Healthy again, Broncos' Moss raring to go in second season

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 5, 2008 at 3:30 p.m.

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Photo by Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky

Broncos defensive end Jarvis Moss worked hard to overcome a severe ankle injury that shortened his rookie season and he's feeling good about being back on the field for Monday night's opener in Oakland.

The Super Bowl confetti had barely landed, and already Jarvis Moss was restless.

He had ditched his walking boot only a couple of days earlier. The crutches he had toted for three months also recently had been returned to the Broncos. And he was getting around with only a slight limp a couple of weeks after a stabilizing screw was removed from the damaged right ankle that had ended his rookie season two months prematurely.

"I was telling my girlfriend, 'Guys are probably tired and glad it's the offseason,' " Moss was saying on this day in early February, three months into his rehabilitation. "And, at this point, I'm hungry and wish the season was about to start again already."

Even if the NFL schedule did begin anew, piggybacking immediately off last season, Moss wasn't ready to resume his duties as a Broncos defensive end at that point. His daily routine then was centered on strengthening his right leg to the level of his left. His timetable for running a straight line was a month away.

Those moments in time seemed long ago when Moss spoke at Dove Valley, days before the Broncos' game Monday in Oakland.

That contest not only serves as Denver's regular-season opener, it is also the culmination of Moss' 10-month journey back to meaningful games.

Periodically throughout his recovery, Moss spoke with the Rocky about his progress, his rookie season and the future.

But after minicamps, training camp and four preseason games, as Moss put it, "It's that time," when his injury becomes a footnote and his play again must do the talking.

"I felt good through the preseason games. The playbook is secondhand to me now. That ain't holding me back," Moss said. "It's a matter of going out and making plays. That's what people want to see. That's what I want to do. And that's what it takes."

And here's what it took along the way for him to get another opportunity:

The injury, surgery

It all ended in an instant on Nov. 1.

One minute, Moss was engaging a blocker in practice; the next, he was on the ground with Broncos head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos perched over him, assessing the damage.

Teammates later told the defensive end he tripped over linebacker Ian Gold, then got tangled with offensive tackle Ryan Harris, who fell on top of him.

"I knew immediately it was broken," Moss said, "because I hadn't ever broken a bone before."

Moss needed a plate and screws inserted between the tibia and fibula to hold the bones in place and another screw to allow the ligaments to stabilize.

Let the rehab begin

Once the swelling subsided, Moss' recovery began.

"The worst part of it is being on crutches," Antonopulos said shortly after the start of Moss' rehabilitation. "Sometimes, guys get pretty aggressive and do things like walk, things they aren't supposed to be doing on their own."

But Moss followed protocol, even if the crutches and boot were a hindrance.

"It was kind of frustrating at first," Moss said during the early stages of his comeback. "I couldn't even wear shoes to match my clothes or whatever, and being on crutches, it was annoying, but it's part of it. I needed them."

Moss worked in the pool, did range-of-motion, core and balancing exercises and participated in strength-and-conditioning sessions, especially for the upper body, while his foot repaired itself. The screw in his foot was removed Jan. 29, after X-rays showed the healing in his ligament went smoothly. The plate and screws stabilizing the

ankle remain.

"Jarvis works very hard. He's very motivated," Antonopulos said at the scouting combine in February. "He wants to do everything right."

Background a benefit

Yet there was more than the physical recovery to consider, especially for Moss, who has had his share of hardships.

Moss had a tough upbringing in Denton, Texas. A grandmother, grandfather, aunts and cousins helped raise him because his parents couldn't fully support him.

In high school, an injection for a pelvis injury his senior year resulted in a 30-pound weight loss and six-week hospital stay after he developed a staph infection. It almost wrecked his first two years at the University of Florida.

So even though Moss' NFL rookie season wasn't going as planned, playing more on early run downs and on only 133 snaps overall in six games, at least the injury and his path for a successful return weren't mysteries.

"It really wasn't, 'Why me?' " Moss said of his physical setback.

"I'm not really that type of person, and guys in the NFL have gone down with injuries way worse than mine," he said in January. "It's tough to sit out games and not be around your teammates, but up until this day, I look at it as a positive situation for me. I think I played enough to get a real good feel for the NFL. It's not like I didn't go out there and not get my feet wet, or anything."

The mental aspect

One big dip came right before his injury. On Oct. 29, with Denver playing a nationally televised prime-time game against the Green Bay Packers, Moss - he was the 17th overall pick in the draft last year - was declared inactive.

"That was humiliating to him," Moss' agent, Pat Dye Jr., recalled this offseason. "His mom was there. His father was there. There were all these people there to see him on Monday Night Football in his biggest game so far, and it was like, 'God.' . . . Three days later, on Thursday, he broke his ankle."

Days before getting hurt, Moss had had a talk with coach Mike Shanahan and defensive line coach Jacob Burney about pushing harder in practice.

Moss ended up with only 14 tackles (seven solo) and one sack during his rookie season, falling well short of his stated preseason goal of becoming the NFL's top defensive rookie. He ended up watching numerous NFL games while he was immobile, and it helped him put his first year in perspective.

That process was aided by an interview he saw with former New York Giants All-Pro Michael Strahan, who said if he could go back in time and give himself advice as a rookie, it would be to have patience.

"What I really took out of it is that, on Sundays, you really have to be prepared throughout the week in order to play good," Moss said in January. "I feel I cheated myself a little bit and could have prepared a lot more . . . putting in the extra time, or extra, extra time, if needed. You reap the glory when you do that."

Back with the program

There was hard work but little grandeur as Moss ran wind sprints March 24, the opening day of the Broncos' strength-and-conditioning program.

The defensive end was three weeks from joining teammates in weightlifting sessions and running drills.

"I can get into a pretty good sprint going straight ahead," he said, hours after his individual workout. "I'm excited. I'm a little tired, but I'm happy I can even run and go get tired."

Moss said he was feeling no pain, but rather a "good" soreness that March evening.

"In a couple weeks, I'll be full-go in this offseason program, and that'll give me a couple months before training camp," he said. "I don't see anything holding me back at all, come camp. Hopefully, we'll look at it like I wasn't even injured."

Two months later, as organized team activities began, that sense was becoming ingrained.

Soaked in sweat, Moss stood outside the entrance to the Broncos locker room May 19, seemingly content he could see the finish line in his recovery.

"There's no need for precautions," he said confidently that afternoon. "My

ankle's strong. It can definitely be stronger. But it was a clean break of the bone, so it's healing completely. I'm not even hesitant on it anymore."

Moss paused briefly. "Maybe a little bit."

He admitted he still became fatigued quickly but thought he could participate in a second daily practice, if needed.

"His conditioning is looking much better," Shanahan said, addressing the media at the start of offseason team activities. "And for him to come back his second year should be a positive. Usually, those linemen learn a lot that first year, and there's a lot to learn. I'll be surprised if he doesn't come back and play extremely well."

Finally, training camp

There were days when Moss thought he'd never get back. Today is not one of them.

The defensive end just weighed in at 245 pounds - "I'm starting to realize the bulk won't come," he'd say afterward. But best of all, he had passed his training camp physical and it was officially full steam ahead for the preseason.

"There's a sense of life in me," he said that day, July 24, only hours before the start of two-a-day practices. "Being around the team, competing, it's just a really good feeling."

His goal of eight sacks in Year 2 soon would become public record, and, with the former No. 1-pick label affixed to him like some scarlet letter, he knows he'd better approach something close.

"I still feel there are eyes on me," Moss said. "The guys around here are looking for me to make a big step."

Bill Johnson, Denver's other defensive line coach, is among them.

Johnson, now in his eighth NFL season, has seen advancement at different rates, including with Patrick Kerney in Atlanta. Early on he was labeled a bust but he eventually advanced to multiple Pro Bowls.

He calls Moss' second season "sort of a restart" after his truncated rookie year and is looking for more consistency in his technique and improvement of his game knowledge.

"At what rate and how far can he go, those are questions that are unanswered," Johnson said.

A new season dawns

Moss' training camp was uneventful, but he didn't miss any team practices. He ran with the Broncos' first-team defense in pass-rush situations and was a constant reserve in base situations, the reverse of his 2007 regular-season status before his injury.

His statistics in four preseason games: four tackles, one sack, zero bumps and bruises and four flashbacks.

Moss talked about how his rehab, his time at home late last season while the Broncos were on the road, and visions of his leg, propped up, only increased his desire to lay it all on the line.

"It's definitely something I think about every morning before I come to work and take to the practice field," he said.

Then he had his scarred ankle taped.

• September 5, 2008

  6:36 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  incognitoboy writes:

  so, you feel some eyes, eh? yes jarvis, that's the skeptical broncos faithful, and that far-away misty look you see in those eyes are the ghosts of first- or second-pick busts that came to denver with lofty expectations and/or injuries which marred their senior seasons, coaches and agents declaring "yeah, when he's healthy you can't stop him.....blah, blah.......for some of us, jarvis, hope springs eternal. for others, patience is like space aliens. they don't believe in it.

  here's hoping you're the bright spot. leave it all on the field, dude!

• September 5, 2008

  8:01 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Yes sir, the healing is done, now there's games to be won.... I hope he has a great season. We will get a 1st glimps of our new D on Monday. Let's see who talks the talk and who walks the walk.

• September 5, 2008

  9:05 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brain writes:

  Moss still has a ways to go; hopefully he will keep at it and be a pro-bowl player; it won't be this year. If he keeps at it he might compete for a pro-bowl spot in two years; IF he keeps at it. Mario in Houston didn't have the injury problem but also didn't look that great in his first year; he is looking real good now; Moss did come out a year early too, so give him some time Broncos.
  BTW; I didn't like this pick but it is what we have and I hope he will contribute greatly this year; 8 sacks would be great as a back-up.

• September 5, 2008

  9:52 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  R8R_H8R writes:

  Joe Williams, sports radio 104.3 the Fan, about a dozen times through out the pre-season, on Jarvis Moss play; "Can we just go ahead and say it fellas? Jarvis Moss is a bust"

• September 6, 2008

  7:13 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  DeimosJB writes:

  Ah, leave it to R8R to say something stupid. Care to at least watch the guy play his first real season before labeling him a bust?
  I hope Moss gets to his 8-sack goal. IF Moss can get 8 and draw a little attention to himself in the process, that will free up Dumervil to get 16, and will help Bailey and Bly to rack up some INT's. Our defense is going to be much improved from last year - They'll be middle-of-the-road, which is enough to allow our offense to shine.

• September 6, 2008

  8:19 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  buffsblg writes:

  Moss needs to be good to make this defense go in the next few years. The fans here, for whom patience is never easy, need to live with some growing pains for this season. For the first time in years, we actually have some young talent and they will get better. I fear this year will not be the breakout some hope.

• September 6, 2008

  10:57 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  ColoradoSpringsFan writes:

  Ah yes, quote Joe Williams. And how many sacks did he get in his career? Moss might end up being a bust. It happens to a lot of 1st and 2nd round choices, either because the speed, size and complexity of the game is too much compared to college or because they lack the passion that it takes when everyone is physically talented. Moss seems to have passion. He is undersized (I still cannot help but think he would make a good OLB in a 3-4), and he is not going to get much bigger. But speed (assuming its still there after surgery) cannot be taught and he seems to have good instincts. Lets let the season play out. If Moss gets between 5 and 8 sacks and creates havoc even 2 or 3 times a game (even without a sack), that is no bust, and can make the differnce between a so-so defense and one that can challenge for the Super Bowl.
  If Strahan says patience matters with DL, then I would listen to him, rather than Joe (I hate everything) Williams

• September 6, 2008

  9:23 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Spider writes:

  Going into the 2nd year is too early to determine if a player is a bust or not. Especially, when a player is lost for a good deal of his rookie season with an injury. I'm not able to thisten to this Williams guy, but I hardly think a shock-jock is a credable authority.

• September 6, 2008

  9:50 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Broncody writes:

  I miss Trevor Pryce. I was hoping Moss could be another golden first round DE and I still have faith. I like what I'm seeing with the character moves this offseason. Moss seems to be headed the right way, Marshall seems to have his head on straight and if I have to go through a tough year wearing my Orange and Blue (I live in Iowa around alot of cheif fans) then I will take it with pride because I believe in these young men. I know this is too early to be talking draft but I think the only area we need to solidify for the future is the DBs then I see the Broncos contending for a superbowl for 5-8 years after this season and I expect to contend for the playoffs this year. I am a bit of an optimist though :)

• September 8, 2008

  12:59 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  dirkle writes:

  "Jarvis Moss" - it's even uncomfortable to pronounce. Ring of Fame=Jarvis Moss? - does not compute.
  Hope I'm wrong. Good luck Jarvis. We need all the help we can get.

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