Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Randy Moss was one of the stars at Super Bowl Media Day, but when it came to the title game, he was largely absent for the San Francisco 49ers. Heading into the off-season one of the decisions the 49ers front office will need to make is whether or not to re-sign Moss.

With or without Moss on the roster, the 49ers need an upgrade at wide receiver. The offense needs an established receiver that can be a deep threat to spread out the field, someone like Dwanye Bowe or Mike Wallace, who are both free agents. Moss mostly had the role of being the deep threat receiver in 2012, but with his age and declining speed, the 49ers should look elsewhere. Not only that, but Moss didn’t exactly do himself any favors when he said the following at Super Bowl Media Day about his role in San Francisco and whether or not he will play next season:

 I don’t like my role. I really don’t. I like to be out there playing football. One thing I’ve really had to understand is being a decoy. I understand my presence out on the field, that I don’t always have to touch the ball to help the offense score touchdowns. Like I said, I don’t really like that, but it’s something that I’m used to. I had to grow to understand it.

Fair enough, that was Moss just being honest. But after he said he “I do want to play another year,” he was asked if it would be with the 49ers? His response was, “I don’t know about that. Next question.”

Moss signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract last off-season. With the season over the 49ers actually paid the receiver a total of $1.75 million for his services. He finished the regular season with 28 receptions for 434 yards and three touchdowns. When you throw in he was a good teammate on and off the field, and he was a mentor to the younger receivers on the roster, it was money well spent. At least in the regular season it was.

Reasons Not To Re-Sign Moss

Moss wasn’t a big factor in the Super Bowl, at least with his stats. He finished with only two receptions for 41 yards and no touchdowns. Where he did have an influence in the game was not what the 49ers Faithful had in mind.

In the second quarter of the Super Bowl, the 49ers were on their own 40-yard line when Colin Kaepernick threw a pass to Moss who was running a crossing pattern. The infamous throw sailed over Moss’ head and was intercepted by Ed Reed. The turnover stalled the 49ers offensive drive after the Baltimore Ravens went up 14-3.

Since the end of the Super Bowl a lot has been said about Moss giving up on the play. When watching the game live I did not think Moss stopped short on the pass, but that it was an overthrow he had no chance of reaching. Also, I was probably too distraught over the interception that interrupted the 49ers drive to recognize Moss giving up on the play. But after re-watching the whole game and viewing the following GIF from OCNNReport.com, it does look like he stopped short.

I am playing devil’s advocate here, but would really Moss give up on the NFL’s biggest stage? Likely not and here’s why. First, he came out of retirement after sitting out the 2011 season just to win a Super Bowl. Would he make it back all the way to the Super Bowl to only give up on plays and cause the team to lose the Super Bowl?

Also, it was clear Moss was not happy with his role on the team. He kept quiet about it for most of the season, which was very unlike Moss. But there is risk in bringing him back for another season because he might revert back to his old, self-serving ways and complain out loud about his role on the team. Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers don’t need that kind of attitude on the team.

Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Before the start of Super Bowl XLVII, the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens will each have a player do their signature pregame dance to pump up the players before the biggest game of their careers. On Baltimore’s side is Ray Lewis and in San Francisco’s corner is Isaac Sopoaga.

Most NFL fans know about Lewis’ pregame dance, or has he calls it the “squirrel.” But everyone one else, except the 49ers Faithful, likely doesn’t know about Sopoaga’s dance called “The Haka.”

Much of the attention this week has been on Lewis’ retirement and whether or not he used deer antler spray to aid in his recovery from injury earlier this season. Regardless of whether he took it or not, he will play and we will see his squirrel dance one last time on Sunday. Here is Lewis explaining the origin of the dance:

It started one time, they got ready to introduce the defense, and they were going to introduce us together. This guy in my hometown, Kirby Lee, would always do this dance, and the dance was called the ‘squirrel’, and I told him I was gonna do that dance one day, and he was like, ‘You’re not gonna do it,’ and I was like, ‘I’m gonna do it.’ So one day they were introducing the defense, and I came out and did it and, of course, the crowd went crazy. After that they were like, ‘We need to see the dance again.’ So after that it just kept going. Then I started adding music to it and movie clips to it. It was a good time.

I might be a little biased here, but I say good riddance to Lewis’ dance. I am glad I will never have to witness it ever again on the field. Plus, Lewis has someone place clumps of grass on the field before he is introduced so he can pick it up, rub it all over himself and declare “this is my house!” Using a prop in your pregame dance, really? Sopoaga doesn’t need them.

Sopoaga’s pregame dance is more pure and it shows off his leadership, energy and passion. His dance is called “The Haka” and he learned it as part of his heritage and growing up in Pago Pago, American Samoa. But Sopoaga’s dance is just one example of how he helps his team on the field. As a nose tackle on defense he is tasked with the hardest job, taking on two 300-plus pound offensive linemen so other defenders can stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback.

Both Lewis and Sopoaga are vital to their defenses success on Sunday. But which player has the better pregame dance? I think I know who Niner and Raven fans will pick.

49ers RB 21 Frank Gore

With his 5th consecutive 100 yard game Sunday at Washington Frank Gore is just 149 yards from passing Joe Perry for first on the 49ers all time rushing list.  Gore currently stands at 7196 behind just the Hall of Fame Perry’s 7345 career rushing yards.  Gore is on a roll lately after a slow start the first 3 weeks and has climbed to third on the NFLs rushing list this season.  Gore apparently tweaked his ankle Sunday vs. the Redskins but has insisted he is okay and head coach Jim Harbaugh has backed him up.

The 49ers return home at 7-1 with a 5 game lead in the NFC West to face the NY Giants.  The Giants have been beat up on the defensive side of the ball all season long and rank a mere 20th in the NFL.  Fortunately for Gore they rank even worse in rushing defense at 25th in the NFL.  Will this be the week that Frank Gore becomes the 49ers all time leading rusher?  You Decide!