Robert Kraft, asked about the Carolina Panthers' accusations that Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss did not go full speed in Sunday's game, stood by Moss.
"I can only speak for myself. I really believe in him, and support him," Kraft told the Boston Herald during a Patriots charity Salvation Army holiday party Tuesday evening. "He's made a great contribution to this team. Wes Welker has been great and productive, but he's been fortunate to have Randy on the other side. Randy will be very productive and has been very for us. Look at his stats. So I'm really happy he's part of our team. I look for a lot of good things from him before the season's over."
Moss had just one catch for 16 yards in the Patriots'20-10 win over the Panthers on Sunday, leading Carolina cornerback Chris Gamble andsafety Chris Harris to declare Moss had given less than his full effort.
"We knew he was going to shut it down," Gamble told the BostonGlobe. "He'd just give up a lot, slow down, he's not going deep,not trying to run a route. You can tell [by his] body language."
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Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady came to the defense of thereceiver who had 98 receptions in 2007 when he set an NFL recordwith 23 touchdown catches. The Patriots were 18-0 that seasonbefore losing the Super Bowl.
"If you watch other teams defendhim, watch other teams play against him, they think the same way,other than these two guys from Carolina after they lost anothergame," Belichick said earlier in the week. "I guess they don't think that way, but they haven't won a lotof games now."
Moss added 69 catches last season when they went 11-5. This season, he has 69 catches for 1,074 yards and nine touchdowns, but just six for 149 yards and one touchdown in his pastthree games.
Kraft called Moss respectful, a gentleman and a hard-worker, according to the Herald.
"I check with the guys in the weight room and coaches. He does a lot of things people don't see. When you're a target out there, and in a different category, the expectations become so great, and people can be a little unfair," Kraft told the Herald.
"Everything he's done, interactions with me and with this team, have been top-drawer. I'm sure a lot of other teams would love to have someone like Randy on their team. I'm really happy he's with us, and part of what we're about."
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