Wes Welker Regrets Doing Interview

“I’m not going to get into any details about it, but I don’t think it’s worth putting coach [Belichick] in that situation,” Welker told the Boston Herald. “So in a sense, I do regret it. . . . As much as you might want to get enticed into that stuff, at the end of the day, it’s just not worth it.”

You know why he regrets it? Because he has one FOOT out the door. I know Patriot fans don't think so, but I have a feeling he has not been in favor of the head coach for a while right now, and this may have been the straw that broke the camels back. Welker came back from a major knee injury this year and that's all fine and dandy, but that's no excuse to lead the league in drops (funny how Patriot fans are so quick to point out Braylon Edwards' shortcomings too).

There has been some odd stuff surrounding Welker with the not playing in the last game, and being benched for the first drive of the AFC championship game. With the controversy surrounding him and declining skills, I wouldn't be surprised if Wes Welkers is no longer with the Patriots next year. I mean Randy Moss got traded for potential to act up, Wes Welker already has.

Wes Welker and Feet

It bears mentioning that these 10 snippets were taken from an interview that was 9 minutes long. But it did seem like he wanted to mention feet as much as possible, so long as it was in proper context.

And if you're going to talk, this is how to do it. It's subtle. It's funny. It's hard to use as bulletin board material. I'm not a big fan of it, and would prefer the Patriots focus on playing and not talking. But whatever.

-The Commodore

Patriots 38, Dolphins 7

This game felt like the preseason. Even the weather was warm, at least for January. There was nothing at stake, a few players didn't even dress (Welker, Branch, Hernandez), and the starters weren't expected to play the full 60 minutes.

I approved of Bill Belichick's usage of Tom Brady and other key players in this game. The more worrisome Pats fans out there were concerned that there'd be a repeat of last year's Welker injury. But with a first round bye secured, it's kind of silly to sit players for 3 weeks.

I'm sure the practices weren't as rigorous this past week. And when Brady was in the game, the play-calling was run heavy, and there were few long passes. He got hit a few times. But survived.

Danny Woodhead may have suffered a concussion. He may not have. As of now, the Pats are only saying he has a "head injury."

BJG Ellis surpassed the 1,000 yard mark. I'm convinced that Belichick went for it on 4th & 16, just so Ellis could reach 1,000, then be pulled from the game. Ellis is the Pats' first 1,000 yard rusher since Corey Dillon in '04. His contributions this season have been invaluable.



There were many positives to take from this game, but much like after a big preseason win, it's important to keep things in perspective. Julian Edelman's afternoon, for instance, was world class. Will he do that against an elite team, that's playing an important game? It's difficult to gauge performances in a game like this.



The Patriots have 2 weeks off, and will host a Divisional Round game on Sunday the 16th, at 4:30 PM. They'll play either the Jets, Ravens, or Chiefs. Here are the scenarios:

The Patriots will play the Jets if the Jets beat the Colts on Saturday. No matter what happens in the other AFC playoff game. If the Jets win, they come up to Foxborough as the 6th seed. Simple as that.

If the Jets lose, then the Patriots will play the winner of the Ravens/Chiefs game, which will be played Sunday afternoon.

-The Commodore

Patriots 36, Bears 7

I was wrong about the Bears and the weather being something to worry about. The Patriots seemed to thrive in the snow, while the Bears wallowed in it. The Pats became the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth, and took huge strides toward winning the AFC East.

Since halftime on Thanksgiving, the Patriots have outscored their opponents 116-17. That's simply staggering.

Last night, Brady had a few tipped passes that could have been intercepted, and a few field goals could have easily been touchdown drives. But I'm nit-picking. You just have to sit back and say that over the last 10 quarters, the Patriots have played amazing football.



Brady threw for a season high 369 yards, in the snow, in the wind.

Wes Welker is back to 100%. We were all worried that without Moss, he'd struggle. His 8 receptions for 115 yards disputes that notion. He's caught 36 passes in the last 5 games, and is back to being a favorite target of Brady.

Branch is the other favorite target. He also had 8 catches, for 151 yards and a TD. He's caught 4 TD passes in the last 3 games.



The most important thing the Patriots did last night was protect the football. 35 rushing carries, 27 receptions, 3 returns, and 0 fumbles. In weather like that, it's very impressive. BJG Ellis hasn't fumbled in his NFL career. Nor did he fumble in college. I can't find his high school stats, but I doubt he was a fumbling machine back in St. Augustine HS (New Orleans).



On defense, the Pats were all over the Bears. They held them to 185 total yards, and only 47 on the ground. They hauled in two picks, and recovered two fumbles. The Bears were only 3/8 on 3rd downs, so even when Chicago held onto the ball, they struggled to move it. The defense was a big reason why the Patriots dominated time of possession 39:41 to 20:19. That's essentially 2 to 1.



The Bears are fraudulent. The Patriots are currently the best team in the NFL. With the Jets getting "tripped up" by Miami, they now have a stranglehold on the division. They can clinch the AFC East, as well as a 1st round bye, with a win, and a Jet loss next week.

The Packers come to town on Sunday night, possibly without Aaron Rodgers. Though Green Bay does have the #1 scoring defense in the League, and the weather may once again be dicey.

-The Commodore

Jets 28, Patriots 14

What happened Sunday? The Patriots made Mark Sanchez look like a legitimate NFL quarterback. And on the other side of the ball, the Pats' offense played worse when Darrelle Revis left the game.

I'd rip Darius Butler, but I think the Jets abused him enough on Sunday. It got so bad that he resorted to blatant pass interference, not even trying to disguise things.

I wish I could tell you that Darius Butler fought the good fight, and the Jets let him be. I wish I could tell you that. But the NFL is no fairytale world.

Did anybody else see Butler push himself off of Braylon Edwards on that 2 point conversion play?

The Pats' defense was thoroughly exposed on Sunday. In Week 1, the Bengals didn't seem to have a strategy or gameplan for playing the Pats' D. The Jets came prepared. More importantly, they adjusted. They started with long passes and inside running. That didn't work, so they took short passes, and ran both outside and inside. When the Patriots got 4 and 5 man pressure, Sanchez looked like a lost child. But when that pressure didn't come (or the Patriots tried blitzes with too many men), the Jets moved the ball down field with ease.

That being said, the biggest defensive star on the Pats' is a toss-up between Wilfork and Mayo. On offense, there's Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, two touted rookie TEs, and a solid O-line. The defense may have lost this game for the Pats, but it was the offense that didn't go out and win it.

And it starts with the QB. While Brady looked extremely comfortable in the pocket, and eluded pressure, his throws weren't as precise as he's capable of. He overthrew Moss with a deep ball that wound up as an interception. He underthrew Gronkowski on what would have been a key 1st down late in the 3rd.

But what was the gameplan? The Pats came out and ran the ball well with Taylor. They were hitting Moss with underneath stuff (although Moss let a few get past him), and using Welker on some intermediate routes. Then they lost patience with running the ball. The 2 minute drill before halftime saw Aaron Hernandez make an insanely great catch, and run. Then Moss had the catch of the day in the end zone.

Then in the 2nd half, Brady looked awful. The Pats' first drive of the 3rd quarter ended with an interception, which kind of acted like a punt. The Jets scored a touchdown to tie it. Then Brady had that underthrown pass to Gronk. Brady's pick in the 4th was kind of freakish, but why is that pass being attempted at all? 2nd and 3, why are you throwing a duck jumpball to Moss to get 5 yards? It's one thing if that's in the end zone, where the reward is worth the risk.

I'm not going to let Welker and Moss off the hook, either. Welker bobbled a 3rd down pass that would have given the Pats a 1st down. And Moss let a few catchable passes slip through his fingers. The Big Three on offense simply did not perform. The o-line performed. The d-line performed. The RBs and TEs performed. The secondary didn't perform, but they don't take up the same cap space as Brady-Moss-Welker, do they?

Aaron Hernandez caught 6 passes for 101 yards. Combined, Moss and Welker caught 8 passes for 79 yards. Moss and Welker were targeted 17 total times. Some of those incompletions/interceptions were Brady's fault. Some were their fault. Some were both Brady and their fault.

Oh, and Gostkowski needs to make field goals. This is the NFL, 37 yards should be a standard kick. The delay of game penalty that made it 37 yards was a good example of the Patriots' lack of focus, but it could have easily been overcome by the kicker who just signed an extension.

The schedule gets easier as the Pats host the Bills on Sunday. But they'd better get their offense in order before travelling to division leading Miami in October.

-The Commodore

Patriots 28, Falcons 10

It's preseason. That needs to be repeated every time you feel any emotion while watching one of these exhibition games. Any thrill at seeing Fred Taylor break a big run, any disappointment at a 14 yard gain yielded by the defense, needs to be tempered.

The Patriots tested two things in this game: Wes Welker and the running game. Brady threw at Welker three straight times, putting him in tough positions, and eventually getting him hit pretty hard. It was Welker's first appearance in preseason, and you can tell that the Pats want to appraise him before they rely on him.

The Pats ran the ball. A lot. And it caught the Falcons off guard. So the two rushing touchdowns, Taylor's 54 yards, and Morris' 52 yards shouldn't be taken at face value. Then again, Atlanta allowed the 10th fewest rushing yards, and 8th fewest yards per carry in the 2009 season.

This team doesn't need the ground attack to win games for them. But they do need other teams to respect it. They need it for short yardage, 3rd down, and red-zone/goal-line situations. They need it for play-action pass. They need it to slow down and wear out opposing pass rushes.

The biggest concern I have with the runningbacks is their age. Sure, Taylor, Morris, and Faulk looked great. But they played half the game. Half a game in August. Will they still be this good in November and December?

One very positive thing from this game was the play of Aaron Hernandez. He's not really a tight-end. I think he can be a challenging guy for opponents to cover, though. The Patriots haven't had a reliable pass-catching tight-end since Fauria. And Hernandez can present some real matchup problems for opposing defenses.

How will the defense be this year? Probably inconsistent. Matt Ryan was finding holes in the zone just before he was pulled. Give skilled coaches, QBs, and WRs 4 quarters to figure the Pats' defense out, and things will get difficult. I like Chung at safety. But I didn't like how the unit looked against a no-huddle offense.

So while a 28-10 win with rookie tight-ends catching touchdowns, and runningbacks amassing 120 yards on the ground is very pleasant, there are still some concerns that might not manifest themselves until snow starts falling.

-The Commodore

Welker Already Off PUP List

Wes Welker, less than 6 months removed from having reconstructive surgery on his left knee, was taken off the physically unable to perform list, and was able to practice with his teammates. This story gets more amazing by the day. No one thought he would be back this fast, and now it seems almost certain (baring a setback) that Welker will be good to go week 1.

I have not been impressed by moves of the Patriots this offseason, but a healthy Welker will go a long way with this offense, but then again it's not the offense I'm worried about...

Welker Put on PUP List

"the Patriots placed wide receiver Wes Welker on the active/physically unable to perform list in a procedural move before the opening of training camp. Welker, recovering from surgery to repair his ACL and MCL he tore in the final game of the 2009 regular season, is eligible to be removed from the list at any time. The advantage to the team is that it frees up a roster spot (WEEI)."

A lot of people are making a big deal out of this, but it means nothing. It is just a safety net for the Patriots in case Welker isn't ready for the start of the season. What we need to watch for is if he is on this list week 1, because if he is then he is out for the first 6 weeks of the regular season. A player on the preseason PUP can be taken off at any time, and most reports still suggest that Welker will be ready to go week 1.

Welker Ready For Camp

Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker will be a full participant when training camp begins next week. Welker, who suffered a devastating left knee injury in the regular-season finale against the Texans in Houston, was an active participant in spring practices, working with the team in drills and stretching.

He still won't say that he'll be ready for week 1, but from everything I'm reading today it sounds like he will be. This is huge news for the Patriots IF he is 100% going into this season. Brady is just a better QB with Welker on the field. This still doesn't change my opinion that the Patriots should sign Terrell Owens. Over the last week or so I'm really sold on that idea, because I have 0 faith in the Patriots defense, and they might as well have the best offense they can.

Plus, how awesome would it be to see Moss and Owens on the same team (not to mention Welker and Holt).

Welker Shocks Everyone

It wasn't all that surprising that Welker was working out with the Patriots this week, but what was surprising is that he was running routes and cutting on that bum knee that held him out of the playoffs.

Welker seems to be way ahead of schedule, and people were amazed by what he was already able to do on the practice field...

"It's very impressive to me," Randy Moss said. "I'm a big fan of Welker's way before he came here, back when he was in Miami. So I can't wait to have him back on the field, whenever that day comes."

Yet, if Welker is ahead of schedule he isn't telling anyone. He declined to talk to reporters and refuses to put a date on his comeback, which after reading his quotes makes sense.

"If you have that healing on its own, it almost becomes stronger," he said at the Wes Welker Foundation's football camp in Oklahoma City on May 15. "It's hard to put a timetable on anything. And plus, whenever you put a timetable on it, now people expect you. If you're not ready then, they're like, `What's wrong?'"

I really hope he makes it back and is 100%. He is one of the hardest workers in the NFL, and the Patriots offense really runs through him a lot of the time. When he got hurt I thought there was no way we would see him before December, but maybe he can be back earlier, if he is making this kind of progress.

No Reason To Feel Bad For Welker

Since Wes Welker went out with that gruesome knee injury at the end of the Patriots season there has been a general pity party over him. Well, you don't need to pity him any longer. He just spent some time at the Playboy Mansion, and the chick in that photo is the same prostitute that got Gov. Eliot Spitzer of New York in trouble (Ashley Dupre), so you know he had a good time.

I love the other people that Welker was partying with (Bode Miller/Miles Austin). Come on, who doesn't want to have a beer with Bode Miller, then have this skank blow ya? Anyways, good for Welker...keep up the good work.

Here are some more pics of this Ashley Dupre chick (nice tits)...

Wes Welker Injury Update

A source close to the Patriots says that Wes Welker is recovering well from knee surgery. While this is great news for the Patriots, there is still very little chance that he will be ready to go by the beginning of next season. With that being said, the Patriots have to be looking for a replacement. Edelman seems to be the guy. He looks just like him, and showed that he can pick up some of the slack.

The question is who else do the Patriots have? They just picked up Patten, but he wasn't even in the league last year. A guy who could be interesting is Tate, but he hasn't been able to stay on the field. That has led a lot of people thinking that Deon Branch could be on his way back, but I am not sure if that really solves anything. When was the last time Branch was good?

Anyways, you would think they might try to pickup a WR in the draft, but the Patriots haven't had much luck in doing that. Edelman is working out nicely, but other then that it has been really rough. I hope that this all leads to the Patriots focusing more on their running game, because I am sick of having the lead in the 4th quarter, but we can't run out the clock because we have no running attack.

Welker Back In 6 Months

We all know Welker tore his ACL and MCL, but there is some good news today for next year...

"The Boston Globe reports that a team source confirmed that Patriots WR Wes Welker has a torn left ACL and MCL, but according to a specialist familiar with the injury, his rehabilitation might not take as long as a typical knee ligament tear. That's because Welker was hurt on a non-contact play, according to Dr. Lonnie Paulos, who performed surgery on Carson Palmer's knee several years ago. Although the severity of the ligament tears is not known, Paulos imagines that the MCL will be allowed to heal itself while Welker has surgery to repair the ACL. "The recovery should be very similar to what Tom [Brady]'s was," Paulos said. "I would anticipate him back getting in a timely fashion. He'll make it (CBSSports)."

It is very early to be making timetables, but this is at least optimistic. Even if Welker does make it back by training camp next season my worry is that this injury will cause him to lose a step, and at his size and the way he plays the game, that could lead to a lot more injuries...

How The Patriots Win Without Welker

The Patriots have had a tough road all season with injuries, and it only got worse this weekend with Wes Welker going down. It will be very tough for the Patriots to overcome this, but it is possible.

First, the Patriots need a much more balanced offense. When the Patriots were rolling over the past couple of weeks they had a balanced rush and pass attack. This means getting guys like Taylor, Morris, and Maroney rolling. This will help take some of the pressure off Brady, while making the safeties creep in, and hopefully freeing up Randy Moss down field.

Next, the Patriots need Edelman to step up in a big way. He is very similar to Welker, in the way that he can run those middle routes and WR screens. You can't expect the same production, but he can do enough to keep the defense honest.

Other players are going to step up for the Patriots also. We know Watson has the talent, and his speed needs to be utilized against all linebackers that might be covering him.

In the end the Ravens are not the same defense they were in years past, and the Patriots (at home) can win this game if they can control the ball (with the running game, and short passes). The Patriots are not a strong defensive team, but they should have enough to make Flacco's life hard (especially if Wilfork and Warren are healthy).

Texans 34, Patriots 27

The Pats lost 34-27 to the Texans, which would normally be a cause for concern, were it not for the safely stowed AFC East crown in the Pats' pockets. Also, it's difficult to worry about a 2nd rate effort falling short when a Pro Bowl receiver, and team MVP candidate goes down with a knee injury.

I'll preempt Belichick's second-guessers out there. Had this injury occurred in the 4th quarter, you'd have a case. Maybe even the 3rd quarter too. But this was the first drive of the 1st quarter that saw Welker go down. I don't recall any sane person out there putting forth the argument that guys like Welker shouldn't even dress for this Week 17 game.



Injuries happen. It's part of football. The anti-Belichick nabobs in and outside of New England can gleam with their reactionary Monday Morning QBing. But a quick scan across the NFL on Sunday saw numerous playoff bound stars play deep into games. Donovan McNabb, for instance, was in at the very end, despite the 24-0 deficit he and the Eagles were facing.

Anyway, some reports are spreading that Welker tore his ACL. In which case, well, it's bad. He may miss the rest of the playoffs. And the Patriots without Welker are a racecar with no brakes, a golfer with no wedges, Barry Bonds without steroids. Welker caught about 1/3 of the Patriots total receptions.



Edelman had a nice game filling in for Welker, but Houston's defense is hardly an adequate litmus test. And it's not the production of Welker's replacement I'm concerned with. It's the production of the other receivers on the field.



Oh, and there's also a rumor/report/leak (what's the difference these days anyway?) that Tom Brady has some broken ribs, and has had them since the second Miami game.

But Laurence Maroney and Adalius Thomas remain healthy.

Patriots vs. Ravens sometime next weekend.

-The Commodore

Wes Welker Is Going To Be Out For A While

Initial tests show that New England Patriots receiver Wes Welker tore both his anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans, but he is scheduled to undergo more testing Monday, a source close to the situation told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. ESPN

This will hurt not only for this year, but you figure he is going to miss next year too. Since Welker came to the Patriots he has been a more important piece then dare I say Randy Moss. But luckily for the Patriots wide receivers are the easiest position to replace and won't make or break a team. The Colts have been easily been able to replace Marvin Harrison same could be said about Dallas with the loss of Terrell Owens, and last year the Steelers practically lost Hines Ward in the Superbowl due to his knee. Julius Edelman will be just fine, and believe the 7th round pick will and can make an instant impact. The only thing I hate is the Patriots and Patriot fans will have another excuse when they lose in the playoffs.

Patriots Send 4 To Pro Bowl

The Patriots will have 4 players in the Pro Bowl this year; Welker, Wilfork, Brady, and Mankins. Obviously Welker and Brady were going to make it. Brady is having his 2nd best season ever (stats wise), while Welker is starting to make the case of being one of the best WRs over the past 3 seasons. The only guy you could really make a case for deserving to make it would be Moss. He does lead the NFL in touchdown catches, but he has had a lot of up and down games, so I am not overly pissed or anything. Hopefully no Patriots will play in the Pro Bowl, because that would mean they are in the Super Bowl.

To be honest, I really don't give a shit about this. The Pro Bowl is a fucking joke, and they should just get rid of it all together, and do some kind of skill competition. I would much rather watch that...

Here Is An Amazing Stat

Who do you think leads the NFL in receptions? Steve Smith?....Nope. Larry Fitzgerald? Nope...

No that honor goes to Wes Welker. Sure it isn't that incredible after an excellent 2007 and 2008 seasons, but when you add in the fact that he has missed two games you have to be impressed...

"After his 10-catch, 107-yard, one-touchdown performance yesterday in London, Welker leads the NFL with 46 catches despite missing two games. His 96.8 yards per game is also best in the league (Boston.com)."

If you are wondering why the Patriots offense is hitting on my cylinders right now you can look to two things.....A weak schedule, and Wes Welker.

Latest On Welker (UPDATED)

There isn't a lot of information here, but it does sound like he will be able to play...

"There's still been no word out of the New England Patriots as to the availability of receiver Wes Welker for this Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. Welker was a late scratch against the New York Jets this past Sunday in a game where the Pats failed to score a touchdown. As of Thursday morning, a source has told ESPN.com's Michael Smith that Welker will play this Sunday, in spite of not practicing with the team on Wednesday (ESPN)."

If Welker is unable to go the Patriots will hope that Julian Edelman can duplicate his performance from last week. In Sunday's loss, the rookie had eight catches for 98 yards. Still, the Patriots offense does not flow as well without Welker at that slot receiver spot.


***UPDATE***

"For all the Fantasy football fans, including Peter Gallo of BNY Mellon Bank, wondering about WR Wes Welker - he returned to practice today and will likely play this weekend (Sportsline)."

Great news for all Patriots fans...

Welker Fined 10k

"Patriots receiver Wes Welker has been fined $10,000 for making a "snow angel" in the team's 47-7 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday, colleague Christopher L. Gasper reports (Boston.com)."

You have got to be shitting me. They fine Welker the same amount they fined Ellis for picking up a boulder of snow, and throwing it into the crowd. This is a fucking joke. No Fun League strikes again. I really have no idea where they come up with these fines, maybe it's their way of dealing with the economic troubles in the US. Fuck Goodell.

-BMack