Randy Moss: Should the New England Patriots Bring Him Back?

It was after another Patriots three-and-out, about halfway through the second quarter of last Sunday's Jets game, when my Patriots-junkie sister uttered the "R" word.

Yes, R as in Randy. Randy Moss.

"What do you think about bringing Randy back?" she asked.

My niece, usually reserved about football matters, enthusiastically endorsed the idea.

This admittedly infinitesimal sample of Pats fans got me to wondering: How many other people out there feel the same way?

So, in the slides that follow, I'm presenting the major factors the Patriots would have to consider in deciding whether or not to bring back to Foxboro one of the greatest wide receivers in the history of the game.

Read, evaluate–then you be the judge.

1. There Appear to Be No Answers Defensively

Patriots defensive backs have been going down faster than pins in a bowling alley, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of help out there among free agents or from other teams' practice squads.

Things are so bad that diminutive wideout Julian Edelman played Sunday as a defensive back.

Despite their 6-3 record, the Patriots are still last in passing yards allowed, being the only NFL team to allow opposing QBs to torch them for more than 300 yards per game. To their credit, they are in the middle of the pack (16th) in scoring defense, which does give them a good chance to win shootouts.

However, their remaining schedule is deceptively easy and may mask problems that will certainly be exposed in the playoffs.

Let's not be lulled by the win against the Jets. In the playoffs, the Patriots defense will go up against strong quarterbacks.

I just don't think the likes of Jeff Tarpinian, Antuan Molden and Sterling Moore are causing Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees to lose any sleep.

Furthermore…

2. Soft Schedule Will Mask Big Weaknesses That Will Be Exploited in the Playoffs

Starting Monday night against Kansas City, New England will play six consecutive games against teams with losing records.

And, if Michael Vick's ribs don't allow him to play when the Patriots visit the Eagles on November 27, they will face six backup QBs in a row.

This level of mediocrity may result in a slew of Patriots victories, but it also may well mask serious deficiencies that good teams will exploit in the playoffs.

It's not just how well the New England offense fares against good defenses; look at how the Pats defense has wilted against decent QB play, such as that provided by Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning.

3. The Answer to the Defensive Problem Is to Outscore the Opponent

If New England had a true outside threat, defensive backs would not be able to focus on Welker and the tight ends as they do now. 

Think of the two recent losses to the Steelers and the Giants. Both teams feature pretty good quarterback play, and their defenses rushed the passer well. Combine that pass rush with strong man-to-man coverage in the secondary, and you have a formula for beating Tom Brady and the Patriots.

However, if New England had someone who was a realistic over-the-top threat, the league's second-ranked offense could become a true juggernaut.

Some armchair tacticians will say that no deep threat receiver can help in situations where pressure comes quickly.

The reality is that Brady is one of the best QBs in the league when it comes to reading the blitz. If he had a deep threat he would take advantage of that one-on-one coverage every time.

Good teams get pressure on Brady now because they are not afraid to blitz. They are confident that they won’t get burned deep by the current crop of wide receivers.

Even if Randy Moss is the decoy nine times out of 10, the impact of having him on the field will reduce the pressure on Tom Brady. Perhaps more importantly, opposing defenses will not be able to double-team Wes Welker as often.

4. The Next Question Becomes: Can Moss Become the Man Again?

He is only 34 years old, chances are that he's still in decent shape and he is certainly not an injury risk like Terrell Owens.

Moss has played 202 games over 13 seasons. He has 954 catches for 14,858 yards and 153 touchdowns.

Doubters say, "This isn't 2007; it's 2011."

Granted, his 2010 stats were nothing to brag about: 28 catches for 293 yards and five touchdowns combined for the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans.

Supporters point to 2009, when Moss racked up 83 receptions for 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns. Those stats suggest that Moss' attitude, and not declining skills, caused the big drop off in production in 2010.

Skeptics also point out that he hasn't played or practiced team football since leaving the Titans. Others (to include Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald) don't think he has enough left in the tank to make a difference. 

Karen argues that by the time he left New England, he had lost his separation skills and was no longer a deep threat: "In his last four games with the Pats, he caught nine passes," she wrote. (In fairness, she added that three of those were TDs.)

But wasn't it Moss whom Revis was chasing when the cornerback tweaked his hamstring last September? As Nate Davis of USA Today put it:

"

All-pro CB Darrelle Revis' injured hamstring tightened up yesterday just when he needed it most—while Patriots WR Randy Moss was gliding by him for a 34-yard TD catch near the end of the first half. Moss looked more like a center fielder than a wideout while hauling in the ball with his extended right hand as he strode through the back of the end zone.

"

And, when Moss went to the Vikings, he did burn Cromartie for a 40-yard TD in his first game. 

5. Can Randy Moss Overcome His Moodiness and Be Effective, Even for Half a Year?

This is, of course, the great imponderable. Moss has a reputation for giving up when teams don’t use him the way he would like to be used. There is also some evidence to suggest that Brady was forcing the ball to Moss toward the end of Randy’s tenure in New England.

One could ask, “Was Tom trying to keep Randy happy, even subconsciously?"

That’s obviously not a good situation, but there are three reasons to suggest he might pull it together enough to make a difference and go out on top:

• Randy has one major hole in his resumé: he has never won a championship. This one goal—to win a Super Bowl ring—might be enough to keep him on the straight and narrow.
• Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports reports that Moss is getting calls from teams interested in signing him, but he's only willing to join a team with a winning record and a solid quarterback.
• New England is the place where he has the best chance of achieving that goal. He knows the system, and there is a connection with Tom Brady that would take too long to develop elsewhere. 

Just as importantly…

6. Randy Moss Has Made No Secret of His Desire to Come Back to New England.

If there's one consistent theme to his recent odyssey, it's that he wants the Pats to take him back. According to several different reporters, he has told his former teammates that the Patriots are the only team he really wants to play for. 

Who can forget his admittedly bizarre press conference last year at Gillette Stadium after the Vikings lost to the Patriots 28-18? 

Moss publicly chided Vikings coach Brad Childress for not listening to Randy's suggestions about how to game-plan for the Patriots.

"I know how hard these guys work here in New England, and the only thing that I really tried to do was take what the best coach in football history has brought upon me, or the knowledge that he has given me about the game of football, and I try to just sprinkle it off to the guys the best way I know how," Moss said.

"I don't know how many more times I'll be in New England again. But I leave coach Belichick and those guys with a salute: 'I love you guys. I miss you. I'm out.'"

One day later Childress announced that Moss had been released. 

Last August, in a less-publicized move, Moss flew up to New England to personally express his condolences to Robert Kraft on the death of his wife Myra.

Vince Wilfork says that Randy still thinks of himself as a "member of the Patriot family," wrote Peter King in his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback for Sports Illustrated.

7. Would Bill Belichick Make the Call to Moss?

Some people seem to think that Belichick would never call Moss, because that would be to acknowledge that the Patriots made a mistake by letting him go in the first place.

This is not a pride issue, or an ego issue. It's a football issue, and from his track record Belichick will do whatever he thinks is best for the football team. (OK, I know that some of his moves with defensive backs this year seem to defy logic, but let's go with the overall body of work.)

Remember Deion Branch, who left after a fairly bitter contract dispute?

He's back.

And how about Ty Law? Belichick tried to re-sign him even after Law called the coach a liar.

Most recently, what about releasing Albert Haynesworth? Belichick would not have released him, thus acknowledging another mistake, if his primary motivation was ego or pride.

Mike Florio of NBC Sports picked up on a recent comment by Peter King of Sports Illustrated. King reminded listeners that Moss had "not burned his bridge back to Foxborough".

According to Shalise Manza-Young of the Providence Journal, during the 2009 Patriots bye week Belichick stated that Moss "is the smartest receiver he's ever been around."

He's still smart.

So, What's the Conclusion?

The Patriots do need what the 2009 Randy Moss brought to the table.

Tiquan Underwood, the receiver signed and waived last week, certainly is not the answer.

But can the 2011 version of Randy Moss do the job?

Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald doesn't think so. 

"The offense needs a speed guy who has Brady’s trust and gains the attention of the defense. That used to be Moss," she writes. "It’s just hard to believe after what we witnessed last season, and after all this time of inactivity, he’d be that guy again."

Hey, "that guy" holds 19 NFL receiving records, and he's only a season and a half removed from a superstar year. He's not an injury risk, and the feeling here is that Moss would likely make a good team (read "Patriots") better for the balance of their 2011/12 championship run.

When Haynesworth was traded to New England, pundits commented on how that was a "low-risk, high-reward, Randy Moss-type of move."

Why not make another low-risk, high-reward, Randy Moss-type of move–this time with Randy Moss? 

From Randy's side, he's going to have to acknowledge the doubts about his skills and his attitude, and forget about the pro-rated $10 million annual contract he's been talking about. If he's willing to come in with a minimum guaranteed base contract, laden with incentives, the Patriots should give him a shot.