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Reiss fields an interesting question in this week's mailbag
Quote:
Shouldn't Wes Welker be in the consideration for MVP? There isn't one player who has been more consistent (at least six catches in 13 of 14 games) and more valuable to his team (second in NFL in receptions and first in YAC among receivers with more than 50 receptions) this year. Your thoughts?
Sam
A: Sam, I do think Welker is a viable MVP candidate, but a lot will depend on if the Patriots make the playoffs because a lot of times, in my mind, that highlights a player's value further ("he helped lead his team to the playoffs"). I personally have tremendous respect for Welker and the way he goes about his business. If he was more of a self-promoter, I think you'd hear his name in the discussion a bit more, and chatted about more on cable programs that can sway public opinion. Those who have watched the Patriots transition from Tom Brady to Matt Cassel this season couldn't possibly miss Welker's impact, and how he helped Cassel ease into the job by becoming his security blanket. His work after the catch has been particularly remarkable.
Thoughts? It's a very interesting question, IMO.
With all due respect to Welker, who deserves all the praise he gets, I do think if I were going to give the Pats an offensive MVP, it has to go first to Moss for simply allowing the Patriots offense to be what it is, and then to Cassel for executing said offense. Welker would be a close third for being such a key piece in the execution.
Last edited by BradyManny; 12-16-2008 at 11:44 AM..
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Unfortunately, Welker doesn't have the flash. He could have 12 catches every game, and there would still be the "Yeah but" because he is a "slot receiver". Same scenario as Faulk in my opinion. Both has as much value as anyone on the team TO THE PATS COACHES, PLAYERS, MANAGEMENT AND FANS, but to the outside fan, they just don't get the props they should. That goes to the QB, big play WR and flashy defensive player. Unfortunate, but true.
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"You know what I'm craving? A little perspective. That's it. I'd like some fresh, clear, well seasoned perspective." - Anton Ego
With all due respect to Welker, who deserves all the praise he gets, I do think if I were going to give the Pats an offensive MVP, it has to go first to Moss for simply allowing the Patriots offense to be what it is, and then to Cassel for executing said offense. Welker would be a close third for being such a key piece in the execution.
Fact: Welker had 67 receptions his final season with Miami with no Moss and no QB worth the name. Yes, he doubled his output with Brady and Moss, but he's on track to match or exceed that again with Cassel and a less than reliable Moss.
People who didn't tune out Rich Gannon last week will point to Moss' second TD reception where Gannon pointed to Welker clearing out the passing lane for Moss - something that works both ways with those two. The two of them are as good a team as you'll ever see on the field. Where Welker deserves the MVP nod over Moss and Cassel is his ability to consistently get open and move the chains when Moss is having an off game and Cassel is being limited to the short passing game by the play calling and his experience.
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Unfortunately, Welker doesn't have the flash. He could have 12 catches every game, and there would still be the "Yeah but" because he is a "slot receiver". Same scenario as Faulk in my opinion. Both has as much value as anyone on the team TO THE PATS COACHES, PLAYERS, MANAGEMENT AND FANS, but to the outside fan, they just don't get the props they should. That goes to the QB, big play WR and flashy defensive player. Unfortunate, but true.
In this case, to me, the "yeah but" is "yeah, but part of the reason he's getting open is the Moss factor". And I don't think that takes anything away from Welker, it just adds to the importance of Moss.
Reiss fields an interesting question in this week's mailbag
Thoughts? It's a very interesting question, IMO.
With all due respect to Welker, who deserves all the praise he gets, I do think if I were going to give the Pats an offensive MVP, it has to go first to Moss for simply allowing the Patriots offense to be what it is, and then to Cassel for executing said offense. Welker would be a close third for being such a key piece in the execution.
Welker may actually deserve it, but pass receivers almost never win the MVP award. Jerry Rice won one in his long, great career, and the last one before him was Don Hutson in 1941.
Fact: Welker had 67 receptions his final season with Miami with no Moss and no QB worth the name. Yes, he doubled his output with Brady and Moss, but he's on track to match or exceed that again with Cassel and a less than reliable Moss.
People who didn't tune out Rich Gannon last week will point to Moss' second TD reception where Gannon pointed to Welker clearing out the passing lane for Moss - something that works both ways with those two. The two of them are as good a team as you'll ever see on the field. Where Welker deserves the MVP nod over Moss and Cassel is his ability to consistently get open and move the chains when Moss is having an off game and Cassel is being limited to the short passing game by the play calling and his experience.
I wouldn't say Moss is inconsistent in getting open and I wouldn't say he's had off games (save for the Pittsburgh game perhaps, when he truly did drop some catch-able passes). Just look at Belichick's effusive praise of Moss after the Jets game when he called him the most dominant player on the field that day, even though he only had 3 catches. The fact is, if a team is going to put a CB on Moss with safety help, he's going to end up being a decoy more often than a target (especially given Cassel has not yet developed #12's precision on the deep throws), and his production can't be evaluated the same way Welker's can.
And no doubt Moss reaps some benefits from Welker at times, but Moss, IMO, is the key piece in this offense right now, especially with Brady down, he has become all the more important.
Last edited by BradyManny; 12-16-2008 at 12:05 PM..
People who didn't tune out Rich Gannon last week will point to Moss' second TD reception where Gannon pointed to Welker clearing out the passing lane for Moss - something that works both ways with those two. The two of them are as good a team as you'll ever see on the field. Where Welker deserves the MVP nod over Moss and Cassel is his ability to consistently get open and move the chains when Moss is having an off game and Cassel is being limited to the short passing game by the play calling and his experience.
Watching it again, it's actually funny--almost everyone in the Raiders secondary has their eyes on Welker, and Moss is just wide open in the end zone.
Moreover, a number of attempts to prevent Welker first downs have turned into Moss touchdowns.
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And no doubt Moss reaps some benefits from Welker at times, but Moss, IMO, is the key piece in this offense right now, especially with Brady down, he has become all the more important.
Of course, there's one other factor that almost everyone ignores when it comes to receivers--their blocking in the run game. Welker's as good as anyone in the league in that aspect of the game, but, of course, almost no one ever notices that.
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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots
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IMO Welker has been the most important player on the Pats' offense this year, followed very closely by Moss. When Brady comes back, Moss will be more important, but Cassel just doesn't have the deep accuracy to fully capitalize on Moss's skillset.
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Wes Welker, MVP candidate?
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