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Veteran WR Randy Moss says he simply wants to win. That's his focus in Tennessee. |
No, the veteran receiver isn't happy that the Titans have yet to win since he joined the team.
"The only thing that really frustrates me is winning and losing,'' Moss said Thursday. "Me getting the ball and we lose the game, I'm still frustrated. Me not getting the ball and us winning would make me happy. Us going out here and just trying to find a way to win is really what's going to satisfy me and everybody else in this locker room.''
Moss has had only 12 balls thrown at him in three games with Tennessee. He has four catches for 49 yards and no touchdowns, anemic numbers considering he ranks eighth in NFL history with 952 receptions for 14,927 yards and 153 career TDs.
The 12-year veteran said that a lot of what goes on in an organization really isn't in his control.
The Titans (5-6) have had plenty of drama the three weeks, surprisingly none involving Moss. Instead, it's been Vince Young's season-ending injury and storming out of the team locker room, the offensive coordinator's cancer diagnosis and cornerback Cortland Finnegan's fight with Texans receiver Andre Johnson in last week's 20-0 loss to Houston.
Moss said the Titans have been shooting themselves in the foot. They have lost four straight games, three of those coming since winning their claim of Moss on Nov. 3. Moss has played with a different starting quarterback in each game., and he said that's been hard.
"Me not getting any balls and things going on the past couple weeks is not really getting me down,'' Moss said.
The Titans are a game out of first in the AFC South and host the Jaguars (6-5) on Sunday with Jacksonville tied atop the division. They are hoping that veteran Kerry Collins starts Sunday instead of rookie Rusty Smith, and the veteran practiced fully Thursday.
"Hopefully with Kerry and the things we've done to change around the offense a little bit this week, hopefully man we can put some drives together and move the ball up and down the field and stay on the field ...,'' Moss said. "I just want to win some games. That's what I want to do.''
Moss joined the Titans with people telling him how great it would be for him to play with Chris Johnson, the sixth man in NFL history to run for at least 2,000 yards in a season. Johnson, who says Moss has been a great teammate and someone he goes to for advice since joining the team, had a career-low 5 yards on seven carries in the last loss.
And Moss sounded like a sage veteran, not a troublemaker on his third team this season, when he counseled hard work for a team that's been its own worst enemy.
"We just got to work. The coaches coach, the players play. I think that goes hand in hand. I think that if we're going to try to make a playoff push because we're one game out of this division, coaches got to be on their A-game and players got to be on their A-game,'' Moss said.
"That's how you make that playoff push.''
Winning Sunday would be a start.
"Everybody wants it, but we can't talk about it. We have to go out and make it happen,'' Moss said.
Asked about Johnson, whose locker sits closest a couple feet away, Moss said it's a pleasure to play with the third-year running back. Moss is trying his best to get Johnson to follow his ways to - all the way to the cold tub. But he hasn't had success there yet.
"That's the one thing I can't get him to do. I'm in the cold tub every day resting these old legs of mine. But he's young. Hopefully it doesn't but normally ... Father Time is undefeated,'' Moss said.
NOTES: WR Kenny Britt (right hamstring) was limited in his second straight practice. DE Dave Ball (concussion), K Rob Bironas (right groin), DT Tony Brown (right knee), CB Alterraun Verner (knee) and LB David Thornton (hip) all practiced after sitting out Wednesday. DE Jason Babin (ankle) was limited.