Moss, Carter Are Super Bowl Dangers

Sunday, January 14th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) â€” They form the most dangerous downfield duo in the NFL, perhaps in league history. If Randy Moss and Cris Carter do their thing Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings figure to make their first trip to the Super Bowl in nearly a quarter-century.

If the New York Giants neutralize them, a return to the big game after a 10-year hiatus is likely.

While there are many other elements that will impact the NFC championship game, none will have as much bearing as what Minnesota's wide receivers do. Both sides know it.

``They do things other people can't do, make catches where others can't,'' said backup quarterback Bubby Brister, who has worked with the likes of Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey in Denver. ``Arguably, they're probably having one of the best years a duo ever had. Cris makes those catches, and Randy's the game-breaker.''

Moss and Carter combined for 173 receptions, 2,711 yards and 24 touchdowns working with untested quarterback Daunte Culpepper. They set the tone for Minnesota's 11-2 mark, and after the Vikings lost three straight to end the season, they dominated New Orleans in last weekend's playoff game.

Moss, an All-Pro, caught only two passes, but they went for 121 yards and two touchdowns. On the second, a simple pass into the flat, he outraced everyone down the sideline for a 68-yard score.

``You really think about being embarrassed when it's Randy Moss,'' said Jason Sehorn, the Giants' top cornerback, who has played particularly well the last two months.

Sehorn will see a lot of Moss on Sunday.

``He's always making big plays because he's just better than people,'' Sehorn said. ``It's not like he does it against just a few teams. He does it against everybody. And that's what scares you.''

Carter should scare opponents, too. He had eight receptions for 120 yards and one score against the Saints. The 14-year veteran, who is contemplating retirement, had 96 receptions, 19 more than Moss, for 1,274 yards. Moss had 1,437 yards and 15 TDs, to nine for Carter.

``At this stage of my career, I think I am the perfect complement for Randy, with his downfield ability,'' Carter said. ``We have an understanding of each other and what the other person can do, an appreciation of each other.

``We're always working hard and pushing each other to get even better. It's a great situation.''

Certainly it is for Culpepper, who sat last season behind Jeff George and Randall Cunningham. When both left as free agents, coach Dennis Green first pursued Dan Marino, then turned to his top draft pick of 1999.

All Culpepper did was have a Pro Bowl year, helped immeasurably by Minnesota's version of Rice-Taylor, Branch-Biletnikoff and Duper-Clayton.

``Do they amaze me?'' Culpepper said. ``Sometimes. But I get to the point where I see them every day in practice. A lot of the great catches they make, a lot of the great things they do in the games, they practice that way, so I get used to it.''

The Giants (13-4) don't want Culpepper, Moss and Carter getting used to anything celebratory. They need to make life miserable all day for the Vikings' vaunted passing attack.

``I don't think you can overanalyze anything,'' said Dave Thomas, Sehorn's partner at cornerback. ``Their stats basically speak for themselves. They are very dangerous wide receivers.

``But we won't play scared. You can't play scared. You do your business. You're out there on an island, and you've got to go out there and play ball.''

Thomas, then with Jacksonville, faced Moss in 1998, the year he burst into the league to win top offensive rookie honors and his first All-Pro berth. Moss had three catches for 72 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota's 50-10 rout.

``This is a different Randy Moss,'' Thomas said. ``He is a lot more experienced and crafty in the things he does and in getting pass interference calls. He's picked it up on what defenses are doing, whether man-to-man or zone. He's grown up as a wide receiver over the years.''

The Giants know they'll need a significant pass rush, forcing Culpepper to show his inexperience. Without pressure up front, New York's secondary could be overmatched.

Vikings offensive coordinator Sherm Lewis certainly hopes so, even if he falls short of calling Carter-Moss the best of all time.

``I think it's too early to tell,'' Lewis said. ``Cris is at the end of his career and is a future Hall of Famer. I think Randy, at the pace he's at, will be in the Hall of Fame, too. Randy might go down as the greatest of all time, as a touchdown-maker.

``But it's early. The greatest pair I had was Jerry Rice and John Taylor at San Francisco. John did it for six years and Jerry did it for 15. See what I mean?''

Sehorn, Thomas and safeties Sam Garnes and Shaun Williams know they will be tested â€” often.

``They like to throw it deep 6-to-8 times a game and give it a shot,'' Sehorn said. ``Their philosophy is one of them will make a play 40 or 50 yards downfield. Sure enough, one of them makes a play. They know who is a weapon â€” they have two. If they keep shooting at it, they'll eventually hit the target and they have for 16 games.

``But one thing we do as a defense is we don't give up big plays.''

A Super Bowl berth depends on continuing that trend.