Ah yes. That blissful stretch during the dumpster fire 2010 Vikings season where a All-Time Top-5 wide receiver and an All-Time Top-10 quarterback hooked up for a whole four weeks.
It would’ve been a helluva combination in 2005.
But… It was 2010.
Favre had just turned 41 and Moss was a spry 33 years young at the time.
During the Week 4 Bye of what would become a 6-10-0 (the last season of the Brad Childress Dynasty), the braintrust of Chilly, Ricky, and Zygi shipped a 3rd round pick to Belichick and the Patriots (which they turned into Ryan Mallett) for our wayward son Randy Moss.
Moss had finally wore out his welcome in New England after buying into the “Patriot Way” the three previous seasons – including the 18-1 2007 year (Tyree).
The 2010 Edition of the Vikings were 1-2 at the time and the thinking was with Sidney Rice dinged up (shocker) a deep threat replacement like Moss might be the piece we needed to improve on the NFC Championship Game appearance of a year ago.
Get #4 and #84 on the same page and we’re on our way to Dallas for Super Bowl XLV, baby! Come on!!!
Ehhhh not so much.
The Vikings went 1-3 during Moss’ 4 games back. D’oh.
The chemistry never really developed (13 catches – 174 yards). D’oh.
The two did hook up for a pair of TDs during their month together.
The first was on a deep Go route in Moss’ first game back in Purple (we lost to the Jets) and the other was against Brett’s former team and that season’s eventual Super Bowl Champion Packers (we lost that one too).
During his 2nd tour in Minnesota, Randy also endeared himself with the local culinary community.
After a half-hearted (assed) effort against his former team in Week 8 (1 catch, 8yds vs the Pats), Moss was cut by the Vikings. Reportedly it was a solo decision by Brad Childress, made without consulting the “Triangle of Authority”. <dun dun dun>
http://youtu.be/QavBLzmBDG4
Chilly wasn’t much longer for the Purple. With the Moss decision, poor performance, and schisms all over the locker room, he was given his walking papers after the Week 11 curb stomping by the Packers, 31-3 at the Dome.
Favre was right behind him as 2010 was his last season in the NFL (so far). The last image we have of Hattiesburg’s Finest was him lying face down on the TCF Bank Stadium concrete turf after being drilled by something called Corey Wotten in Week 15 on MNF.
2010 was a circus for the Vikings.
It started out with hope coming off the near miss in the 2009 NFC Title game, but quickly devolved into a gruel of despair, confusion, and desolation.
Favre’s last ride. Randy came back and left. Chili gon’. The Dome collapsed. We played “home” games in Detroit and at The Bank. We participated in the first Tuesday Night Football game in Philly due to a blizzard. Joe Webb looked like an NFL QB for one game.
All unexpected/unlikely/unwanted events (Childress’ axing aside).
The 2010 Minnesota Vikings football season was a disaster and an abject failure, even though we had that October month of optimism with the short lived Bert Faver to Randall Moss connection.
But at least we got Leslie Frazier and Christian Ponder out of the deal, right?…..
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