Foxborough, Mass. ? The New England Patriots marvel at the talent of Randy Moss. They’ll see it up close tonight when the receiver who grabs attention as well as passes makes his debut with the Oakland Raiders.

Yet if anyone should know that one standout can’t win a game by himself, it’s the Super Bowl champions, who built their success on the team concept.

“We played a team similar to that before in Philadelphia, and Terrell Owens is one of those players, dynamic players that can change the game,” linebacker Willie McGinest said, “and I don’t think one guy can control everybody else.”

Owens caught nine passes for 122 yards in the Super Bowl 61â2 weeks after suffering an ankle surgery, but the Patriots beat the Eagles, 24-21, for their third title in four years.

Tonight’s NFL opener begins the Patriots’ quest to become the first team to win three consecutive championships.

In March, the Raiders obtained Moss from Minnesota, where he averaged 82 catches for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns in seven seasons, although he was slowed by a hamstring injury last year.

Oakland's Randy Moss acknowledges the crowd after scoring a touchdown in a preseason game against Arizona. The action took place Aug. 26 in Oakland, Calif. Moss will make his regular-season debut for the Raiders tonight at New England.

His rare combination of speed, jumping ability and excellent hands drew raves from the Patriots.

“He doesn’t really have any real weakness,” coach Bill Belichick said.

“He’s a special player,” linebacker Chad Brown said. “He can do things no other player can. I’ve actually had him come around on a reverse on me. My job is to contain him and it was a little frightening.”

The Patriots have managed the past two seasons to handle teams with exceptionally talented individuals. They’re 34-4 in that stretch, including 6-0 in the playoffs.

“The type of character we have around here, guys don’t quit,” McGinest said. “Guys play hard and they look forward to challenges like that.”

The Raiders were 5-11 last year and 4-12 in 2003, but made it to the Super Bowl the previous season and lost to Tampa Bay.

Moss is just part of the challenge posed by the Oakland offense. There’s also quarterback Kerry Collins’ strong arm and running back LaMont Jordan’s chance to show he can be a productive starter after four years as Curtis Martin’s backup with the New York Jets.

“LaMont’s impact could be the key for us,” Collins said, “could give us that balance that we lacked to make defenses play us a little more honestly.”

That would make the combination of Collins, who has thrown for more than 3,000 yards the past five seasons, and Moss even more dangerous.