OPINION

By Dave Goldberg

updated 7:03 p.m. ET Sept. 9, 2007

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Even Randy Moss didn’t know if he’d ever be Randy Moss again. Wes Welker, on the other hand, wasn’t worried.

“I kept getting calls all week from people who told me they were going to pick me up on their fantasy teams. I told them ’Forget about me, Take Randy,’ “ said Welker, another new part of New England’s rebuilt receiving corps.

Good pick, because Moss led the Patriots to a 38-14 win over the New York Jets on Sunday in the season opener.

After missing most of training camp with a hamstring injury, all Moss did in his debut for the Patriots was catch nine passes for 183 yards, including a 51-yard TD. Only twice in his career did he have more yards: 190 for as a rookie in 1998 for Minnesota in Green Bay, a performance that’s still regarded as his best, and 204 a year later in Chicago.

Moss had no idea what to expect.

“I don’t think I was ever more anxious or more nervous before a game,” he confessed afterward. “I knew I had good teammates and a great quarterback and I just wanted to go out and see what I had and give my all.”

Giving his all, of course, is something Moss often didn’t do in Minnesota or Oakland, one reason why the Vikings, for whom he scored 90 touchdowns in seven seasons, had few qualms about shipping him to the Raiders after the 2004 season. That was a season in which he walked off the field in Washington before a game ended.

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And earlier in his career, he alienated coaches and teammates with his casual attitude, exemplified by his signature statement: “I play when I feel like it.”

After two years in Oakland, playing when he felt like it — not often — with one of the NFL’s worst teams, it would have been fair to say that Moss’ best days were behind him. A lot of football people thought that way, although one of the most knowledgeable, Indianapolis president Bill Polian, said during training camp: “I think the only question is whether he is healthy. If he’s healthy, he can play, especially on that team. The people there will motivate him to do his best.”

As he usually is, Polian was right.

Moss didn’t practice during camp and he didn’t play in exhibitions. Bill Belichick, the coach who brooks no slacking, would say little about Moss after the game. “Everyone goes to meetings, everyone goes to class,” Belichick mumbled when asked how Moss could perform so well with so little practice.

His teammates had more revealing comments.

“The nice thing about him is that whether he practices or not, this is his 10th year,” said quarterback Tom Brady, who has three Super Bowl rings but has never had a receiver of Moss’ caliber.

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“Football is very natural for him. He was born to play football. God blessed him with football ability and he’s very smart as a player. He doesn’t need to practice like a first- or second-year player. He understands defenses. He understands what a quarterback is looking for.”

This is not to say that Moss will have 183 yards in receptions every week. Or even 83. In fact, after going through last year with no threat at wideout, New England now has numerous receiving threats, led by Moss, Welker and Donte’ Stallworth, all newcomers. So good has Brady’s receiving corps become that Reche Caldwell, who led the Patriots last season with 61 catches, was cut last week.

The other two questions regarding Moss are attitude and injury.

Moss is delighted with Brady. Who wouldn’t be? And no, his attitude problems do not include trashing star quarterbacks, as his alter ego, Terrell Owens, has been known to do. Chances are that on this team, with these veterans, Moss will play hard.

Injuries are another story.

As it turns out, sitting out training camp was the best thing for him. His performance also demonstrated there’s probably not as much need for long preseasons — Owens is one of a number of veterans who either didn’t play (Michael Strahan and Larry Johnson) or barely bothered to show up.

Moss, uncharacteristically humble, suggested he was so good Sunday because the Patriots are the Patriots. And this is a team that seems to have more talent than any of the New England clubs that won Super Bowls after the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons.

“Everything we did today was very well executed,” he said. “The coaches prepared us and we went out and made it happen.”

If Moss keeps playing like this, it will happen a lot more.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 4 games STEELERS 23, RAVENS 20, OT: Baltimore loses first game of season REDSKINS 26, COWBOYS 24: Dallas can't contain Portis in 1st loss BEARS 24, EAGLES 20: Goal-line stand boosts Chicago JETS 56, CARDINALS 35: Favre throws career-high 6 TDs BUCS 30, PACKERS 21: Ryan's 3 FGs lift Tampa CHARGERS 28, RAIDERS 18: San Diego tops rival 10th straight time BILLS 31, RAMS 14: Buffalo 4-0 for first time since 1992 CHIEFS 33, BRONCOS 19: Johnson rushes for 198 yards for K.C. BROWNS 20, BENGALS 12: Anderson throws TD TITANS 30, VIKINGS 17: Tennessee 4-0 for first time ever PANTHERS 24, FALCONS 9: Smith honors Lucas after TD JAGUARS 30, TEXANS 27, OT: Scobey kicks game winner SAINTS 31, 49ERS 17: McAlister scores first TD of year

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