Poor Taste Not Confined to Moss

If you’re looking for a quick update on the state of the NFL, the NFC and the mutating-by-the-minute Minnesota Vikings, there was this Sunday:

Once upon a time, and not that long ago, NFL fans got worked up over all the big touchdowns produced by a Viking player named Moon.

Today, the NFL is all worked up over a Viking player pretending to moon fans after producing a big touchdown.

That was Randy Moss’ latest crime against NFL Establishment sensibilities -- pretending to pull down his pants and moon the fans at Lambeau Field after scoring the touchdown that iced the Vikings’ 31-17 wild-card victory over the Green Bay Packers.

“That is a disgusting act by Randy Moss,” Fox’s Joe Buck said as he watched Moss’ latest interpretation of the post-score end-zone celebration. “And it’s unfortunate that we had that on our air live. That is disgusting by Randy Moss.”

ESPN, also disgusted, or at least pretending to be, declined to show the celebration on its various highlight shows. “Good taste prevents us from showing it to you now,” ESPNews anchor Stan Verrett said.

Good taste at ESPN? The same network that has distinguished itself by peddling such crude and crass fare as “A Season on the Brink” and “Playmakers,” with the wholesome gambling drama “Tilt” on deck this week?

Outrage at Fox? The same network that interrupted a World Series game last year for an “interview” with “Leon,” the pretend, self-absorbed athlete who stars in a series of Budweiser commercials with Fox’s ace play-by-play broadcaster, Buck?

Do executives at ESPN and Fox ever stop to think that the “original programming” and the commercials they air might actually contribute to, and even encourage, the run-amok, self-absorbed behavior by such real-life “Leons” as Moss?

The simple answer is no, because they never stop to think.

This is the state of the NFL in January 2005: After Janet Jackson and Nicollette Sheridan in 2004, the league and the TV networks that cover it are so uptight about exposed body parts on television that they are now freaking out about imaginary exposed body parts.

On last week’s list of Most Outrageous Moss Maneuvers, Sunday’s celebration barely cracks the top two, or three, depending on how one feels about Moss abandoning his teammates by walking off the field before the end of the Washington game and then taking credit for lighting an emotional spark for those same teammates, who had to spend the entire week before the Packer game answering questions about Moss’ Washington walkoff.

Around the country this morning, I’d suspect fans in Green Bay are more offended by the Packers’ pretend pass defense ... and fans in Denver are more offended by Bronco players calling Indianapolis wide receivers soft ... and fans in Seattle are more offended by the Seahawks’ lack of capable wide receivers, soft or otherwise.

Or how does this one grab you, football purists?

The NFC semifinal field is set, and half of the final four finished the regular season with 8-8 records, Minnesota and St. Louis.

Before this weekend, no 8-8 NFL team had won a postseason game. This weekend, two NFC teams with 8-8 records went a combined 2-0 -- on the road! -- which says everything that needs to be said about the present state of the NFC.

Given an extra day to mull it over, St. Louis’ 27-20 victory at Seattle makes more sense. Hadn’t the Rams swept the Seahawks during the regular season? Weren’t five dropped passes by the Seahawks, including one in the end zone in the final seconds, simply part of the usual Seattle game plan? Didn’t everyone figure Mike Martz would outcoach Mike Holmgren in a big game?

All right, two out of three isn’t bad, especially in the NFC.

And guess what? This unexpected Ram revival stands a decent chance of advancing another week, thanks to the Vikings’ upset at Green Bay. As the lowest-seeded team left in the NFC, No. 6 Minnesota next travels to Philadelphia to face the top-seeded Eagles. Meanwhile, the No. 5 Rams go to No. 2 Atlanta, which plays its home games on a fast track indoors, same as the Rams, and enters the game on a cold streak, 0-2 since Christmas.

By contrast, the Rams are 3-0 since Christmas against three teams that reached the Super Bowl tournament -- the Eagles, the Jets and the Seahawks.

Minnesota also has more of a chance than meets the eye. Lost amid the myriad Moss/Mike Tice controversies has been the extraordinary performance of Viking quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who broke Warren Moon’s club record for regular-season passing yardage, then opened the playoffs by throwing for four touchdowns against the Packers.

Philadelphia defeated Minnesota in Week 2, 27-16, but the Eagles will have to play the rematch without Terrell Owens, with their most recent victory coming Dec. 19.

The AFC semifinals feature two rematches: the Jets at Pittsburgh on Saturday, the Colts at New England on Sunday. The Steelers defeated the Jets in Week 14, 17-6, running their all-time record against the Jets to 15-2. The Patriots opened the season with a 27-24 decision over Indianapolis, running their winning streak against the Colts to five.

The Colts, however, insist they are a different team, with more offensive options and fewer defensive breakdowns now. The Broncos can confirm the former after Sunday’s 49-24 Indianapolis victory. The Colts led, 35-3, at halftime, with Peyton Manning en route to 457 passing yards, the second-highest total in NFL postseason history.

Also, Patriot cornerback Ty Law, who intercepted three passes in last season’s 24-14 AFC championship game victory over the Colts, is injured and won’t play this weekend. Considering who’s available, who’s not and who’s hot, it would be foolish to dismiss the Colts’ chances in New England. And it wouldn’t be smart to write off the Vikings, who just intercepted Brett Favre four times at Lambeau, or the Rams, who got 313 passing yards from Marc Bulger against Seattle.

Whether handicapping or participating in these playoffs, you don’t want to get caught with your pants down.