Patriots notebook

He'll cover him like moss

Asomugha draws familiar opponent

Kevin O'Connell gets in some extra work with starter Matt Cassel away from the team following the death of his father. (Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)

By Christopher L. Gasper

Globe Staff / December 11, 2008

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sunday's game won't be the first time that Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha goes one on one against Randy Moss.

After Moss joined the Raiders in 2005, he mentored Asomugha, who has become so gifted at covering receivers that teams don't often attempt to throw in his direction. Their battles in practice gave the NFL's cover man nonpareil confidence.

"Well, he helped me a lot with confidence because I would do some good things," said Asomugha. "I have size and I have longer arms and long speed . . . He would tell me that receivers hate that type of stuff. They don't like guys that have the attributes that I have and, if I could continue to use them, I could be pretty special.

"Now, this was in 2005 when I had just moved from safety. I wasn't really that sure of myself. But hearing things like that from a guy like Moss, who had already been in the league, tearing it up, it helped me a lot with my confidence. I'm like, 'If Moss is telling me this stuff, then I've got a chance.' "

Asomugha might try to use some of the tricks Moss taught him against his former teammate.

"He would help me out with different ways to play coverages that receivers hate to go against, just different nuances that can get under a receiver's skin," said Asomugha. "I've always kept those things in my pocket and have been grateful to him for that."

Asomugha said he's not surprised that Moss has been rejuvenated by playing for the Patriots after two fruitless and frustrating seasons in Oakland.

"He would let me know that it wasn't over for him," said Asomugha. "He would let me know that this is just a road stop in his career. He knew that he would have fun again, and he would be happy again. He would be in an offense that he liked and he would be around a team and a group of players that were as committed to winning as he was.

"It kind of hurt him while he was here to see some of the things that were going on, and you would see maybe a lack of production from him. But he was frustrated and everybody deals with their frustration in different ways. I'm not shocked at all that he's been able to do what he's done, and I've cheered him on since he's been with New England just because I knew the type of player he was. I knew the heart he had."

Like Moss, Asomugha, who in his six seasons with the Raiders has not been a part of a team that didn't have double-digit defeats, knows he might have to run a go route out of Oakland to be happy. After the Raiders suffered a 34-7 loss to the Chargers last Thursday, Asomugha took issue with teammates laughing and joking in the locker room afterward.

"I don't know where and I don't know when, but I think that I have enough resiliency within myself to make sure that I'm happy, because it's obvious that I'm not happy," said Asomugha, who is eligible for free agency this offseason but will likely have the franchise tag slapped on him again. "At some point, success will happen for me."

Jordan returns

The last time LaMont Jordan returned to the Bay Area to play a game he suffered a right calf strain in the Patriots' 30-21 win over the 49ers Oct. 5. That injury kept him out for eight games, until he returned last Sunday against the Seahawks, carrying the ball four times for 18 yards.

"I knew I was going to get back, it was just a matter of when," said Jordan. "It took a lot longer than I would have hoped for. I'm back out here now, and I'm healthy and it feels good to be able to play football again."

Jordan didn't say much about his time with the Raiders, who granted him a contentious release in July, but he did address the reception he's expecting from Raiders fans.

"I'm sure when I go into the Coliseum I'm going to hear a lot of boos, but if I hear those boos that means that obviously my teammates and I are doing something right," said Jordan, who spent three seasons in Oakland.

"I'd rather hear the crowd boo than hearing them cheering me doing something wrong. I'm looking forward to getting back in the Coliseum. I've said it before, before I even became a Raider, that playing in the Coliseum, it was my favorite place to play just because of the atmosphere and the fans. I was once hated and then I was loved, and I'm sure I'm hated now, so it's going to be good to get back out there and play in the Coliseum again."

Not all bad news

You wouldn't know it by the lengthy practice report the Patriots had to put out yesterday, but there was some good news on the health front. Both nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who left the Seattle game with a shoulder injury, and defensive end Ty Warren, who missed his second straight game with a groin injury, were able to practice, albeit on a limited basis. On the flip side, safety James Sanders, now listed with an abdomen injury, and linebacker Pierre Woods (jaw) did not practice. The team also got back outside linebacker Vince Redd, who missed last week's game with an ankle injury, and wide receiver Kelley Washington (thigh). They were joined practicing on a limited basis by linebacker Mike Vrabel, a new addition to the report with a neck injury, cornerback Ellis Hobbs (shoulder), running back Kevin Faulk (not injury-related), and Moss (not injury-related) . . . In an unusual step, coach Bill Belichick announced before practice that Tedy Bruschi would not participate. Bruschi, who was sent back to Massachusetts for tests on his left knee, is still not with the team. Linebacker Junior Seau said he has tried to reach Bruschi via text message, but has not spoken to him about the injury. "It's disappointing for us, and for he and his family," said Seau. "So, it's part of the game. If anyone knows better it's Tedy, and I'm pretty sure he's pulling for us." . . . With quarterback Matt Cassel in Southern California dealing with the death of his father, rookie Kevin O'Connell took the snaps with the first team.

Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com.