Chat with Matt Mosley
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Mosley, an award-winning writer for The Dallas Morning News for seven years, joined ESPN.com in January 2007 and writes columns, features and blogs about the NFL.
Send your questions now and join Mosley in The Show on Tuesday at noon ET!
Mosley Archive: Columns | Blog
Tim (NYC)
Do you think the fact that TO was booed will have a big impact on his attitude and/or play coming up?
Matt Mosley (12:03 PM)
Tim: T.O. is someone who craves attention. It doesn't always matter what form it comes in. I'm sure he can have three catches and 38 yards in any environment.
Marc (Loudoun County)
Does the eagles late run mean they wont have any/man pro bowl guys this year? Westbrook will have trouble in a deep RB Conf, Asante Samuel is the only other guy that REALLY belongs.
Matt Mosley (12:05 PM)
Marc, the Pro Bowl is pathetic. You know it, I know it. That's why the Redskins can stuff the ballot box and get players in that don't deserve it. The Eagles are playing a lot better right now, but it's hard to think of too many Pro Bowlers on that team. Howard has quietly had a nice season. And Trent Cole is highly underrated as a run defender. But you don't make Pro Bowls defending the run as a DE. You won't see a lot of Eagles in Hawaii.
Paul (Gary, IN)
Which team will represent the AFC in the Superbowl?
Matt Mosley (12:05 PM)
The Steelers
Chuck (Waco, TX)
Matt - Is it true T.O. and his crew tried to intimidate you after Sunday's game?
Matt Mosley (12:07 PM)
Chuck, I found the whole thing amusing. I just kept trying to figure out if the guy next to him was Damon Jones. T.O. called me a "chump" or something, but I've certainly heard worse -- in the comments section!
Dave (Pittsburgh)
Any chance that the Steelers get overconfident with all of this sudden attention?
Matt Mosley (12:08 PM)
Dave, I'm not worried about the Steelers getting overconfident. They've won two straight games that they easily could've lost. You don't get overconfident after 10-9 wins.
John Charlotte nc
Matt So who will win the Big game on Sunday night between the Panthers and Giants?
Matt Mosley (12:08 PM)
Giants
Jerry (Texas)
Matt, do you really believe TO when he says Ed Werder was making that stuff up?
Matt Mosley (12:09 PM)
Ed Werder has a great reputation in the business as a reporter. I'll take his word over T.O.'s any day of the week.
Michael (Afghanistan)
So what do you think about Titans vs Cowboys in the Super Bowl?
Matt Mosley (12:11 PM)
I don't see it. The Cowboys are a supremely talented team, but at some point all the petty jealousy that goes on catches up with you. I think someone who better understands the team concept will make it to the Tampa. That's either the Giants or the Panthers from the NFC. I like the Titans, but it worries me that they're leaking oil down the stretch. The Steelers will seize the opening.
Mike PA
How do you see this weekend playing out with the cowboys playing the ravens and the eagles playing the redskins? Who do you see winning the finale in philly?
Matt Mosley (12:12 PM)
Both the Cowboys and Eagles will win. That means the Cows will be 10-5 and the Eagles will be 9-5-1 in that last game. I'm not predicting that one until I have to.
Eric (Indy)
Matt, I need a fantasy question answered since I can't wait until 3pm. I have an injured RB group in Barber/Westbrook/Bush/DeWilliams/ and CJohnson. Out of these players, which 3 do you think will have better weeks? CJ plays a tough Pitt D, Barber may still be hurt, and Bush may be out! What do you think?
Matt Mosley (12:14 PM)
One fantasy question: Go with Williams (Giants run D a little shaky right now), Westbrook and Johnson
Alex (Washington, DC)
So was the difference for the Giants Jacobs being out or Burress? I'd believed that Derrick Ward could make the offense run just like back when Tiki was around, but I guess Jacobs really is the key to that running game?
Matt Mosley (12:15 PM)
Jacobs is the hammer. He wears a defense down and then Ward benefits greatly from that. Ward's better in the passing game than he is as a runner. This is the worse thing that could happen for him. He's being showcased as a free agent. And he's not a No. 1 back.
Henry, Charlotte, NC
So you are saying it is the Steelers vs.? and the winner being the...
Matt Mosley (12:16 PM)
Henry, I've learned not to turn my back on the Giants. I'm saying Steelers-Giants at this point.
MJ (Boston)
If you had 1 Hall of Fame vote who'd you give it to? Darren Woodson or John Lynch?
Matt Mosley (12:16 PM)
Woody
Jon (Denver)
So Zorn is having a crisis of confidence...is it the system or the players?
Matt Mosley (12:19 PM)
Jon, it's a little bit of both. I think he got the players to quickly buy in to what he was doing. But the lack of talent caught up with him. I still believe in Z, but he has a long road ahead of him. Snyder has to be dying with this collapse. A loss to the Bengals is embarrassing. It's like the Redskins don't have any pride right now. Portis got banged up and Campbell's regressed. In his defense, Santana Moss is pretty much his only receiver. Thomas and Kelly have been HUGE disappointments early. Looks like Vinny whiffed on three picks in the second -- as of now.
Andy Reid (Philly)
Why did I call a trick play near the end zone having Jackson throw it instead of McKnabb? What is wrong with me?
Matt Mosley (12:20 PM)
Andy, you're too smart for your own good sometimes. You and Marty spend all that time coming up with wild stuff and you can't help yourself once you get in a game. It's called showing off -- and it can come back to haunt you against a good team.
Daniel (San Antonio, TX)
I'm not saying Ed Werder is lying, and I understand her was just reporting the information his source's gave him. However, doesn't he have some responsibility to do a little digging to ensure that that info is true? What if his source's told him that the sky was in fact green. Would he report that?
Matt Mosley (12:25 PM)
Daniel: Do you have some knowledge that he wasn't digging? I certainly don't know that. If NOTHING was going on in that locker room, why did Wade Phillips feel compelled to call a team meeting Friday? I realize that we're going to get criticized as reporters. I'm completely fine with that. But when T.O. comes out and talks about "lies" and then has his bobo, Deion Sanders, go on the NFL Network, and say the same thing, things sort of get out of hand. Now you have fans in Dallas taking their lead on this thing and heckling Ed. I just think it's wrong to assume Ed wasn't "digging" on this story. For all we know, he's been working on the story the whole season. Was he supposed to avoid it because there would be a perception that he had an agenda? I don't think so.
Ed, San Juan PR
Have you ever been called out by a player like T.O. did?
Matt Mosley (12:26 PM)
Oh geez. Happens all the time. Most of the time you deal with it one on one and then move on down the road. T.O. simply chose a different forum.
Ken (Coatesville, Pa)
Matt, How likely do you think it would be for both the Eagles and the Cowboys to make the wildcard? Eagles would have to win out, Dallas would have to beat the ravens, and the Bucs/ Falcons would both have to go 10-6. I can see it.
Matt Mosley (12:26 PM)
I can see it, too. But it's not going to happen.
Mr.Orton (Chicago Ill.)
Do you think there is any chance that Donovan McNabb stays in Philly?
Matt Mosley (12:27 PM)
Mr. Orton: If the Eagles continue this late-season run and qualify for the playoffs, I think the Eagles would have a tough time releasing or trading him. He's only 32. I think he wants to play five more years.
Jon (Denver)
what is a bobo
Matt Mosley (12:29 PM)
Someone that does your bidding. As in "Deion is T.O.'s bobo"
Jake, Washington DC
Can the league step in and just eliminate the fan voting for this year? Skins fans have showed fans shouldnt vote again.
Matt Mosley (12:31 PM)
Jake: The fans' vote only comprises one-third of the final tally, but yes, it's out of hand. The Redskins may end up with more players than they deserve, which is too bad since a guy like London Fletcher truly deserves to be in. I hate that people will hear his name and point to the ballot-box stuffing. Again, the Pro Bowl is a fraud. I can't imagine why anyone would watch it.
Jason (Calgary, AB)
How come no one is questioning Primetime's 'journalistic integrity'? (Insert punchline). He laid it on pretty thick towards Werder but he wasn't giving up his sources or elaborating on anything. He basically just said "Trust me".
Matt Mosley (12:32 PM)
Deion's not a journalist -- and I think he would probably admit that.
Yatin (LA)
Since I can't get an answer, let me try a different way. Will the NFC Beast get 1 and only 1 wildcard team and will that team be the winner of the December 28 matchup at the Linc?
Matt Mosley (12:33 PM)
Only one. Yes, We've covered this. Now, let's do some Giants questions.
Jason (Bryn Mawr, PA)
Matt, are there truly any elite teams in football today? Take the Eagles, for example; their fans now think they are back in the Super Bowl hunt, but are they a good team? After tying the Bengals and getting blasted by Baltimore, the Eagles beat a bad Cardinals team at home, beat a injury plagued Giants team, and a Browns team that quit on its coach weeks agao. Same could be said for Dallas, Atlanta, TB, Minny, Denver, etc.
Matt Mosley (12:36 PM)
Jason, it's a fair question. The Steelers, Titans, Giants and Panthers are the only thing close right now. There's no team like the Patriots this season that just dominates everyone. So yes, the league feels pretty watered down this season.
Ben (DC)
Matt I'm a Giants fan but I'm really interested why you're picking them on Sunday with all these injury issues still unresolved? Will Jacobs play? Can they win without him?
Matt Mosley (12:41 PM)
I think Tom Coughlin desperately wants to enter the playoffs with some momentum. Losing their last four games of the regular-season would kill him. I think the Giants will load up to stop the run and make Jake Delhomme beat them. The Giants will win this game on defense. And my guy Domenik Hixon will make at least one huge play in the passing game. He's been feeling the pressure of replacing Burress, but he'll bounce back against the Panthers. Antonio Bryant had a big night against Carolina. I think Smith or Hixon could do the same.
Brett (Minny)
Will the Giants-Vikings game in the final week be a big game for either team or do you feel the playoff picture should be clear after this week?
Matt Mosley (12:44 PM)
Brett: We'll have a lot better feel for how things are going to stack up. But that Vikings-Giants could end up being pretty important in terms of seeding. The Vikings could beat the Giants and they could both finish 11-5. Isn't it nuts that the Cowboys could end up tying for the division title?
Benjamin Plattsburgh
the giants are the best team in the league.... what other team in the NFL can weather losing its best D-player (Osi) and best O player (plax) and still be a superbowl contender?
Matt Mosley (12:47 PM)
I'm not sure they've weathered the Plax storm yet. I have a healthy respect for the Giants, but they look vulnerable right now. The Cowboys defense manhandled the Giants' offensive line. And it's scary to imagine them having to go a few weeks with Kev Boothe over there at right tackle.
Jeff (Miami,Fl)
Matt, long time Fins' fan. Do you think the Dolphins can win out and take NY in Chad's return home? Are the Fins' a legitamite playoff team and how far could they go?
Matt Mosley (12:48 PM)
Jeff, the Fins are the real deal. Go ahead and give Tony Sparano the Coach of the Year trophy now. It's just a remarkable coaching job and it shows you how important he was to the organization in Dallas. Unfortunately, Jerry Jones spent $3 million on the wrong assistant..
Earl (NYC)
I don't know if it's really fair to say the lack of a Giants run game was Ward's fault. The o-line got zero push and couldn't open up any lanes in the run game (not to mention they couldn't handle Dallas's pass-rush). More than Jacobs or Plax I feel like Seubert having the flu and McKenzie coming out mid-game killed the Giants' offense - Jacobs couldn't have fared much better with so little blocking to work with.
Matt Mosley (12:50 PM)
Without Jacbos, the Giants are not the same. He and Ward complement each other really well. Even if Jacobs isn't gaining a lot of yards, he can pound on a defense. I have no clue why the Giants refuse to give Ahmad Bradshaw more carries. He's the most dynamic running back on the team. Maybe they don't trust him. But it's a mystery to me.
Brandon (Houston, TX
Matt, this Saturday Ravens @ Dallas, the way the Dallas defense has been playing especially with D Ware now staring down the sack record Michael Strahan put up...what do you think the chances are of Dallas walking away with a win at home? Considering that barber and Romo both are sore/injured.
Matt Mosley (12:52 PM)
I think the Cowboys will have a tough time moving the ball against the Ravens. But keep something in mind. Teams in this league have a hard time bouncing back after they've played the Steelers. I think teams are a combined 4-9 after playing the Steelers. For some reason, that number was in my head.
Renegade
Matt, how come D Ware's name is never mentioned in the DPOY award? Who do you have?
Matt Mosley (12:53 PM)
I think he has to be in the mix. Polamalu has put up big INT numbers and has played superbly. Al Haynesworth is the best DT in the game, but he has to sit out a couple of games. Ware would certainly be my choice.
Mike (Dallas,TX)
So why do you hate the Cowboys so much? It is clear that you are biased against them. I have friend that is an Eagles fan and he can see your bias in every piece that you write. You rarely credit any merit coming from the Cowboys, but you are fast to point out their shortcomings, more so than any other football club.
Matt Mosley (12:54 PM)
Half my readers think I'm a huge Cowboys homer and half of them think I'm a hater. That's about how I like it.
rerun (su)
don't forget harrison for DPOY
Matt Mosley (12:54 PM)
fair point.
Matt (glendale, CA)
Is it unfathomable that the steelers have not had an opponent called for a hold against them in the past 5 games?
Matt Mosley (12:55 PM)
I did not know that, but thanks for sharing.
Jat Ratliff (Dallas Cowboys)
Hey Matt--I'm a little undersized to play NT, but I try really hard and old man Phillips has figured out a way to maximize my skills. Am I the long-term solution at NT? All the other 3-4 defenses seem to have a massive behemoth that could swallow me whole.
Matt Mosley (12:57 PM)
Ware gets most of the attention because of the sacks, but Ratliff should be in the Pro Bowl. He's an excellent pass rusher and he's solid against the run. One of those high-energy guys that everyone feeds off of. And you got him in the SEVENTH round.
Stephen, Concord, NC
The Giants-Panthers game is the most important of the year in the NFC. Is there any way Jacobs wont play with this much on the line? Maybe he needs Jerry Jones to question his toughness.
Matt Mosley (12:58 PM)
I think he'll play, Stephen. So you don't think Mara or Tisch will come out and question Jacobs' toughness this week?
Zach (Delaware)
Matt! Any idea on how Romo's back is feeling? He had a few throws that were way off Sunday night, and I'm hoping the reason was his sore back.
Matt Mosley (1:00 PM)
According to sources close to Romo, he's doing fine. It's really sore and the Cowboys will keep a close eye on it. But there's no way it keeps him out of Sunday's game
Justin (Highland Park, TX)
With all the ice in the metroplex, do you think you'll make it to Tuesdays with Mosley? Also, can you comment on Galloway complaining that you and Estridge are conducting secret meetings to discuss what will be discussed on the show? I have heard this from a source within ESPN 103.3
Matt Mosley (1:02 PM)
Justin: It's touch and go for "Tuesdays with Mosley" today. Galloway is screaming at me to drive over there, but the roads are treacherous. And Werder's the one who reported that Estridge and I were conducting secret meetings behind Gallo's back.
al (philly)
any chance of the final week philly- dallas getting moved to Sunday night football?
Matt Mosley (1:02 PM)
I need to check, but I think that's a protected game.
Andrew (Paoli, PA)
Hey Matt, I hope you agree with me that having one player, plax, out of the game does not qualify as injury plauged. The eagles were better than the giants and that's the bottom line.
Matt Mosley (1:03 PM)
Yes, the Eagles beat up the Giants in that game. I don't give the Giants any "distraction" excuses. And it's not like Plax had been putting up big numbers. The one he does, though, is draw a lot of attention. We'll see if Hixon can step up this week. So far, it's been a struggle for the guy.
Ahad (Houston, TX)
Mosley, tell your 103.3 overlords to fix the podcast for Gallo's show.
Steiny (NYC)
Do you think Tashard Choice and Barber make a nice 1-2 punch?
Matt Mosley (1:05 PM)
I think Barber and Choice make a nice 1-2 punch, yes. And when you bring Felix back into the mix next season, you'll really have something.
Eldorado (Dallas, TX)
If you had any heart you would show up for your show. You remind me of the rest of the guys I work with that don't understand putting it all on the line.
Matt Mosley (1:06 PM)
Folks, Buzz is telling me it's time to go. You've been wonderful -- as always. Except the heckler from Buffalo who kept claiming to be Tim Graham. See you next Tuesday.
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