How Do You Shutdown Randy Moss?

After two seasons with the Raiders, that's a question that fewer and fewer defensive coordinators have had to answer. And with the team unable to protect starting quarterback Aaron Brooks, how much do the Ravens need to worry themselves this Sunday?

Even though the Raiders are a mess on both sides of the ball, you always have to take account of Randy Moss. Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times talked to some of the Ravens about how they plan to take on Moss on Sunday. Whie Moss might have torched just about every other team in the NFL, he's only managed eight catches for 98 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens over the course of his career. Last week in Tampa, Baltimore effectively shut down Tampa Bay wideout Joey Galloway with cornerback Samari Rolle getting some help from safety Ed Reed. But for the most part, the Ravens have handled Moss in the past with cornerback Chris McAlister, as at 6'1" he's a better match size wise against the 6'4" Moss.

As to what will happen on Sunday, the Ravens were being tight lipped, but defensive end Trevor Pryce told Wilson something that got me thinking:

"I've never played against a receiver as fast as Randy Moss," said defensive end Trevor Pryce. "Even last year with some of the stuff he did, he's wide open all by himself. They just couldn't get him the ball. So, they are a very dangerous football team."

Moss has been with Oakland a little more than a year, and other than his recent comments about the team -- comments that proved right on target after the Raiders were crushed in their seaon opener at home by San Diego last Monday night -- he's been pretty quiet since he arrived from Minnesota. Then again, just how long with Moss, who has seven years remaining on his current contract, want to stick around in Oakland when it's clear that no matter who is playing quarterback, and no matter how often Moss gets open, he's just not going to be getting the ball?

That's a question that Raiders NFL Fanhouse blogger Adam Rank is asking, and he seems to think it's only a matter of time before Moss is in street clothes on the sidelines with Jerry Porter. With the way things are looking in Oakland these days, could anyone be surprised if Moss attempted to force a trade before the October 17 deadline?