It took awhile, but New England Patriots WR Randy Moss has done it.  With his embarrassing effort against the Carolina Panthers following a bad morning during the week, Moss has become a malcontent in New England after it appeared that the presence of head coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady would prevent that from happening.  With the Patriots playing the Buffalo Bills Sunday on the road, I couldn’t help but compare Moss with the other premier prima donna WR of the decade, Terrell Owens.  The fiery receiver hasn’t made much noise on or off the field this season, but since his arrival in March the Bills have fired head coach Dick Jauron, fired offensive coordinator Turk Schonert, and benched QB Trent Edwards.  None of that is Owens’ fault, but the Bills are 5-8 and Owens is averaging his lowest catch per game average this decade.

So the question is, which WR would you have rather had on your team this decade: the effortless (and sometimes effortless) Randy Moss, or the explosive (and sometimes explosive) Terrell Owens?

In terms of player profile, it is generally agreed that Moss (6-4, 215) is faster and has the better hands, while Owens (6-3, 225) is more physical and the better runner after the catch.  While they present intimidating physical advantages for defenses, they have sometimes created psychological disadvantages for their teams.

Moss has a reputation for not going hard all the time, which affects his route running, willingness to get hit over the middle, and willingness to get after wayward passes.  Defensive backs who get physical with Moss can cause him to lose interest, which turns him from a dangerous game changer to a liability on the field.  Another interesting fact is that Moss has only led his team in receptions three times in 12 seasons (2001-2003, with the Vikings winning only 20 games and missing the playoffs every season).  From 1998-2000, Cris Carter led the Vikings in receptions; in 2004, Nate Burleson was the leading WR for the Vikings; in 2005, Jerry Porter led Raiders WRs in receptions; in 2006, Ronald Curry led Raiders WRs in receptions; and from 2007-2009, Wes Welker has led the Patriots in receptions.   The legacy of Randy Moss includes: “I play when I want to play”; former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice’s “Randy Ratio”, a strategy intended to keep Moss involved in the game during the 2002 season; leaving the field in 2004 before a game was over; and admitting his concentration and focus level are conditional to his mood as an Oakland Raider.

But while Moss can be a minus on the field, he’s not as stressful to play with as Owens.  T.O.’s touchdown celebrations and sideline rants label him as a selfish player who gives a great effort but can tear a locker room apart with his confrontational personality.  He has belittled QBs on his way out of San Francisco (Jeff Garcia), Philadelphia (Donovan McNabb), and Dallas (Tony Romo).

Who would I rather have?  I thought about Owens, simply because he demands so much attention and is still productive.  The only receiver Owens ever played second fiddle to was Jerry Rice.  Plus, compared to Moss, there is no mistake that Owens keeps himself in top physical shape and demands a lot from himself.  But then I thought about the fact that Moss is the better talent.  His deep speed is scary.  His hands are incredible, whereas Owens has made a career of dropping the ball.  While Owens is always the number one receiver on his teams, Moss makes his teammates better on the field, something I can’t say about Owens.  In fact, teams and players sometimes get better without Owens simply because the offense doesn’t have to pick and choose how many targets it takes Owens to be satisfied.

My solution?  I’d rather have Randy Moss and surround him with great players.  It would be easier to operate than it would to have Terrell Owens with great players (RE: Jason Witten is a great player).  But do you know what I’d like to see more than anything else regarding these two receivers?  Terrell Owens taking a pay cut and joining the New England Patriots next season after his one year deal with Buffalo expires, teaming with Randy Moss outside and Wes Welker in the slot!  Oh, the possibilities … and the headlines.

-1SKILLZ