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 Thursday, September 23
Randy Moss' split right base right 989
 
By Sean Salisbury
ESPN.com

 

<img src="http://espn.go.com/i/nfl/playbook99/wk1_minatl_1.jpg" width=400 height=480 border=0>

About the play: This play is real simple. Randall Cunningham will drop five steps and let it fly, no matter the coverage, zone or man.

Randy Moss is so athletic, his speed and size make this a high-percentage pass when it really should not be in most offenses. Minnesota killed Green Bay with this play in 1998.

When to expect the play: The Vikings will throw deep six to 10 times every week. They feel good things happen when No. 84 has a chance to go up and get it, and they are so right. The Vikes call this to: Get big plays, put the fear in every opponent and Stretch the field, giving the short-passing game more room to operate.

I would always call this play early in a game to let the defense know that Minnesota is in an attack mode. It is a great advantage for the Vikes to create insecurity early in the game for opposing defenses.

The is a bread-and-butter play. It can have many different formations and motions, but it's still the same play.

Keys: Cunningham must put air under the ball, so Moss can adjust to the throw anywhere. Moss must give at least five yards cushion from the sideline, so Cunningham can fade Moss away from the free safety who will hurry to help the corner.

Critical player: The quarterback. All he has to do is just keep the ball inbounds, and you get a shot for something big. Moss can't catch it if the pass is out of bounds.

Defensive keys: The defense cannot let Moss get a free release off the line of scrimmage. The cornerbacks must try to manhandle him and disrupt the rhythm of the pass. It would also be a real good idea to double-team Moss -- always!



 


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