Skins working on ways to get the ball to Moss
ASHBURN – The vision goes something like this: Santana Moss lines up wide and the defensive back takes that as a clue. He thinks one thing is coming; Moss runs another. Moss gets open, catches the ball and scoots downfield.
It could be the reality, too. At least that’s what Moss is hoping. And it stems from two things: the hiring of Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator and the coaching staff’s decision to use him differently than the past two years.
They’ll move him around much more than under Jim Zorn. The past two years, Moss mostly played the X — or outside — receiver position. But too often he was easy to double. This year he’ll play the Z — or slot — position. He’ll also go in motion more and, the players say, the plays won’t be as easy to diagnose.
Which is why, when asked if he liked being moved around, Moss responded, “Hell yeah!”
“No way anyone that’s a playmaker, that has been a punt returner, that can carry the ball well no matter the situation, should be used in one spot,” Moss said. “You have those guys that can be game changers. I consider myself one of them, because that’s what I’ve been doing. I’m not saying this because that’s what I want to do, I’ve done it. When you don’t have a chance to do that, you’re not at my best interest. I’m just out there being a regular person.”
That’s not what the Redskins need. As coach Mike Shanahan said, “Santana is the only guy we’ve got that’s a proven veteran.” Or, with 38-year-old Joey Galloway on the roster, Moss is the only one who’s proven he can still play.
With serious question marks about every other receiver after Moss, it’s imperative that they find ways to get him the ball. Last season, Moss caught 70 passes, but only three for touchdowns and he averaged a career-low 12.9 yards per catch.
“A guy with that type of talent,” receivers coach Keenan McCardell said, “you want to be able to give him a chance to use his talents and be the playmaker that he is.”
To which Moss says: Amen. Opposing teams doubled him often. And his receiver buddies on other teams pointed out another issue: the playbook. Based on the look, Moss and others said opponents knew what was coming.
“They were like, ‘You all are just plain. You’re just vanilla,'” Moss said. “[This year], we have a solution for everything they’re bringing for us.”
Even though others might lack confidence in the receiving corps, Moss, who has 500 career catches, doesn’t. That’s why he’s not lobbying for the Redskins to trade for a receiver such as San Diego’s Vincent Jackson.
“I’ve done it before without a guy like that,” Moss said. “Don’t get me wrong, someone like that’s not going to do anything but up our chances of being more competitive. But who’s to say we need somebody?”
