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NFL INSIDER
Raiders coach still sees Moss as team's 'X' factor
By Charean Williams
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Yes, Lane Kiffin admits, he called Randy Moss a day after he was hired by the Oakland Raiders. But, no, Kiffin says, he wasn't called any names by Moss.
Instead, Kiffin characterized his 15-minute phone call with Moss as "good."
Despite trade talk involving Moss, Kiffin said he expects the five-time Pro Bowler to be with the Raiders next season. In fact, he's counting on it.
Kiffin will play Moss at the "X," which is opposite the tight end. It's the position Moss played in Minnesota when he averaged 82 catches for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns in seven seasons. It's also the position that Kiffin used at USC to turn Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett into NFL prospects.
In two seasons since being traded to Oakland, Moss has made 102 catches for 1,558 yards and 11 touchdowns.
"With Randy you go all the way back to how exciting he was at Minnesota,"
Kiffin said during the AFC Coaches' Breakfast at the owners meetings last week. "He was playing fast, because it seemed like he was into it. Whether that was because they were winning or they were scoring a lot, whatever that was, it was a different player than what you saw because of how frustrated he was [in Oakland]."
T.O. due for better year
Terrell Owens had an interesting first season in Dallas.
He led the league in receiving touchdowns with 13. He also led the league in dropped passes, with 17. He had an accidental overdose. He argued with former receivers coach Todd Haley. He admitted sleeping in meetings. He was fined $9,500 for missing a team meeting and a rehab session and for being late to an offensive meeting. He broke his right ring finger, which has required two surgeries.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expects the second season to be better, minus the hoopla.
"We've got every reason to think that Terrell can have a better year,"
Jones said. "He started off with a hamstring injury [in training camp], and then he had the issue with his hand. I don't know that it can be any more turbulent than it was last year, so I think it's logical to think we can have a better year there without some of the circus atmosphere.
"I don't think that's being too optimistic; I think that's logical."
Commanders on the move?
The Commanders just can't sit still. They have the sixth overall spot, which would allow them to draft a top player such as Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams.
But Joe Gibbs admitted last week the Commanders have had trade discussions with three teams for their first-round choice. Two of the deals involved moving up in the draft, presumably to leapfrog the Bucs for Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson. The other involved trading the No. 6 spot for disgruntled Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.
"For every [trade] that you get, five don't make it," Gibbs said last week at the NFC Coaches' Breakfast. "Obviously, we have discussed some things there. I think both teams would have to sit back and take a long hard look at it, and say, 'Does it really fit?' It's one thing to have a conversation and throw something out there. It's another thing to actually get down to: Are you willing to do it?
"What I'm looking for is the best way to help our football team."
MY FIVE CENTS
1 Although it has been reported and speculated that Tennessee Titans cornerback Pacman Jones, right, will get a year suspension for his 10 run-ins with the law, a source with the Titans said the team doesn't expect Jones to be given more than an eight-game suspension.
2 Donovan McNabb is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation of the anterior cruciate ligament he tore in November, but coach Andy Reid said it will be close as to whether McNabb returns for the start of training camp. Reid, though, has no concerns about McNabb's health, even though major injuries have interrupted the quarterback's season in three of the past five years.
3 The Kansas City Chiefs' starting quarterback job is Brodie Croyle's to lose, though Damon Huard will compete for it. Croyle was drafted in the third round last year to be the team's future, and Herman Edwards said the Chiefs just have to make sure Croyle gets enough reps so they can find out for sure if he's ready for the present.
4 A big reason the Houston Texans settled on Matt Schaub as their starting quarterback was because of Schaub's leadership skills. David Carr's biggest deficiency was his lack of leadership on a team that desperately needed it.
5 Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino says second-year defensive back Jimmy Williams will enter the team's first minicamp in April as the starting right cornerback. That opens up the possibility that Atlanta could choose LSU safety LaRon Landry with the No. 8 overall choice.
WHO'S HOT
Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin: In his first big dealing with the national media, Kiffin impressed. He is young -- 31 -- and looks younger. But so far, he has handled himself like the old veteran that his father, Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, is.
WHO'S NOT
Georgia DE Quentin Moses: Moses was one of the top prospects heading into his senior season, but he did little to impress last season and then fared poorly at the Senior Bowl. He weighed in at 257 pounds at the combine, has run 40 times of 4.7 and benched pressed 225 pounds only 17 times. He likely won't be a first-round pick.
THE NUMBER
1985 The last time the New York Jets played a Thanksgiving Day game, which they will again this year with a visit to Texas Stadium. The Jets lost to the Detroit Lions 31-20 in 1985 at the Silverdome.
THE BLITZ
The myth was started by Buffalo Bills coach Dick Jauron, who told reporters that Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson had run a 4.35 in borrowed shoes. As it turns out, Johnson used his own shoes to impress scouts at the combine. Johnson recently cleared up the story: He was not going to run at the combine, so he allowed East Carolina quarterback James Pinkney, who was wearing only tennis shoes, to borrow his size 15 cleats. Johnson then decided to run, and took the cleats back from Pinkney after the quarterback ran.
Former Raiders quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo signed a one-year deal worth $595,000, the veterans' minimum, with the Jets. He probably will be the Jets' third quarterback, behind Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens.
USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett, above, ran a 4.60 at the school's Pro Day. It was the first time he had run for scouts, having skipped the running portion of the combine with a minor groin injury. He also had a 36 1/2 -inch vertical jump. Jarrett still is expected to be a first-round pick.
Miami Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare wants his release and has offered to return a $250,000 roster bonus if the team will accommodate him, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The Dolphins are trying to trade Mare, who led the league with 24 touchbacks but had a career-low 72.2 field-goal percentage, after signing former Giants kicker Jay Feely.
Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said Arizona's base defense will remain the 4-3, but the Cardinals will incorporate some elements of the 3-4. "I think you'll see a couple of different fronts, a couple of different packages off the blitzes that will help keep people on their toes," Whisenhunt said.
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760 cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
Raiders coach still sees Moss as team's 'X' factor
By Charean Williams
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Yes, Lane Kiffin admits, he called Randy Moss a day after he was hired by the Oakland Raiders. But, no, Kiffin says, he wasn't called any names by Moss.
Instead, Kiffin characterized his 15-minute phone call with Moss as "good."
Despite trade talk involving Moss, Kiffin said he expects the five-time Pro Bowler to be with the Raiders next season. In fact, he's counting on it.
Kiffin will play Moss at the "X," which is opposite the tight end. It's the position Moss played in Minnesota when he averaged 82 catches for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns in seven seasons. It's also the position that Kiffin used at USC to turn Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett into NFL prospects.
In two seasons since being traded to Oakland, Moss has made 102 catches for 1,558 yards and 11 touchdowns.
"With Randy you go all the way back to how exciting he was at Minnesota,"
Kiffin said during the AFC Coaches' Breakfast at the owners meetings last week. "He was playing fast, because it seemed like he was into it. Whether that was because they were winning or they were scoring a lot, whatever that was, it was a different player than what you saw because of how frustrated he was [in Oakland]."
T.O. due for better year
Terrell Owens had an interesting first season in Dallas.
He led the league in receiving touchdowns with 13. He also led the league in dropped passes, with 17. He had an accidental overdose. He argued with former receivers coach Todd Haley. He admitted sleeping in meetings. He was fined $9,500 for missing a team meeting and a rehab session and for being late to an offensive meeting. He broke his right ring finger, which has required two surgeries.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expects the second season to be better, minus the hoopla.
"We've got every reason to think that Terrell can have a better year,"
Jones said. "He started off with a hamstring injury [in training camp], and then he had the issue with his hand. I don't know that it can be any more turbulent than it was last year, so I think it's logical to think we can have a better year there without some of the circus atmosphere.
"I don't think that's being too optimistic; I think that's logical."
Commanders on the move?
The Commanders just can't sit still. They have the sixth overall spot, which would allow them to draft a top player such as Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams.
But Joe Gibbs admitted last week the Commanders have had trade discussions with three teams for their first-round choice. Two of the deals involved moving up in the draft, presumably to leapfrog the Bucs for Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson. The other involved trading the No. 6 spot for disgruntled Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.
"For every [trade] that you get, five don't make it," Gibbs said last week at the NFC Coaches' Breakfast. "Obviously, we have discussed some things there. I think both teams would have to sit back and take a long hard look at it, and say, 'Does it really fit?' It's one thing to have a conversation and throw something out there. It's another thing to actually get down to: Are you willing to do it?
"What I'm looking for is the best way to help our football team."
MY FIVE CENTS
1 Although it has been reported and speculated that Tennessee Titans cornerback Pacman Jones, right, will get a year suspension for his 10 run-ins with the law, a source with the Titans said the team doesn't expect Jones to be given more than an eight-game suspension.
2 Donovan McNabb is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation of the anterior cruciate ligament he tore in November, but coach Andy Reid said it will be close as to whether McNabb returns for the start of training camp. Reid, though, has no concerns about McNabb's health, even though major injuries have interrupted the quarterback's season in three of the past five years.
3 The Kansas City Chiefs' starting quarterback job is Brodie Croyle's to lose, though Damon Huard will compete for it. Croyle was drafted in the third round last year to be the team's future, and Herman Edwards said the Chiefs just have to make sure Croyle gets enough reps so they can find out for sure if he's ready for the present.
4 A big reason the Houston Texans settled on Matt Schaub as their starting quarterback was because of Schaub's leadership skills. David Carr's biggest deficiency was his lack of leadership on a team that desperately needed it.
5 Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino says second-year defensive back Jimmy Williams will enter the team's first minicamp in April as the starting right cornerback. That opens up the possibility that Atlanta could choose LSU safety LaRon Landry with the No. 8 overall choice.
WHO'S HOT
Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin: In his first big dealing with the national media, Kiffin impressed. He is young -- 31 -- and looks younger. But so far, he has handled himself like the old veteran that his father, Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, is.
WHO'S NOT
Georgia DE Quentin Moses: Moses was one of the top prospects heading into his senior season, but he did little to impress last season and then fared poorly at the Senior Bowl. He weighed in at 257 pounds at the combine, has run 40 times of 4.7 and benched pressed 225 pounds only 17 times. He likely won't be a first-round pick.
THE NUMBER
1985 The last time the New York Jets played a Thanksgiving Day game, which they will again this year with a visit to Texas Stadium. The Jets lost to the Detroit Lions 31-20 in 1985 at the Silverdome.
THE BLITZ
The myth was started by Buffalo Bills coach Dick Jauron, who told reporters that Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson had run a 4.35 in borrowed shoes. As it turns out, Johnson used his own shoes to impress scouts at the combine. Johnson recently cleared up the story: He was not going to run at the combine, so he allowed East Carolina quarterback James Pinkney, who was wearing only tennis shoes, to borrow his size 15 cleats. Johnson then decided to run, and took the cleats back from Pinkney after the quarterback ran.
Former Raiders quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo signed a one-year deal worth $595,000, the veterans' minimum, with the Jets. He probably will be the Jets' third quarterback, behind Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens.
USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett, above, ran a 4.60 at the school's Pro Day. It was the first time he had run for scouts, having skipped the running portion of the combine with a minor groin injury. He also had a 36 1/2 -inch vertical jump. Jarrett still is expected to be a first-round pick.
Miami Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare wants his release and has offered to return a $250,000 roster bonus if the team will accommodate him, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The Dolphins are trying to trade Mare, who led the league with 24 touchbacks but had a career-low 72.2 field-goal percentage, after signing former Giants kicker Jay Feely.
Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said Arizona's base defense will remain the 4-3, but the Cardinals will incorporate some elements of the 3-4. "I think you'll see a couple of different fronts, a couple of different packages off the blitzes that will help keep people on their toes," Whisenhunt said.
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760 cjwilliams@star-telegram.com