[h2]
How Randy Moss quitting on a play indirectly led to Favre injury[/h2]
By
Chris Chase
If
Randy Moss(notes) doesn't give up on this play,
Brett Favre(notes) doesn't get injured. And if Brett Favre doesn't get injured, maybe the
Minnesota Vikings go on to beat the
New England Patriots and maybe Moss doesn't give his
bizarre, postgame self-conference and maybe
Percy Harvin(notes) doesn't
take shots at Brad Childress and maybe the Vikes are 3-4 today and thinking playoffs instead of 2-5 and thinking about cleaning house in the offeason.
Link to Video:
http://nfl.cpa.delvenetwo...e41d4bba9eef029f307b80e2
Even with Merriweather's interference, that should have been an easy touchdown. Moss lost his balance upon contact, but quickly regained his footing. If he had kept running and put out his arms instead of loafing, he scores with ease. Instead, he slowed to a jog and seemed to avoid the ball as it descended on the goal line (it's particularly noticeable on the replay that begins 24 seconds into the clip). Whatever the reason for quitting on the play, Moss cost his team a touchdown.
In the box score, the damage was negligible. Four plays after Moss dogged it, the Vikings scored a touchdown. After a successful two-point conversion, the Patriots lead was narrowed to three points. But the box score doesn't tell the whole story.
After the play in question and before the touchdown, Brett Favre was hit by
Myron Pryor(notes) and had to be
carted off the field. That injury never happens if Randy Moss catches that touchdown pass. And if that injury never happens, perhaps the Vikings defense makes a stand on the next Patriots drive and the Vikings get the ball back and go on to victory. (True, Favre doesn't play defense, but don't tell me the sight of their quarterback getting carted off the field didn't demoralize the Vikings.) Or maybe everything happens the exact same way and the Vikings still lose. I don't know.
What I do know is that Randy Moss gave up on that play and Brett Favre was injured because of it.
