Moss circus arrives in New England
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Whether Randy Moss committed "dating violence," as a Florida woman alleges in a court complaint that got her a temporary restraining order against him, or the New England Patriots receiver is a victim of a "six-figure extortion" plot due to an "accident," as he claimed Wednesday, is impossible to know.
As often is the case with Randy G. Moss as he's referred to in Broward County (Fla.) case DVCE08000315 the details are sketchy, the facts few, the conclusions varied.
What's undeniable is that as the Patriots prepare to face the San Diego Chargers in the AFC championship game on Sunday, the circus that inevitably comes with Moss' brilliant catches finally came to town.
This is the flip side to all those long touchdown receptions and highlight-reel grabs. Whether Moss is the defendant or victim here, the fact remains there always seems to be a here.
Throughout this whole season, everything has been positive," Moss said Wednesday amid a huge crowd of reporters. "Why would I bring something negative on? Come on.
"What we're trying to do, and hopefully what's going to happen if we do things right in the next month, as much as I care and love the game of football and love my teammates and coach, I would never put myself or them in a situation of something like this."
Whether he meant to or not, whether it is fair or not, he did.
According to Broward County court documents, Moss was hit on Monday with a temporary restraining order that prohibits him from coming within 500 feet of Rachelle Washington, 35, of Fort Lauderdale.
According to the Boston Herald, the court papers allege that during a Jan. 6 incident at Washington's Fort Lauderdale home, Moss committed "a battery upon (Washington) causing serious injury. (Moss) refused to allow (Washington) to seek medical treatment."
It also claims the two have had an "intimate relationship" that dates back 11 years and that Moss has a drug or alcohol problem.
Moss, 30, has not been charged with a crime and a Fort Lauderdale Police Department spokesperson said there was no report on the incident. However, a court hearing for the restraining order is scheduled on Jan. 28 the start of Super Bowl week in Fort Lauderdale.
Moss denied he hit Washington.
"I'm innocent," he said. "Battery? I didn't hit (any) woman. I've never laid my hands on a woman. So for you to say battery, now I think if there was such a thing in the court system as an accident, then that's what I'm guilty for. But for you to say I physically, or in an angry manner, or whatever the manner, put my hands on a woman physically, I've never done that."
Moss called Washington a "friend for 11 years" and didn't deny he was there that night or that Washington suffered some injury, although he wouldn't elaborate on what kind. He scoffed at the charge that he denied her from seeking medical attention.
"She lives in her own house and has her own vehicle, so how could I deny her medical attention," Moss said. "Does that make sense?"
Moss said he was being extorted and claimed "a man" representing Washington approached him last week and demanded "six figures" to keep the story from going public.
"It's something I've been battling for the last couple days, threats of going public if I didn't pay X amount of dollars," Moss said. "They called me, called my attorneys, trying to get X amount of dollars out of me, and if 'we don't get X amount of dollars' they were going to go to the press before this game."
Moss said he went to Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Friday and told him the story before it blew up. He sought his coach's advice and, predictably, Belichick's response was "to just focus on playing football," according to Moss.
The news conference got even stranger when Moss professed his love and friendship for Washington although he noted the friendship was probably over.
"I don't wish anything bad on this woman. That's the love I have for her as a friend. Even though these allegations are false, or whatever she's claiming, I mean I really can't be mad at that, because if that's what she's doing, that's what she's doing.
"If she's hurt and she needs money, that's on her."
Then later, he offered this bizarre statement: "If I'm guilty, I am truly sorry and I am going to stand up for what is right, I really am."
At this point, only Moss and Washington know what happened, but the idea of Moss bringing a soap opera into the locker room during the week of the AFC championship game is a surprise to no one.
The buttoned-down Patriots organization, led by the tight-lipped Belichick, prides itself on its business-first attitude. Controversial players who struggled elsewhere have adjusted to the professionalism of the New England locker room and excelled on the field. Moss, who this year set the single-season NFL record for touchdown catches after two lackluster seasons in Oakland, is the latest example.
But now, suddenly, gone was the calm and quiet and here was Moss in the middle of a news conference so crazy even his teammates looked on with puzzlement.
"Hey, what happened with Randy?" asked one Patriot. "What's going on?"
"I don't know what it is," Donte' Stallworth said. "I don't care. We've had distractions before, so whatever."
Indeed, it may turn out to be a whatever, at least in terms of football. As much as this could be a distraction to the Patriots, it very well might amount to nothing.
If there was ever an organization that could shake this off, it is New England. Belichick is as likely to turn this into a motivational advantage for his team than allow it to become a distraction that could derail a perfect season.
Still, the other shoe finally dropped on the Patriots' big offseason acquisition. No matter his guilt or innocence, no matter her charges or his denials, no matter whether Moss is a gutless abuser or an innocent victim, the inevitable drama at last arrived.
Time will sort out the truth. Time will reveal the football impact.
But the Patriots brought in this talented guy with eyes wide open and now, at the worst possible time, they'll try to deal with the other half of their record-setting bargain.
Copyright 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Here we Cro again: Cromartie & Bolts face Manning & Colts in playoffs
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- It's amazing what a three-interception night against Peyton Manning will do for a player's reputation.
Just check out Antonio Cromartie of the San Diego Chargers.
In barely more than one quarter on Nov. 11, Cromartie went from being a promising but raw nickel back to beginning the transformation to All-Pro cornerback.
Those three picks included a spectacular one-handed grab. Cromartie accounted for half of Manning's franchise-record six interceptions that rainy night, when the Colts were without several starters and watched Adam Vinatieri inexplicably miss a gimme field goal. The Chargers won just 23-21.
Cromartie and the Chargers get another shot at the defending Super Bowl MVP -- and maybe Marvin Harrison -- when they visit the Colts on Sunday in a divisional round playoff game.
Cromartie finished the season with an NFL-high 10 pickoffs and joined teammates LaDainian Tomlinson and Lorenzo Neal on the elite All-Pro team.
It was those three pickoffs against Manning that set Cromartie apart.
"To tell you the truth, my goal is just to have one pick a game," Cromartie said. "I happened to have one of the biggest games of my career playing against Peyton Manning. My thing, I just want to do it on top of that."
Cromartie was filling in for injured Quentin Jammer that night and said he thought Manning was picking on him early on. "But I was just trying to cover my guy and make the plays," Cromartie said.
He did it so well that his third pick came on the second play of the second quarter. That one was a beauty, when Cromartie leaned back, reached up with his right hand and pulled the ball down to his chest in one motion
"It was big," said safety Clinton Hart, who also had an interception that night. "Three picks on Peyton Manning, that rarely, ever, ever happens, and it probably won't ever happen again by one player. For a young guy like that to get that jump, that's big. You can see his confidence has risen to a different level. You can see how he plays, how comfortable he is out there. I told him, you get one early and it relaxes you for the rest of the game and the rest of them just come to you.
"Definitely he's looking forward" to Sunday's game, Hart added. "I'm pretty sure Peyton's looking forward to going against him also."
Manning was asked about that pickoff this week.
"I'm probably the wrong guy to ask," the quarterback said. "He's an excellent player and he certainly had an excellent game that night."
A week earlier, Cromartie returned a missed field goal 109 yards in a loss at Minnesota, the longest play in NFL history. On Oct. 28, Cromartie single-handedly outscored the Houston Texans. He scored his first NFL touchdown by jumping on a botched punt snap, then had a sensational 70-yard interception return for a score.
Rangy and fast, Cromartie replaced Drayton Florence in the starting lineup on Nov. 25.
The Chargers led the NFL with 30 interceptions and 48 takeaways. The Chargers are plus-24 in turnover margin, and the Colts are next at plus-18.
The Chargers have beaten the Colts twice since December 2005, and the key is getting a strong pass rush.
"We applied some pressure, made him throw some bad balls," Cromartie said. "I think we did everything that we're supposed to do as a defense, and I think we'll just come out this game and try to do the same thing."
Said Hart: "I guarantee you he's watched that film a million times and it's probably eating him up that he gave up that many. We don't expect him to make those mistakes, but we expect him to make some just because we are going to put pressure on him and move around him a little bit and try to make it difficult for him to read us."
Harrison, an eight-time Pro Bowler, has been out since Oct. 22 with an injured left knee. Coach Tony Dungy wouldn't say definitively Harrison would play Sunday, but that's clearly the expectation.
"We don't expect 88 to be as effective as he's accustomed to being, you know, with his knee bothering him, because we're going to hit him," Hart said. "If he catches it, we're going to hit him. So we think he may be a decoy, if he's out there. It's win or go home, so whatever he can do to help his team, he's going to try to do it. Same with us. We're going to bang him. We're going to be as physical as we can be."
Jammer missed the Nov. 11 game with a hamstring injury, so he's excited to be going against Manning.
"I mean, we're going into their environment, so you have to prepare for a fast-paced game, you know, almost like a basketball game, because that's the type of offense they are," Jammer said. "It's always fun to play against Peyton. They're one of the two top offenses in this league, and anytime you can go against a quarterback of that stature, with the receivers that he has, it's always a challenge."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Niners QB Shaun Hill misses practice with back spasms
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Quarterback Shaun Hill missed the San Francisco 49ers' practice Wednesday with back spasms, and coach Mike Nolan isn't sure Hill will play in Sunday's season finale at Cleveland.
Hill, the sixth-year pro who hadn't thrown an NFL pass until this month, has led the 49ers (5-10) to victories over Cincinnati and Tampa Bay in their last two games. He got his first significant NFL action midway through a loss to Minnesota on Dec. 9 when Trent Dilfer, subbing for injured first-stringer Alex Smith, sustained concussion.
Hill took a hard hit late in the first half against the Buccaneers while scrambling, and he missed one play before returning to lead the win. But Hill emerged from the game with back spasms and bruised ribs to go with the already-dislocated index finger on his throwing hand.
The back spasms are Hill's biggest concern heading into the game against the Browns. Nolan said Hill was questionable, but Hill seemed confident he'll recover in time to make his third NFL start.
"Hopefully by the end of the week, we have that under control and we can go out there and play," Hill said. "Certainly because of how long I've waited to play, I want to take advantage of every opportunity."
If Hill can't play, the 49ers will turn over their offense to Chris Weinke, the Heisman Trophy winner and former Carolina quarterback signed as a backup two weeks ago. Weinke handed off on his only snap while Hill recovered from his hard hit against Cincinnati.
Weinke ran the first-team offense in Wednesday's practice.
"Each day I'm here, I become more comfortable," Weinke said. "It's just been a lot of studying the last two weeks."
Nolan confirmed Dilfer is out for the season, though the 49ers haven't placed him on injured reserve. Dilfer was hit hard by Minnesota's Charles Gordon during a scramble, ending the quarterback's 14th season and putting his future in question.
"My intent is to keep playing (next season)," said Dilfer, who signed a long-term contract with San Francisco. "I felt significantly better this weekend, and today I've continued to feel like I've improved. As long as I'm medically fine, my intent is to keep playing."
San Francisco might promote Drew Olson from the practice squad to add quarterbacking depth for Sunday. Receiver Arnaz Battle and running back Michael Robinson -- both college quarterbacks -- have been the 49ers' nominal third quarterback the last two weeks.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Bush misses practice, but not ruled out for Sunday
METAIRIE, La. (AP) -- Saints running back Reggie Bush sat out practice Thursday, but coach Sean Payton is not ready to rule Bush out for Sunday's crucial home game against Philadelphia.
"We backed off him some today," Payton said of Bush, who practiced to a limited extent on Wednesday.
The Saints discovered on Dec. 6 that Bush had a partial posterior cruciate ligament tear that would not require surgery, but would likely require about a month of rehabilitation.
Bush, however, returned to practice this week, ahead of schedule after sitting out only two games.
The Saints (7-7) risk being eliminated from playoff contention if they fall to the Eagles and Minnesota beats Washington.
Also out on Thursday was tight end Eric Johnson, who missed last weekend's game with a pulled right groin. Like Bush, Johnson participated in some portions of Wednesday's practice before resting the following day.
"Part of the plan was getting a good day's work on Wednesday and then to see where we we're at today," Payton said. "In both of their cases ... it's too early to say. We'll see how they're doing tomorrow (Friday)."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
No guarantees, predictions from Steelers for Jaguars game
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Sorry Jacksonville Jaguars, nothing for your bulletin board this week.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are making no predictions, promises or guarantees for Sunday's game, one that could prove pivotal in determining the AFC playoffs alignment.
And what about Anthony Smith, whose guaranteed win last week proved to be a great motivational tool for the New England Patriots? He was nowhere to be found when the Steelers' locker room was open for interviews Wednesday.
Also absent was any of that oh-so-confident talk of last week, when the Steelers (9-4) felt certain they would end the Patriots' chances of an unbeaten season, only to wind up a big-margin loser like almost every other New England opponent.
Something else that was missing, too -- much discussion about that 34-13 loss to the Patriots, one that may have caused more damage to the Steelers' confidence than to their season.
The Steelers need to win only one more to make the playoffs, and could clinch the AFC North as early as Sunday.
"We've got to keep things in perspective," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "We lost a game, it's not the end of world. It's out of our minds. We can't worry about it. We've got to worry about Jacksonville."
That may be a good idea. The former AFC Central rivals seem to play each other as much as when they were in the same division -- this is their fifth meeting since 2002 -- and the Jaguars (9-4) have beaten the Steelers the past two seasons.
"We're still in the same division, aren't we?" Steelers guard Alan Faneca said, referring to the nearly annual games between the teams.
The Steelers couldn't have played much worse than they did in their 9-0 loss in Jacksonville early last season, with Ben Roethlisberger back at quarterback after missing the season opener because of appendicitis.
Pittsburgh was held to 156 yards and never advanced any closer to the goal line than the Jaguars 46. Roethlisberger (17-for-32, 127 yards, two interceptions) looked more than rusty, and Willie Parker was held to 20 yards on 11 carries.
And the Steelers thought Sunday's game at New England was a bad one.
"I'm sure it wasn't my best game last year, by far," Roethlisberger said. "I kind of have a bad taste in my mouth about that game last year."
Like Ward, Roethlisberger is trying to quickly distance himself from the New England game -- and not only because the Steelers are preparing for a team that has given them considerable trouble in the past.
This is the Steelers' final home game, and they don't want to have to be worrying about clinching the division and positioning themselves for the playoffs when they close out the season at St. Louis and Baltimore.
"We're playing again this week," Roethlisberger said. "Just because we lost to New England doesn't mean the season is over. We have another game and we have to move on and move forward. That should be all the motivation we need."
One concern is a Jacksonville running game that averages 143.8 yards, or about 2 yards per game more than Pittsburgh does, and is second in the league. Fred Taylor ran for 132 yards on only 18 carries as the Jaguars rushed for 178 yards in beating Carolina 37-6 on Sunday.
Taylor's 234 yards rushing in Pittsburgh on Nov. 19, 2000, are the most by an opposing back in the Steelers' 75-season history. However, that game was played on artificial turf, rather than the mushy grass of Heinz Field.
The Steelers are second in the league in rushing defense, but will be without one of their best run defenders, defensive end Aaron Smith. Smith tore a biceps against New England and will sit out the rest of the season.
"It's always a blow to lose a guy like Aaron," Ward said. "To lose a guy of that stature it's definitely going to hurt, but one thing about this team, when guys go down a lot of players like to rally."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Titans RB White expects to play Sunday
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White said his finger injury will not cause him to miss any time, The Tennessean reported on its web site Thursday.
White dislocated a joint in the middle finger on his right hand during Sunday's victory over Houston. The gruesome wound left by the injury required several stitches.
White did not practice with the Titans (7-5) on Wednesday, but did some running and worked on his conditioning, including squeezing a rubber ball to build up strength in the hand.
Though the injury has the potential to hinder his grip on the ball, White told the newspaper he expects to practice by Friday and play Sunday against San Diego (7-5).
"You just have to tape it up and go out and play with it," said White, who has fumbled four times this season. "I don't look at it as being an issue at all."
Copyright 2007 PA SportsTicker. All Rights Reserved
Favre injures elbow, shoulder in loss to Cowboys
IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Brett Favre was hopeful about extending his consecutive start streak after he left the Green Bay Packers' 37-27 loss at Dallas on Thursday night with an injured right elbow and separated left shoulder.
Favre was hit hard while throwing a pass that was intercepted in the second quarter, leaving his status for Green Bay's next game against Oakland on Dec. 9 and his NFL-record run of 249 straight starts in question.
I think I'll be OK," said Favre, who was wearing a bandage over his right arm. "It's fortunate we have a few extra days off. I'll just rest and see."
Favre was hurt with 10:11 left before halftime when he was hit by cornerback Nate Jones. Terence Newman made a diving interception of the fluttering pass.
Favre grabbed his arm and flexed it while walking slowly to the sideline. He didn't even realize he injured his non-throwing shoulder until he went into the dressing room to have some work done on his elbow.
Aaron Rodgers, who was 18-of-26 for 201 yards, took over at quarterback on Green Bay's next possession.
With his right arm covered with a sleeve, Favre returned to the sideline after getting treatment and having an X-ray taken during halftime. He was still wearing his pads, but wore a baseball cap as he watched Rodgers run the Green Bay offense.
Favre said he suffered a similar nerve injury to his right elbow last season, leaving the Packers' 35-0 loss to New England at Lambeau Field. Rodgers relieved Favre in that game, but broke his foot.
He said he lost feeling in his fingers Thursday night and his elbow began to swell.
"I could grip a football," Favre said. "I didn't want to throw and have it go out the back. It wasn't worth the risk."
Favre didn't seem too concerned about the shoulder since that injury isn't to his throwing arm.
"It's one of those things you can shoot up and play with," Favre said.
Rodgers had played in only six games in two-plus seasons before Thursday night. He had thrown only two passes this season.
With 31 seconds left in the first half, Rodgers threw his first career touchdown pass, an 11-yarder to Greg Jennings that got the Packers within 27-17.
Newman's interception set up the Cowboys for Tony Romo's 10-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens that gave them a 27-10 lead.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
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