My reading of Jeff Fisher’s Monday news conference transcript was that he’s really reluctant to say the Titans will install any plays specifically for Randy Moss.
“He can still run all the routes on the route tree,” Fisher told Nashville media. “He’s not just a go-route/nine-route guy. He can do all those things, I think that just helps to open up our offense. We’re not going to have featured plays for him, we’re going to plug him in and run the play.”
I guess I am kind of splitting hairs, but why not have featured plays for him?
Fisher talked extensively about Moss not immediately being able to learn the whole play book. So it’s a matter of semantics when the coach is talking about not trying to feature Moss and also talking about how “there may be a set number of plays that he has a good understanding of that we’ll go into the game with.”
I’m not proposing the resurrection of Mike Tice’s infamous Randy Ratio, but it would be a mistake not to have offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger calling six or eight plays a game where the initial intent is to throw to Moss.
Fisher met the receiver early Monday. He passed his physical, had a workout and spent some time with coaches.
Moss isn’t slated to talk until after the Titans practice Wednesday.
Here are some other points of interest from Fisher’s Monday, post-bye, post-Moss acquisition news conference.
On limitations early: “I hope I’m wrong, but I think it’d be a little unrealistic to think that he could go on and participate in normal down and distance situations, first and second down, and in third down distance situations where(Mike Heimerdinger) has the freedom to call anything. I don’t think we’ll be there this week. I think we have a good chance to be there several weeks down the line.”
“…The one thing he is adamant about is he doesn’t want to go out there unsure of what to do and where you put someone in a position where they’re going to make a mistake or somebody might get hurt. He doesn’t want to be breaking the huddle having to be told what to do. We’ve got realistic expectations and we’ll see how the week goes. He’s really a smart football player; he’s not going to have any difficulty whatsoever adjusting to our offense.
On the risk versus reward of the pickup: “I see no risk whatsoever. He is really, really excited to be here. He’s, obviously, talked to people, he knows how we do things, he’s excited about the team, he’s excited about helping us win ballgames, he’s heard great things about the locker room and I don’t see any risk at all. He’s a very good football player who became available to us, and it’s a new start. It’s a new start for him and it’s an opportunity for us to get better offensively.
On any concerns that emotions could affect Moss’s play: “He’s going to fit right in here. Work and practice and do all those things. Regardless of the circumstances and what led to the trade and what led to the release, that’s an emotional time for any player in this league to go through what he’s gone through. To be able to, as he told me, ‘Land on my feet and end up in the best place I possibly could be,’ he’s excited. We’re going to get him back physically. I think it takes its toll on him. He enjoyed his off-week, his bye-week just like we did.”
On if he could see Moss with the Titans beyond this season: “You know, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. He’s got years left. Our thing right now is this is a good fit for us and for him. I don’t have a ring, he doesn’t have a ring, so we’re going to try and change that."
On Moss learning the offense: “I think an experienced receiver, that has been in a number of systems, that understands the game and can relate things -- I know he is willing to put the time in. It will be a short time, but I’m not going to put a number of weeks before he’s playing 100 percent of the plays. The other side of that is, I don’t see him playing 60-70 plays a game either. We’re going to keep everybody fresh, and he’s fine with however we decide to use that.”
On how players will adjust to the addition: “I think by Thursday, life will be back to normal. Once everybody has a chance to meet him and watch him work, we’ll resume the way we were.”
On the expectations for Moss with the media: “I think Randy is going to be available. We’ll make him available. (Media relations director) Robbie (Bohren) and I have discussed it, and we’ve got a solution and options and we’ll make him available to you. Again, I am not going to treat him any differently than any other player on this roster. My recommendation to you is, as soon as the dust settles, nor should you.”