Straight invisible homey: The vanishing act of Randy Moss

Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

It was the beginning of November and the talented but seemingly troubled Randy Moss had just worn out his welcome in Minnesota as he was surprisingly released. In a matter of a few days, the speculation of Moss coming to the city of Nashville became a reality, as the Titans claimed the future Hall of Fame WR off the waiver wire.

Fast-forwarding to the present, nearly two months and a measly five catches later, one of the biggest stories surrounding the Titans’ struggles has been the non-impact of Randy Moss, who after being ignored when he was on the playing field, has been relegated to the sidelines since Kenny Britt’s return from his hamstring injury.

I’ll be honest…I was expecting a little more than five catches from Randy Moss when he was initially picked up by the Titans. At the time, considering Britt’s absence and Randy’s playmaking potential, I was optimistic that #84 could come in and make his presence felt immediately in the form of a big play or two in the passing game on a weekly basis.

Unfortunately, that big play or two never happened. After serving as mostly a decoy when he was getting playing time, the only Moss sightings we’ve witnessed as of late has been him sitting or standing on the sidelines.

How much of a non-factor has Moss become, you ask? William Hayes has been a target of more passes than Moss lately.

I’m no NFL coach, but I’m probably not the only one who’s puzzled by the coaching staff’s belief that pairing both Britt and Moss together on the field simultaneously isn’t feasible, due to them playing the same position. My experience of running an NFL offense consists of endless nights during my youth playing Madden, but even as an armchair quarterback, it’s not that difficult to figure out that in order to have success, you’ve got to get the football in the hands of your most talented playmakers.

In the bizzaro universe of the Tennessee Titans, I guess that means more touches for the dynamic duo of Justin Gage and Bo Scaife and sideline duty for future Hall of Famer Randy Moss.

At the end of the day, at least we’ll know what it was like witnessing Randy Moss in a Titans’ uniform, a reality that could have happened a long time ago during the 1998 NFL Draft. As for Moss, his tenure in Nashville will be viewed in the same light as Reggie White playing for Carolina, Joe Namath in a Chargers’ uniform or O.J. Simpson’s days as a San Francisco 49er; a footnote in the career of one of the NFL greats.

Unfortunately, Randy’s tenure in Tennessee won’t be remembered for big plays taking place on a recurring basis, thanks to a combination of Kenny Britt’s return to the lineup and a coaching staff that feels his talents are better served as a mentor rather than a playmaker.

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