NFL

Moss has right idea, but Vikes' fake flops

By Times wire
Published January 17, 2005

[Getty Images: Rick DeMulling] Peyton Manning reacts after throwing an interception Sunday in the loss to the Patriots. NFL PLAYOFFS: The final four Next Sunday NFC Championship Falcons at Eagles, 3 p.m., Fox-13 AFC Championship Patriots at Steelers, 6:30 p.m. CBS-10 Eagles 27, Vikings 14 Supporting Eagles pass opening test Moss has right idea, but Vikes' fake flops Two scores settle things for Mitchell Patriots 20, Colts 3 Making their point Bruschi's timing perfect for Patriots John Romano: Manning's legacy takes yet another wrong turn

PHILADELPHIA - This time, Randy Moss wasn't at fault.

Never one to shy away from controversy, the Vikings receiver appeared to add to his lore when he walked off the field on a fake field goal with 4:40 left in the first half Sunday.

But as it turned out, Moss, fined $10,000 for pretending to moon Packers fans last week, saved his team a penalty.

Trailing 21-7 and facing a 20-yard field goal, the Vikings sent in kicker Morten Andersen and holder Gus Frerotte . But Minnesota had a trick play up its sleeve. Frerotte was supposed to throw to Moss on the left side of the end zone.

But reserve lineman Cory Withrow was on the field, unaware of plans for the fake.

"I didn't hear the call," he said.

Moss, who declined to comment, saw the Vikings already had 11 players on the field and came off before the ball was snapped.

Frerotte took the snap, got set to throw but was forced to throw it out of the back of the end zone.

"I pretty much felt sick to my stomach out there," Frerotte said. "I knew that we had a touchdown, and the Eagles had no idea that it was going to happen."

Vikings coach Mike Tice said the play was for Moss to jog toward the sideline but stop just short after breaking the huddle.

"We had worked on Randy walking to the side and kind of hiding," Tice said. "He came inside the numbers legally and walked out. We wanted him to stand by the side, and then we were going to hold out one of our offensive linemen."

Tice, who tried to call a timeout, said Moss made the right call.

"It's unfortunate," Tice said. "I think we left a good, little seven (points) right there."

DISAPPEARING ACT: Playing with a sprained right ankle, Moss finished with three catches for 51 yards.

"I tried to get it to him," Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper said. "He just didn't have the explosive game that we look for and he looks for. I know he wanted to win as much as anybody else. He's human, too."

The Eagles said they believe their defensive effort had something to do with it. "I don't know how soft he was," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "I was holding my breath. He's a great player. The one thing our guys did was they challenged him and when they had an opportunity to make contact with him, they hit him. That's important when you play against a great player like him."

TROTTING TROTTER: In his second stint with the Eagles, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter is providing leadership and thump.

Trotter finished with a team-high seven tackles, a half-sack and a third-quarter interception at the Eagles 34 that he returned 35 yards.

"He was out of his mind," Reid said. "He was playing like crazy and did a heck of a job."

In his seventh season out of Stephen F. Austin, the 262-pounder was released by the Redskins for salary cap purposes before the season. He couldn't help but enjoy the irony.

"Eight months ago, I was in the unemployment line," he said. "It's exciting."

[Last modified January 17, 2005, 01:06:09]