With nearly 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns, Randy Moss is on pace for the best season of his illustrious career ... and the Baltimore Ravens know it.
"He's one of the most talented receivers I've faced, and at this point in his career he's got a quarterback that is more than capable of getting the ball to him in tight situations," cornerback Chris McAlister said in a USA TODAY piece this Friday.
McAlister's been injured and has missed several of the Ravens' recent games, but hopes to return this Monday night to help cover Moss.
"This is as good a team as I've seen in this league in a long, long time," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "They're as advertised."
One way to attack them, according to some NFL observers, is to blitz Tom Brady incessantly, as the Eagles did last weekend.
“You wonder why it took so long for the Patriots to get blitzed like that,” said former Pats boss Rod Rust in a Pro Football Weekly story.
"I mean, this long into the season. Caution, maybe? What if you come after (Brady) and it blows up in your face? There's a fear of criticism. Some coaches don't want to look foolish. Whatever the reason, you'll start seeing more of it now."
That may be easier said than done, however, as Rust acknowledged.
"To me the most impressive thing about the Patriots' offense is that offensive line, the pass protection," Rust said. "It holds things together long enough for their receivers to run extended routes. Add in the shotgun formation and Brady is able to see the blitzes better when they're coming."
Not much has been made of New England's running game lately. Obviously, that is more than a bit of a concern to RB Laurence Maroney.
"I don't know what happened," Maroney replied when reporters asked him why he hadn't played much against Philadelphia. "I was just over there pacing and being ready for whenever they do call me ... I've just learned to relax and be patient."
QUICK HITS
With CB Asante Samuel having another stellar season, The Boston Globe examines his prospects for an offseason payday on the free agent market.
The *Boston Herald *takes the discussion a bit further, adding Moss, Donte' Stallworth, and several other Patriots to the list of offseason contracts that need addressing.
The Providence Journal, meantime, features a chat with WR Troy Brown, who's once again on the Patriots' active roster.
