Skins hope Moss will thrive again as their X-man
Santana Moss knows what’s happened when he’s played this spot in the past: big years. The Redskins, and Moss, hope that happens again.
In the new West Coast offense, Moss will play the X, or outside receiver, position. He last played that spot during his first year in Washington. He responded with 84 catches for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns.
He also played this spot during his third season in New York — and caught 74 passes for 1,105 yards and 10 scores.
“Those were my best seasons,” Moss said. “Hopefully I’ll do the same thing.”
Moss played the Z, or flanker, spot the past two seasons with Antwaan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd playing X. But new coach Jim Zorn wanted Moss at X.
“The group before us, they had him at flanker and motioned him down and saw him as a move guy,” Zorn said. “But I see him as a vertical threat.”
In a typical setting, Moss would be by himself on one side while Randle El and tight end Chris Cooley is on the other. Before, Moss would be paired with Cooley. Teams would double one or the other.
“Now if they double me, then you’ve got two guys one on one [on the other side],” he said. “With X, I get a lot of good opportunities.”
There will be plenty of times, in four- and five-receiver sets, that Moss will line up inside. But, for now, he’s strictly working at X. Only Randle El and James Thrash are working at multiple receiver positions.
“[Moss] has enough muscle and grit to run slants and how are you going to press him and leave that DB one on one?” Zorn said. “I’m thinking about different ways to create formations for us that will create a real uncomfortable situation for coordinators. He’s outside this play; now he’s inside; now he’s over here. What are you gonna do?”
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Life on the learning curve
Joe Flacco couldn’t report to the Ravens until last week, making it tough for the coaches to gauge the first-round pick’s early development.
“I don’t now if you can even judge if he missed a step because it’s so early yet,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “This is really his starting point.”
Flacco showed his arm strength on several deep throws, as well as his ability to read coverages by finding tight end Todd Heap and various running backs on several checkdowns. The former Blue Hen QB also looked comfortable in the shotgun, something that happened often at Delaware. Flacco thrived in the system, throwing for 4,263 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions his senior season.
“It’s good to be out here and to learn and get in the meetings after practice, learn what I did wrong,” Flacco said. “It was frustrating and I did as much as I could at home.”
ON THE RADAR
What to watch for in the world of sports this week:
INTERLEAGUE PLAY » Tampa Bay visits Florida next weekend. In the Sunshine State, they’re calling it a preview of the World Series. OK, they’re really not. But who would have guessed two months ago that a series between the two in June would be interesting?
M-V-P! » The Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin should win the award on June 12, becoming the first Cap to do so. And then the NHL can put those Ovechkin MVP T-shirts back on their Web site for good — after accidentally putting them up on Friday.
HUMBLE PIE EATING CONTEST » Starring Big Brown trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., of course. Nobody ran his yap more than Dutrow (for which the media must thank him, by the way). But he upset the racing gods.
MINICAMP DRAMA » Chad Johnson will report to Bengals minicamp when it starts Thursday. Maybe Johnson will join Dutrow as a humbled character. Yes, and maybe oil companies will say: “Hey, we’ve made too much of a profit already; let’s cut prices!” Meanwhile, still-rehabbing tight end Jeremy Shockey, irked by offseason trade rumors, said he’lllikely skip the Giants minicamp this week.
RUMOR MILL » With the NBA season winding down and the draft approaching, more trade talks will dominate the league. Among the big names rumored to be on the block: Denver’s Carmelo Anthony, Detroit’s Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace, Milwaukee’s Michael Redd and anyone not named LeBron James in Cleveland.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Middleweight Kelly Pavlik was nearly flawless in his first title defense, knocking out Welshman Gary Lockett in the third round in Atlantic City, N.J., on Saturday night. Pavlik, who captured the WBC and WBO versions of the middleweight last September, looked the part of the champion during the one-sided rounds. Pavlik (34-0, 30 KOs) is next expected to defend his titles this fall, possibly against another Welshman, Joe Calzaghe.
ON THE RECORD
“Something’s got to be done. It’s getting more dangerous out there. You even see them going into the stands.”
— Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox about maple bats, which tend to explode when broken unlike ash bats which typically just splinter.
“That team is going to see me in the opener. They are going to see me, I’ll tell you that. They’ll see what they are missing.”
— New Oakland Raiders receiver Javon Walker, speaking about the Sept. 8 season opener against his former team Denver.
BY THE NUMBERS
2 » Number of players who have recorded six hits in a game at Yankee Stadium. Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon accomplished the feat Saturday, joining Omar Vizquel, who did it in 2004 with the Cleveland Indians.
4 » Number of consecutive wins, with a score of 2-1, by San Diego, a major league record.
