Randy Moss: Can He Help Tennessee Titans Become Playoff Contender?
Randy Moss is a Tennessee Titan. The talented, but enigmatic wideout has been claimed by the Titans, who were ranked 22nd out of 32 teams in the waiver order to get Moss from the Vikings.
The Titans have playoff aspirations this year, which is why the Moss signing makes sense. But is it enough to push Tennessee into the promised land?
We're breaking down reasons why Moss will make the difference, and reasons why he might actually keep the Titans out of the playoffs.
Why He Helps 5: It's a Contract Year
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It's the walk year of Moss's contract from way back in New England, and the receiver has expressed a desire for a long-term deal of four or five years.
The only way Moss gets it is to produce in Tennessee and be a good soldier, and he knows it. Expect him to try like he did with the Patriots, and to do his best to avoid the temper flare-ups that got him in trouble in Minnesota.
Why He Hurts 5: The Titans Offense
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The Titans' offensive schemes are based almost entirely around the running game. Part of that is because of the wideouts and quarterback they have, but a lot of the reasoning behind that style of play is because it works for them.
Moss is a guy who needs the ball a lot to be happy.
He demands it, and when he doesn't get it, he shuts down.
Tennessee's run-oriented offense might not play to Moss' style, and he might start causing trouble.
Why He Helps 4: Nate Washington
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Washington is a speedy wideout, who doesn't really have the size to handle the double teams he was getting when Kenny Britt was struggling early in the year.
Now, he's got Moss, a guy who almost requires a double team every time he's on the field. Look for Moss to open up the field for Washington, much as he did for Percy Harvin in Minnesota and Wes Welker in New England.
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Why He Hurts 4: His Public Persona
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Moss is brutally honest with the press and general public, speaking his mind even when he shouldn't.
He's a lightning rod for controversy, the last thing an organization that's finally getting the Pacman Jones black eye out of its mind needs.
Head coach Jeff Fisher says he plans to tell Moss what's expected of him, but don't be surprised to see Randy flaunt those expectations if things head south.
Why He Helps 3: Chris Johnson
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Johnson has been doing well in 2010, despite teams stacking the box against him. With little threat from the passing game, Johnson was facing eight and nine men in the box.
Moss forces teams to respect the pass. His skills are well known in the league, and with that much more room to run, the offense should flourish, even when Moss isn't catching passes.
Why He Hurts 3: He Quits On Routes
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We've seen it his entire career. Randy Moss doesn't get the targets he wants, or he gets hit a couple of times, and just stops working. He quits on routes more than almost anyone else in the NFL, most recently last week against New England.
Moss plays when he wants, which is the last thing the Titans, who are in the midst of a furious battle in the AFC South, need. If he shuts down on key plays, this team won't make the playoffs.
Why He Helps 2: Vince Young and Kerry Collins
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Young and Collins are the Titans' quarterbacks. Young struggles with his accuracy, which is where Randy comes in. Moss is capable of going and getting bad passes.
As for Collins, he's still got an arm, and now, he's got a reliable deep threat to throw to. Moss should be a big boon to Tennessee's passing game.
Why He Hurts 2: His Locker Room Presence
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Moss is what is known as a locker room pariah. He fractures tight knit groups (like Tennessee) with his diva antics and temper tantrums.
He's not the most likable player in the NFL, by any stretch of the imagination. Moss's locker room presence is more than enough to cripple this team's chemistry, right at the time when they need it most.
Why He Helps 1: Potential
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Moss still has almost all of the talent and physical gifts that made him one of the NFL's best wideouts prior to this season. Those haven't gone away.
Moss hasn't played to his potential this season, and it's that potential the Titans are banking on to get them to the postseason. If Moss lives up to it, he could easily prove to be the difference in the incredibly tight AFC South race.
Why He Hurts 1: How Much Gas Is In The Tank?
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This, more than anything else mentioned, is why Moss could hurt the Titans playoff chances.
We don't know if he's still got it. Wide receivers lose steps unexpectedly all the time, and perhaps Moss is feeling the effects of his age.
Could he still be the wideout he was in New England in 2007?
We don't know, because it's hard to tell how much of Randy's struggles have been because of him being Randy Moss and how many have been because of his skills atrophying.
If it's the latter, Tennessee may have cost themselves a playoff berth.
The Verdict
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Moss doesn't seem to have lost a step, he just seems bored. Perhaps Tennessee is what he needs to jolt himself back to normal, perhaps not.
But right now, the verdict is that Moss gives Tennessee legitimacy in their playoff push.
He's still one of the most talented wideouts in football, and the Titans could use his skills more than most teams could. In short, this move has the potential to put them over the top and into the playoffs.
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