How to defend Randy Moss...or not.

by lancelotlink on Dec 17, 2007 10:22 PM EST

I've been thinking about this since the first Dolphins/Pats game. Looking back on the two deep balls that Moss caught for TD's, it seemed that our d-backs were actually in pretty good position. It's just that Moss is so damn strong and talented that he simply outleaps, outmuscles, and outcatches everyone around him. The other Pats WRs are relatively human, so it is Moss that always draws the double-team, and yet he still catches the ball. He even caught one TD against us with his friggin' elbow.

He's probably going to catch it anyway, so why not modify the philosophy when defending Moss? When you have a truly special player out there, you have to develop a truly special plan.

(Dramatic Pause - music swells to a crescendo)

Here's mine:

Moss is going to draw the double-team anyway, so you divide the assignments into a "ball guy" and a "body guy". The "ball guy" plays traditional coverage and tries to defend the pass. The "body guy" basically tries to time out his hit and smack Moss when the ball arrives. Call it the "Hack-a-Randy" or something like that. He's going to get his catches no matter what so you might as well make him pay for it. He's a strong guy and a freakishly-talented athlete, but maybe you wear him down a bit, or get him angry, or at least put the thought in his head that maybe the game just isn't that fun anymore.

I remember in the Pats first SB victory against the Rams that this is what they did against Marshall Faulk. Crennel figured that he was their most special and talented player (and rightly so). Well, anytime he made a move across the line of scrimmage, with or without the ball, someone was there to hit him in the mouth...usually Willie McGinest. Faulk got his yards, but he was so beat up that he couldn't be the usual difference-maker that the Rams relied upon so heavily. We all know how that game turned out.

Just thinkin'.

Go Dolphins.

P.S. Anybody know where I can find a Greg Camarillo gamer?

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I think you're right that some form of muscling up on him is the way to go. You're obviously not going to out-speed him, so you try to hit him in the mouth as much as possible. I'd almost line up a safety over him, with a CB back a few yards. The safety's job is to knock Randy on his ass at the line of scrimmage, then drop back to his normal position (or hang around and hit him again if he catches the ball); the CB picks up coverage once Moss finally gets into his route. If Moss is not going out but just blocking or a decoy, fine. The safety still knocks him on his ass. Use a linebacker of the safety can't get the job done.

Just a crazy thought. Anyway, some form of beating him up does seem like the way to go. Disrupting Brady in the pocket would be nice, too.

by urbino on Dec 17, 2007 11:05 PM EST reply actions

You know what?

The NFL is a league in which secrets are few and far in between.

Randy Moss has been in the league what, 10 years or so, and everybody knows the book on him. Except, being a great player, you may know the book on him, you may know exactly what you need to do, but doing it and stopping him? Now that's another story.

And really, that's what makes players great. You may know their weaknesses but more often than not, you still can't stop them.

Everybody in the NFL knew that Marino had almost no mobility in the pocket, yet he was rarely sacked. Teams knew what to do, but Marino beat them at it anyway.

by Natalya on Dec 17, 2007 11:17 PM EST reply actions

exactly

I believe the book on Moss is to double him and jam him at the line. Get him frustrated early and hope he takes himself out of the game. Historically it's worked, but this year Brady has so much that when moss is doubled he picks apart the other guys.

I believe their ownly hope is to match up man to man and blitz the house. Man blitz has worked with baltimore and philly. Brady has picked apart the zone blitz (see pitt game). Then remember that this is ultimatly a meaningless game for NE.

So hitting Brady hard and often will lead to his removal (can't see him playing more then a half if Miami is getting pressure), and that is the best way to defend Moss.

by W NY Fins Fan on Dec 17, 2007 11:32 PM EST up reply actions

Disagree on Marino

Danny had terrific mobility in the pocket. I've never seen anybody better at making small movements in the pocket that bought enough time to complete a play.

His mobility problem was when he got out of the pocket.

by urbino on Dec 18, 2007 5:23 PM EST up reply actions

Mea Culpa...

but it was a typo....out of the pocket, rather than in. :)

Regardless, after his first few seasons, Marino could barely run, yet rarely got sacked thanks to pocket presence, quick release, and having good enough footwork to move in tight spots while under pressure.

by Natalya on Dec 18, 2007 5:33 PM EST up reply actions

and in keeping a positive theme

I'm almost positive Capers won't do this.

by W NY Fins Fan on Dec 17, 2007 11:33 PM EST reply actions

LOL

what, you say just almost? Are you admitting there is actually some small chance that capers does do that kind of blitzing?

by Natalya on Dec 18, 2007 12:18 AM EST up reply actions

who knows

Capers might still be hung over from the drunken euphoria following the win that someone else has to call the game for him? Mularkey maybe, since he can kill any offense.

by W NY Fins Fan on Dec 18, 2007 12:35 AM EST up reply actions

I agree there are no secrets.

And that is what makes Moss such a special talent. I don't think you can jam him at the line of scrimmage. It's been tried before, and failed.

No, I'm talking about those moments when the ball is in the air. Moss is timing his jump while two other mere mortals are thinking, "Hey, this time I'm gonna catch it!" Instead, if I'm the DC for a day, one of the DBs goes up for the ball while the other one..oh, I don't know, say...hits him in the nuts! Or punches him in the spleen, but in a clean within-the-rules football sort of way. Use your imagination. Take the pass interference penalty if you have to, I mean what's the difference between that and him catching the ball. The point is to get him thinking about what's going to happen the next time...maybe you just get him mad and try to pull him out of his game. You just can't match up talent-wise, so get creative.

I also agree with WNYFF that the same applies to Brady. Hit him hard, hit him often, hit him late if you have to. We know this works from past experiences. In fact, in spite of their recent successes, I still believe that Brady's scrotum gets a little nauseous every time he thinks of Jason Taylor...and not in a good way.

Go Dolphins.

by lancelotlink on Dec 18, 2007 12:36 AM EST reply actions

On the first play from scrimmage,

kick him in the nuts... really hard.

Take the personal foul, then do it again when he comes back in the game.

by LeftCoastFinFan on Dec 18, 2007 3:27 PM EST reply actions

Hopefully,,,

we'll resurrect that classic old 'stuff Tom Brady's face in the turf' action. That is a good neutralizer for Moss. ;)

by OntheGo on Dec 18, 2007 7:40 PM EST reply actions

heck yeah!

don't forget the 4-12 season when we rattled Brady on Monday night. When he gets pissed he makes mistakes. :)

Oh, and we did that with another lemon at QB, named feeley... remember?

by LeftCoastFinFan on Dec 18, 2007 8:32 PM EST up reply actions

I've always worried about...

...Miami playing NE no matter what the record. NE has traditionally had trouble with the Dolphins for any number of reasons. With that said...

Brady will try Moss early and long for a quick strike. If that fails, Moss does a great job of drawing coverage as most every defense will double team him; leave him with one DB and forget it. While Moss is drawing coverage, Brady will go to Stallworth for longer passes; he's a great post catch runner (almost like an RB once he has the ball). Welker (thanks for sending him North!!) is our chain mover and extremely quick on his feet (I don't need to tell you that). IMO, he's been one of the most productive WR's for NE not just in terms of stats but making plays when he needs to.

Weather for Sunday's game in Foxboro, MA looks a little rainy, but nothing like the snow storm and sleet we had for the Jets game.

by MaPatsFan on Dec 18, 2007 9:14 PM EST reply actions

yep... gotta love welker

i think that in spite of the WRs, if our d-line picks it up, they can limit Brady's effectiveness. he needs a few more picks to go with all those TDs. :)

by LeftCoastFinFan on Dec 18, 2007 9:29 PM EST up reply actions