Gathered to catch Moss

Large media contingent on hand as Patriots receiver is off and running for first time

June 01, 2007|Mike Reiss, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH -- On the day he was traded to the Patriots in April, receiver Randy Moss promised people would see him do things they had never witnessed.

"And when it does happen," he said, "don't say I didn't tell you."

Yesterday, Moss had the first chance to start delivering on that promise.

As part of their 14 allotted days of organized team activities in the offseason, the Patriots held a passing camp on the slippery, wet practice fields behind Gillette Stadium. It was the first time cameras had the chance to snap pictures of Moss with his new Patriots teammates, and the interest was hard to miss.

It was all Randy, all the time.

With 17 television camera operators in attendance -- including crews from ESPN and NFL Network -- and 50 media members, Moss was seemingly followed with every step during the team's two-hour practice. Wearing a temporary No. 6 white jersey, blue shorts, and gloves, Moss continued integrating himself into the team's passing game.

During 11-on-11 drills near the end of the session, he was on the receiving end of a long touchdown toss that highlighted his big-play ability.

Lined up as an outside receiver to quarterback Tom Brady's left, Moss sprinted down the left sideline against the one-on-one coverage of cornerback Tory James. Brady lofted a high arcing pass that Moss -- expertly using his 6-foot-4-inch, 210-pound frame to shield off James -- hauled in at the goal line without breaking stride.

Touchdown.

Moss wasn't as happy with the result on a pass play earlier in the drill. Running down the right sideline against rookie cornerback Mike Richardson, he couldn't corral a pass from backup quarterback Matt Cassel. At around the same time the ball arrived, safety Rashad Baker couldn't pull up in time and inadvertently knocked Moss to the ground.

On another more subtle play, Moss sprinted down the sideline, holding the safety long enough for Brady to zip a shorter pass to tight end Kyle Brady underneath the coverage. It was an example of how Moss's presence could open up opportunities for others.

How to judge Moss's performance?

Considering that the calendar was about to turn to June, the workout was held without pads, and no contact was allowed, a definitive conclusion would be football's version of the blatant false start.

But those who have questioned Moss's competitiveness might have been interested in a route running drill early in practice. Moss attempted to cut to the inside, but slipped on the wet field. He then pounded the ground, yelled, and returned to the drill, visibly unhappy. Earlier, Moss had been upset with himself after failing to catch a pass in the back corner of the end zone.