Moss: 'We have our work cut out'
Randy Moss, speaking on a conference call this afternoon, said he believes the Patriots will succeed without Tom Brady, but admitted that it doesn't make the star quarterback's season-ending knee injury any easier to accept.
"Well, it's gonna hurt," said Moss, who noted that an "upbeat" Brady was in the locker room this afternoon. "We know we actually have to move forward, but that's hard to say and hard to do when you're talking about a player and team leader such as Tom. But like we said, 'The show must go on.'
"With him gone for the season, we players and the coaches have to step it up a notch, go the extra notch, go to the extra level . . . everybody else is going to have to work a little more and give a little more."
Moss said he realizes the Patriots' margin for error won't be what it was a season ago, when Brady threw a record 50 touchdown passes. The 11th-year receiver, who was on the receiving end of a record 23 of those TD passes, knows that much of the additional burden will fall on him, and said he's up to the challenge.
"The best way I can help is to go out and do my job," Moss said. "That consists of doing things a little harder, a little quicker, a little faster. I'm not going to let something like this get me down. We still have a lotta, lotta, lotta football to play.
"The best thing I can do is do my job, go out and catch the football, and score touchdowns. That’s what I’m going to continue to do. I’m not going to let anything slow me down."
First, though, Moss said it's imperative that he finds "a comfort level" with Brady's replacement, four-year veteran Matt Cassell, who will be making his first start since high school Sunday against the New York Jets.
"I haven't really had a chance to work with him or with him working with first team, because I was working with Tom," said Moss. "He hasn't experienced much . . . in the preseason, or in regular season when the bullets are live.
"[But] our organization and team is behind Matt Cassel. He's our quarterback now, and it's up to him to go out and make things happen."
There is a general perception that the Patriots will simplify their offense for the young quarterback, whom Moss said has "great upside," but the receiver said that's not necessarily the case.
"I'm not sure if this offense can be conservative," Moss said. "We can score in many ways. We can hit you with the run, with the drop back, with play-action, whatever it may be. I don’t really know what our goal is. I just know we’re going to go out and try to win games. If that consists of changing the way we call plays, or not changing, that’s what it’s going to be. Right now, we have a game plan, and we're not slowing down."
When asked if he was impressed with Cassel's poise Sunday, when he completed 13 of 18 passes for 152 yards in a 17-10 win, Moss said he was proud of the way the entire team responded after Brady's injury midway through the first quarter.
"In something of that magnitude, it was like taking the helium out of balloon when Tom went down," Moss said. "It got very quiet [on the field], and we all had the deer-in-the-headlight eyes, like, 'Is this really happening?' But we pulled together when Tom limped off and did what we were supposed to do."
Moss offered a word of warning to those who don't think the Patriots can continue to win without Brady.
"When you say the New England Patriots football team isn't going to be what it's supposed to be, it's something that is going to motivate us to try to make things happen."
As to whether the Jets are the new favorites in the AFC East?
"I think the New England Patriots have won the division over the last couple of years, so the New England Patriots are the team to beat," Moss said. "Tom was big, big, big component to make the offense move, and with him gone, we have to find other ways to make the offense move.
"But we're the team to beat, and we'll see what happens."
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Wait a minute, Tom was IN the locker room today? This dude doesn't know the meaning of the word quit.
Wait a minute, Tom was IN the locker room today? This dude doesn't know the meaning of the word quit.
moss is boss
I wouldn't want to be a QB in the Pat's path this year. no thanks.
Hahahahahahaha. We'll see what Moss has to say after a few weeks of not getting many balls thrown his way. My $100 says that the real Randy Moss shows up. He'll piss and moan, start dogging his routes and end up being the same clubhouse cancer that he was in Oakland.
My god, you make it sound as if he had his leg severed in a car accident. Its a tear, not life threatening.
Matt Cassell is taking over a great team. No problem. He doesn't need to throw 50 TD passes, all he has to do is throw easy screen passes the way Tom use to before last year. Remember, the Patriots of last year was not typical.... they can easily go back to 'defense wins championships' and win a 4th.
Relax folks. This is exactly what happened to us 8 years ago when Brady showed up. He wasn't stellar, throwing 50 td's a season. He was average at best, and simply did what he was told — don't go out there and win the game, but don't lose it. And he did it with a far inferior team to what we have now. Just play your role.
Moss summed it up well. There's 50 some-odd other guys on the team, and they're not about to fold up the tent. Go Pats!
"Wait a minute, Tom was IN the locker room today? This dude doesn't know the meaning of the word quit."
He visits the locker room to probably see the doctors and clean out his locker and you act as if he was runnin' a two minute offense on crutches.......
woof......
Hahahahahahaha. We'll see what Moss has to say after a few weeks of not getting many balls thrown his way. My $100 says that the real Randy Moss shows up. He'll piss and moan, start dogging his routes and end up being the same clubhouse cancer that he was in Oakland.
Oakland.....that is funny. Ask Domonic Rhodes or Lamont Jordan what it is like to play in Oakland. I would rather play for a CFL team. I watched Moss in MN and he only started doggin it when he went to that garbage dump (Oakland) you calla city.
Cant blame Moss.
Hahahahahahaha. We'll see what Moss has to say after a few weeks of not getting many balls thrown his way. My $100 says that the real Randy Moss shows up. He'll piss and moan, start dogging his routes and end up being the same clubhouse cancer that he was in Oakland.
Oakland.....that is funny. Ask Domonic Rhodes or Lamont Jordan what it is like to play in Oakland. I would rather play for a CFL team. I watched Moss in MN and he only started doggin it when he went to that garbage dump (Oakland) you calla city.
Cant blame Moss.
Hahahahahahaha. We'll see what Moss has to say after a few weeks of not getting many balls thrown his way. My $100 says that the real Randy Moss shows up. He'll piss and moan, start dogging his routes and end up being the same clubhouse cancer that he was in Oakland.
as if a loser like 'rob' knows anything about randy moss. people like 'rob' are typical of internet a-holes with nothing positive to say about anything.
GO Pats!!! Bill will make it work i have faith
my only concern is why did they chose to throw the ball that much when they had 3 R.B's? does it make sense when your Q.B is having issues with his legs to do it as they did. the play book on this day against K.C was suspect and i guestion it. as for the team it's back to basics and allow Cassel to pick the strenghts of his offense and please run the ball. he can run and throw so, no selfishness but remember TEAM. will they win as many games my idea is one game at a time, we got spoiled but if there's a TEAM that knows how to handle pressure we looking at it. please Belichick and offensive coordinator don't rush to lighting up the score a win is a win. as for the defense man oh man age is playing big part as they run the ball and allow that unit to relax at times things will be fine as they can't score as much neither.
the play calling on this day was suspect, they knew Brady was not 100 % and they have 3 R.B's why not run the ball to take off the pressure or they just got greedy to light up the score board! i hope they allow Cassel to run the offense without too much excitement from the offensive coordinator and Belichick, back to the basics manage the game the rest will fall to place. the defense's age is showing so now the running game has to be present, allow the defense to rest when need be as they won't be able to score as much. that is encouraging to hear Brady was in the locker room and offered his troops hope that they still have their the season in check as long as they want to, if there's a Team that can handle pressure, we looking at it. one game at a time Lets Go TEAM.
They were throwing because they are really really good at it AND KC isn't an intimidating pass D. On the Throw that Killed the Dream, Moss was all alone to catch a 28 yarder (forget that he dropped it). Moss and Cassell hooked up for that 50 yd bomb out of the end zone.
Why wouldn't they throw? Because Brady might get hurt? That's football.
My condolences for Brady's injury. Its not easy to see any player sustain a season ending injury - especially a star like Brady. I wish him a speedy recovery, good to hear he visited the team without crutches.
I routed for a #12 hometown quarterback as a kid & I assumed he'd stay healthy and be around forever too but these guys get hurt and go at it again.
Looking forward to a competitive game @ Gillette on Nov 30.
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