rice in his arsenal this season.  But that’s exactly what happened when Rice was sidelined with hip surgery back in August.

Now Favre can play Chuck and Duck, which is his favorite part of football, well, if you don’t count holding hostage whichever team he is playing for with the above-mentioned winter soap opera.  And, with a sure-fire Hall of Famer running routes in front of him, Favre now has an excuse for when he throws his drive-halting, momentum-killing, game-losing interceptions.

Loser:  New England’s Offense

The Patriots, who have a bye this coming weekend, have ample time to prepare for L.A.R. (Life After Randy).  But, when the Ravens and their suffocating defense pay a visit on October 17, don’t be surprised if the Gillette Stadium loud speaker plays the following announcement: “If anyone in the stands can run a 4.3 forty, is 6’4”, and can draw double teams on every play, please report to the Patriots sideline.  Coach Belichick would like to speak to you.”  Make no mistake about it.  New England’s offense just got worse.

Winner:  The Favre Apologists

You know who they are.  As if they needed anymore excuses to sing the praises of The Ol’ Gunslinger, well, Christmas came early.  There’s no doubt Favre will feed Moss a steady diet of deep balls.  And with every long ball Favre and Moss connect on, the Favre Apologists will remind us yet again how privileged we all are to watch No. 4, no matter how much of a self-obsessed weenie he acts like. Ugh.

Loser:  Fans Who Are Sick to Death of Favre

Quick show of hands from those who can’t stomach the sucking up to Favre forced on the football watching world by certain members of the media.  I thought so.  Trust me, I feel your pain.

Winner:  Jets and Dolphins

Since Brady and Belichick have called Foxboro home, it has been quite some time since the AFC East wasn’t a battle for second place and a wild card berth.  Both the Jets and Dolphins edged closer to the Pats last season and entering this year, the division winner was anyone’s guess, well, except for Buffalo.  Now New England’s young, mostly unproven receiving corps—Wes Welker notwithstanding—must make do without Moss.

Loser:  Bears and Packers

Both Chicago and Green Bay sit atop the NFC North with 3-1 marks.  Last season, the Vikings possessed one of the most potent attacks in all of the NFL.  Seeing Minnesota beef up their receiving corps to compensate for the loss of Rice must have caused some unrest in the front offices of both teams. 

Minnesota has yet to play either team.  When the Vikes travel to Green Bay on October 24, Moss will have two games with his new team under his belt (the Jets and Dallas) before that crucial contest.

Winner:  Minnesota Twins Fans

The Twins have lost the last three times they toed the rubber against the Yankees in the League Divisional Series and it hasn’t been close as Minnesota has dropped nine of the 10 games the two teams played.  Guess who their opponent is this year?  Yup, the Bombers.  So, if history repeats itself, at least Minnesotans will be entertained this winter by the Favre-Moss aerial show.

Loser:  Patriots Fans

Well, let me caveat this one.  The New England fans that don’t care about yet another spoiled brat, millionaire athlete who lives in a fantasy world where things like a lousy economy, layoffs, and foreclosures don’t exist will miss out on watching Brady and Moss torch opposing secondaries.  The rest of us are enjoying seeing a problem child sent packing.

Winner:  Bill Belichick

Though it has been six years since the Pats have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, many a New England fan still subscribes to the mantra "In Bill We Trust." 

If the Patriots successfully return to a ball-control offense highlighted by short passes mixed in with just enough of a ground game to control the clock which results in keeping opposing offenses on the sidelines and at the same time protects their young (translation: not very good) defense all while stock piling yet another draft pick, Belichick will come off as a genius once again.  If not…

Loser:  Bill Belichick

Should Moss combine with Favre and Adrian Peterson to reignite Minnesota’s explosive offense resulting in a deep playoff run and should New England’s offense hit the skids because they are no longer able to beat teams in a shootout, Belichick might have some explaining to do.  Then again, if you’ve ever watched a Belichick press conference, he rarely explains a whole lot of anything to anyone in the media.

Winner:  Brad Childress

The Favre Apologists aren’t the only ones Christmas came early for.  Childress was just handed Randy Moss in a contract year.  After New England’s Week 1 win against the Bengals, Moss held court with the media and made it clear he wants another contract.  Best way to make that happen, Randy?  Show the rest of the league you can still make teams pay even with double coverage.

Loser: Brad Childress

Minnesota got Brett Favre for one reason.  Win a championship.  The Vikes were a vintage Favre interception (stop me if you’ve heard that one before) away from the Super Bowl last year.  Once Favre decided to play, Minnesota returned to the list of NFC title contenders.  Having Moss only enhances their chances.  Heat’s on, Brad.

Winner:  Sports Talk Radio

The Vikings now employ two of the most polarizing players in the league in Favre and Moss.  Both guys are the proverbial straws that stir the drinks.  Favre’s annual offseason drama has become as much of a constant as the melting of snow when winter ends. 

As for Moss, it’s fair to ask why a receiver with his all-world skill set has now been traded three times during his career.  In the sports talk radio world, these two together are known as radio gold.

Loser:  The Non-Favre Apologists in the Print Media

Covering Wrangler’s poster boy for lousy passes to wide open weekend warriors must be tiresome enough.  Following every Minnesota win for the rest of the season, there’s no reason to believe Favre won’t be at his “awww shucks fellas, I’m just a big ol’ kid playing the game I love” best.  Good grief.