Moss Comes up Big For Patriots

By Ralph Ventre
SportsTicker Contributing Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) - The New York Giants got Randy Moss down but they couldn't keep him out - of the end zone. Moss hauled in a pair of touchdown passes to help the New England Patriots cap off a perfect regular season with a 38-35 victory over the New York Giants on Saturday night.

Both scoring plays were of historical significance - and each came after "drops." Only moments after Giants safety Gibril Wilson viciously dropped Moss to the turf in the second quarter, the All-Pro receiver was back on his feet in the end zone. Moss' 4-yard touchdown reception five seconds into the second quarter came two plays after he was shaken up by Wilson's big hit.

On a macro level, the six points registered on the second-quarter 4-yard pitch-and-catch from Tom Brady pushed New England past the 1998 Minnesota Vikings for most points scored in a season. Moss was a rookie in that season and had 17 touchdown catches for the Vikings, who scored 556 points en route to a 15-1 regular season record.

The second scoring hookup between Tom Brady and Moss, which went for 65 yards, gave each player sole possession of NFL single-season touchdown records - and put the Patriots ahead for good. That gave Moss 23 touchdowns for the season and moved him ahead of future Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for most scoring receptions in a single season. Rice caught 22 touchdowns for the San Francisco 49ers in 1987. "Breaking Jerry Rice's record isn't that special to me," Moss said. "Shutting up all the critics is."

The 65-yard scoring strike was the 50th of the season thrown by Brady, allowing the Patriots' quarterback to break Peyton Manning's single-season mark set in 2004 with the Indianapolis Colts. The touchdown, which gave New England a lead it would not relinquish, could have come a play earlier had it not been for a Moss drop. "I wish I would have made a better throw on the previous one," Brady said. "Then, I tried to throw it as far as I could and it doesn't get any better than that." Moss found himself wide open at New York's 15-yard line waiting for Brady's pass to arrive. The ball, which was slightly underthrown, hit Moss' hands but dropped to the turf. "It was a play-action pass," Brady said. "Randy was out past the safety, but the ball was a little short and he couldn't handle it." Moss quickly redeemed himself by streaking down the sideline and behind the secondary once again on the next play, giving the trailing Patriots a spark and a 31-28 lead following a successful two-point try.

"The Giants came out with great intensity to start the game. It took us a while to match their intensity," Moss said. "We needed something to jump-start the party." Moss big catch did just that and put him, Brady and the Patriots in the record books in the process.