Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe Washington Redskins have shown their offense to be sloppy and inconsistent since starting the season. Donovan McNabb has thrown for a good amount of yards, but only a handful of touchdowns this season. On the receiving end of a number of those yards but seeing the effect of an inability to score on offense is Santana Moss. Moss is a speed receiver at an age, 31, where most speed receivers break down. But Moss is still playing at a high level. The Redskins are a team with very few Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
consistent playmakers on either side of the ball, but Moss has made it a point to show up for every game. He is only averaging 70 yards per game, but his catch and yardage totals are both in the top 10 in the NFL. The worst stat Moss has to his credit is his three receiving touchdowns, which is as many as Randy Moss has on just nine catches this season. Moss has more catches than both Calvin and Andre Johnson, and more yards than Marques Colston, Greg Jennings and Miles Austin, but is considered a step below the elite level of wide receivers. Perhaps it is due to Washington's poor production as a team that has kept Moss out of the conversation with the elite receivers of the NFL. Moss is on pace to finish with 96 catches and close to 1,200 yards, which would be his best season since his first with the Redskins, where he caught 84 passes for 1,483 yards. Larry French/Getty ImagesEven though the touchdowns haven't been there for Moss, he has made plenty of plays that have set up scores for the Redskins. His role in the offense has changed over the years and has varied during this season. Without a proven second receiver, the Redskins have had to rotate Moss between a true first receiver and his traditional role as slot man. The inconsistency and change on offense has affected his big-play ability. Moss has run a lot of short routes and slants, and made moves after the catch. On most plays he has been open deep, McNabb has overthrown him or put the ball in a bad spot where the defender has a better chance at it than Moss. He has just five receptions of 20 yards or more and just three receptions of 40 yards or more. Last season, he had 15 receptions of 20 yards or more and four receptions of 40 yards or more.It says something that he has almost matched last season's total for receptions of 40 yards or more, but McNabb's inaccurate arm has cost the Redskins more big plays than it has created them. Then there is the goose egg Moss laid against the Eagles Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
back in October. In what can only be described as a mirage, Moss tallied just five yards on one rushing attempt and had no catches on the day. Consider that McNabb completed just eight of his 19 attempts and still managed to be intercepted. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesMore often than not, Moss has had to do the dirty work of running a lot of underneath routes and fighting for extra yards. His efforts in that department are apparent in the 38 first downs he has converted on the season, just two shy of his season total last year. Perhaps the total would be higher if not for ill-timed play-calling, sacks and penalties, but that is an issue for another day. Moss is walking the line between experience and age that typically robs faster players of their speed. Maybe it is the diversified workload that has allowed Moss to remain healthy. Maybe he is taking special care of his body to avoid the expected breakdown in his physical abilities. Whatever the case, as long as Moss is on the field and healthy, the Redskins have a much overlooked Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
big-play threat they can utilize. If Anthony Armstrong can draw some defenders away from Moss with more consistency, and McNabb can deliver the ball in a timely manner, Moss will thrive in Washington despite history and a mass of disbelievers working against him.
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