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 Sunday, August 6
Moss OK, listed day-to-day
 
 Associated Press

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Randy Moss awoke Sunday morning sore but solaced. His shoulder injury isn't serious.

Randy Moss
Randy Moss covered 55 yards before landing awkwardly at the end of this play.

MRIs revealed the Minnesota Vikings' star receiver has a bruised left shoulder and bruised ribs, team trainer Chuck Barta said.

Moss was injured in an exhibition loss to New Orleans on Saturday night when he landed flush on his left shoulder after hurdling a defender trying to score at the end of a 55-yard gain.

One of the NFL's brightest young stars as he enters his third season, Moss stayed down momentarily and played one more snap before leaving the game with five minutes left in the first half.

X-rays were negative on Moss, the NFL's offensive rookie of the year in 1998 and the most outstanding player of the 2000 Pro Bowl. But the Vikings sent Moss to a hospital for further medical tests in the third quarter to make sure there wasn't any damage to the shoulder capsule.

Moss is day-to-day. Coach Dennis Green said Moss won't play again until he's 100 percent. It is not known whether Moss will play Friday against the Cardinals.

"It's hard to keep Randy out of the lineup because Randy plays with a tremendous passion," Green said. "We'll always try to be real smart when it comes to injuries and make sure that he's totally healthy."

Moss's injury put a scare into the Vikings and soured Daunte Culpepper's debut as Minnesota's new starting quarterback.

"I'm definitely concerned," offensive coordinator Sherm Lewis said as he left the Metrodome after the game. "Any time a player like Randy gets hurt, you're concerned. ... You don't ever want to see a guy like him get hurt."

Running back Robert Smith said he was sure Moss and the Vikings would be OK.

"There's a lot of talent on this offense and if Randy's out for a little bit of time, we'll be fine," Smith said. "We'll just pick up the slack a little."

Another Pro Bowl player, punter Mitch Berger, might miss up to two weeks with a thigh bruise on his right (kicking) leg, Green said.

Berger was injured in the second half when Gerald Vaughn blew past Jay Humphrey and blocked a punt, smashing into Berger in the process.

Humphrey is one of three candidates to replace Mike Morris as the Vikings' long-snapper. Morris, who made fun of Green on the radio in the off-season, said he wants to return to Minnesota for a 10th season with the Vikings.

"I would like to play for a team that has a shot at a ring or for the hometown team," Morris said on his radio show Saturday.
 


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