Tom E. Curran reports Randy Moss is not disgruntled.
Moss is not disgruntled. I spoke with him for several minutes Monday night about the game, the number of routes he ran and the would-be touchdown pass that slipped off his fingertips.
He was more engaging than I'd ever seen him. And before the game, Moss gathered his teammates around him during the national anthem and screamed at them to focus on the game and not get caught up in the Monday night stage.
Bill Belichick explains yesterday how the offense could still be effective without Randy Moss catching a single pass.
"The passing game [Monday] night was the same way the passing game's been for the last 10 years," said Belichick. "You call a pass pattern, you have multiple receivers running in various routes. And based on the coverage and matchups, the quarterback decides where the best opportunity, leverage, space on the pattern is, and that's who he throws to. That's the way it always is, and that will never really change.
"You don't tell the quarterback to go back and throw the ball to this guy on this play, unless it's a screen pass. That's about the only one. Otherwise, you read the coverage out, you see where the defenders are, and you try to throw where there are fewer of them. That's the way it's been. That's the way it'll always be."
TEAM TALK
- Andy Hart breaks down the Randy Moss trade to the Vikings.
- Erik Scalavino updates us on the Patriots' schedule following the win over Miami, beginning with having Tuesday and Wednesday off.
- Ask PFW: Monday Night win, looming trade deadline.
- Patriots Today - Breaking down the Pats' win. (4.37 min. video)
- Locker Room Uncut - Reaction after win over the Fins. (3.57 min. video)
- WEEI Patriots Monday: Tom Brady (29 min. audio), Brandon Meriweather and Vince Wilfork (24.37 min. audio), Patrick Chung (7.49 min. audio) and Bill Belichick (33.25 min. audio).
- Bill Belichick Tuesday Conference Call (18.12 min. audio)
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss offers his first impressions on the Randy Moss trade, now a done deal.
- Ian Rapoport says it's final: New England has closed the Randy Moss chapter of their history.
- Pat Kirwan on WEEI: "No one's happier than the New York Jets. They know that their arch enemy is not the same team they were before."
- Christopher Price offers his take on the Randy Moss to Minnesota trade.
- Ian Rapoport and Karen Guregian report the Vikings and Patriots are in talks after Randy Moss asked for a trade following Week 1.
- Ian Rapoport updates us this morning on what else there is to know about the imminent Randy Moss trade.
- Monique Walker and Shalise Manza Young report the rumors that a Moss to the Vikings trade is close.
- Mike Reiss attempts to project what Bill Belichick might be thinking with the Moss to Vikes deal.
- Mike Reiss looks at what the Patriots would look like without Moss. For starters, they would be creating a huge void at receiver.
- Christopher Price lists three reasons why the Moss trade works and three reasons it doesn't.
- Michael Hurley says the Randy Moss trade is hard to understand and even harder to justify.
- ESPN's Chris Mortensen on WEEI says his sources tell him the Moss deal will go through today and that the Patriots weren't a Super Bowl-caliber team even with Randy.
- Gerry Callahan feels the pressure is on Belichick now more than ever, to have to come up with more game plans like he did for Miami, for this team to win.
- Mike Reiss mentions three bright spots not to be overlooked.
- Mike Reiss focuses on Pat Chung's unforgettable night.
- Chris Gasper writes special teams was the story of the game, but the defense did its part. They started to build confidence by finishing.
- Mike Rodak re-watches the Patriots-Dolphins game and offers his observations. First quarter, second quarter, third quarter and fourth quarter.
- Mike Reiss breaks down the blocked field goal attempt.
- Mike Reiss charts the Patriots pass protection.
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Dan Shaughnessy says the Patriots wild win in Miami will put off questions about Belichick and the young defense, forgetting everything that was wrong with the team before.
- Danny Picard offers some tidbits from Bill Belichick's Tuesday conference call, following Monday night's win over the Dolphins.
- WEEI Patriots Monday (on a Tuesday): Tom Brady, Vince Wilfork, Pat Chung and Bill Belichick.
- Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag.
- Shalise Manza Young answers her weekly reader mailbag.
- Monique Walker Patriots Notebook: Vince Wilfork was upset that the local beat writers all picked against the Pats to win Monday night; The coaches will use the bye week to examine what needs to be worked on and prepare for going forward; Jerod Mayo had 16 tackles and 1 pass defended in Miami.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Kevin Seifert (ESPN) Randy Moss: A steep risk-reward.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Moss trade would crush Pats' playoff odds, according to AccuScore.
- Kevin Seifert (ESPN) Good move: No new contract for Moss.
- Jay Glazer (Fox Sports) It's official: Vikes trade for Pats' Moss.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Welcome back, Randy. Breaking down the impact of Moss' return to Minnesota.
- Eric Edholm (Pro Football Weekly) Why Moss trade makes sense for Vikings.
- Clifton Brown ( Sporting News) Moss to Vikings: Minnesota goes 'all in'.
- Michael Lombardi (NFL.com)Vikings reacquire WR Moss in deal with Patriots.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Cris Carter: Randy Moss wants appreciation and extension.
- Brad Biggs (Nat'l Football Post) Randy Moss can play in 17 games this season.
- Tedy Bruschi (ESPN) Convincing rout on the road is a big accomplishment for a young Patriots team.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Belichick's talk primed Patriots to win.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Canton should be calling Patrick Chung.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) AFC East high energy Player of the Week. Rob Ninkovich.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) AFC East Week 4 decisive moment.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Checking the next quarter of AFC East slate.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB Tuesday Edition - Rams are getting defensive with Steve Spagnuolo's attacking style.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets soar in latest Power Rankings.
- Don Banks (SI) Snap judgments: Mediocrity abounds in the young season; and more.