Cris Carter said this week on Boston radio station WEEI that the Patriots had a significant drop-off at wide receiver when Carter’s old teammate, Randy Moss, was replaced by Deion Branch.
“The ceiling with Moss with their offense is a lot higher,” Carter said. “Deion disappears too much against regular corners. He disappears in the game. He’s made, like, three guest appearances since the Super Bowl. . . . Look at his stats. Look at his game. . . . He’s just a guy. You guys have to be real about it.”
Today Branch was told about those comments by reporters who no doubt were hoping to have a juicy war of words to write about. But Branch was bland in his response.
“Who me? I didn’t even hear it,” Branch said. “That’s cool. Whatever he said, that’s cool. I don’t know what happened and I really care less.”
Branch won’t say it, but I will: Carter is wrong. Moss is obviously a more talented athlete than Branch, but Branch is more than “just a guy.” Branch understands his role in the Patriots’ offense and has filled that role quite well.
And those who take Carter’s advice and look at Branch’s stats will see that Branch has 20 more catches for 183 more yards this season than Moss does. If Branch is “just a guy,” what does that make Moss?