BB rips Welker

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

The replay speaks for itself.

Wes Welker was not running a route or making any attempt to himself make a play on the ball. He dove, throwing a cross-body block on a defender, before his teammate even caught the ball. That is textbook offensive pass interference. Clearly illegal. Many people tweeted about this in real time.

We cannot read his mind, of course, as to WHY he threw an illegal block like that. Talib’s reaction shows that, at minimum, he immediately felt that it was a dirty play.

But it was not (contrary to what I said before looking at the video again) a dive at the knees. It was rather a body check at the waist.

Clearly it was illegal, but I’d give Wes the benefit of the doubt as to his intent, mainly because he does not (to my knowledge) have that reputation, and Fox does not have a reputation for coaching crap like that. If it were a turd like Jeff Fisher (remember him loving the take-out hit on Rodney?), we'd know for sure.

 

[borg]

a cross-body block

Best description I've read...."cross-body block"....That's exactly what this was. Since when does a "rub" involve a launch at the midsection? Welker is dead to me. Lets remove his name from any consideration at the Pats Hall of Fame. That ship sailed....as of 4:00PM yesterday. Moss....in, WW.......GFY.

 

[Fencer]

I'm inclined to put this in the "reckless disregard" category of negligently injuring another guy, not a totally deliberate attempt to injure.

But BB has probably watched more film on Welker than anybody else on the planet, Welker's position coaches included. Based on his expertise as to how Wes plays, I'm also inclined to give his views a lot of credence.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

So if this tiff between Welker and Belichick continues and Wes takes shots at his former team, does Wes make it into the Pats HOF?

 

[Mack Herron]

I'm inclined to put this in the "reckless disregard" category of negligently injuring another guy, not a totally deliberate attempt to injure.

But BB has probably watched more film on Welker than anybody else on the planet, Welker's position coaches included. Based on his expertise as to how Wes plays, I'm also inclined to give his views a lot of credence.

I would agree and add that committing a penalty with reckless disregard of another players safety resulting in injury deserves serious punishment. Doesn't look like its gonna happen:

Chris Mortensen ‏@mortreport 43m

Told by league source that initial review supports Welker on legal play vs. Talib.

 

[Sciz]

I don't expect any punishment to come from this because it's not really made illegal in the rulebook anywhere, but that doesn't make it any less of a cheap shot and it doesn't mean Welker doesn't deserve to be seen in a bad light by Patriots fans (or coaches) because of it.

 

[Fencer]

I would agree and add that committing a penalty with reckless disregard of another players safety resulting in injury deserves serious punishment.

I agree. And on that level of generality Goodell is actually in the right, whatever we may think about the fairness or consistency of his implementation.

 

[robbomango]

Can't stand that supermassive helmet either, looks like Jupiter is wrapped around his head...

Sorry but I'm still PO'd, arrrgg!

 

[PatsFanNM]

Not really defending Welker, because the hit deserved a penalty for OPI, but he made hits like that when he was a Patriot, just not on pass plays. What he particularly liked doing was lining up some defensive back or linebacker who was going after a tackle and not expecting Welker to be there.

Welker absorbed a ton of violent hits as a pass-catcher, and even when he didn't catch the pass, and made a point of never complaining about any of the hits, either during the game or afterwards. Even if he was obviously hurt by the hit.

His version of football involves lots of violent hits, and I think he really enjoys it when he gets to make them. I doubt he intended to actually put Talib out of the game, but probably thinks Talib should just be better able to take the hit.

If he'd made this particular hit while a Patriot, we would have a GIF of it running underneath someone's posts all the time, just the like one where Kyle Love elevated one of the offensive players on an interception runback.

It definitely changed the game to have Talib out, everyone knows that. With him in there, we had a chance; without him, not much.

One day: That's the margin by which we lost Wes Welker for this past year, gained Danny Amendola (who may still turn out to be a great player, though he's got a lot to prove), and lost Talib for the AFC Championship Game. BB might have a slightly more patient negotiating strategy next time . . . but I doubt he will.

 

[Sciz]

Can't stand that supermassive helmet either, looks like Jupiter is wrapped around his head...

Sorry but I'm still PO'd, arrrgg!

Well we may get to find out how well that helmet works. The super-physical Seahawks just found out that it's perfectly okay to lay guys out as long as those players aren't considered defenseless.

If they let Welker get away with that play, then the NFL can't give the Denver receivers any extra protection. Hypothetically, if Chancellor were to go helmet to helmet on Welker as he's doing a shallow crossing route. If Welker is not attempting to make a catch, then he's not defenseless. If he's hit within 5 yards, it's not pass interference or illegal contact. If it's just a hit rather than a grab of the jersey, it's not holding. If Welker doesn't have the ball, it's not a penalty under the new lowering the head rules. If the Seahawks decide they want Chancellor to essentially KO Welker, then they'd have plenty of plays where they could do that. That's what the NFL would have to deal with if they stick with the very literal interpretation of the rulebook here.

I mean, look at what happened to Welker the last time he played the Seahawks.

 

[upstater1]

I would agree and add that committing a penalty with reckless disregard of another players safety resulting in injury deserves serious punishment. Doesn't look like its gonna happen:

Well, given Mort's tweet, receivers deserve to be clobbered an injured in the future. Unfortunate, but this is how the NFL wants it.

 

[upstater1]

Well we may get to find out how well that helmet works. The super-physical Seahawks just found out that it's perfectly okay to lay guys out as long as those players aren't considered defenseless.

If they let Welker get away with that play, then the NFL can't give the Denver receivers any extra protection. Hypothetically, if Chancellor were to go helmet to helmet on Welker as he's doing a shallow crossing route. If Welker is not attempting to make a catch, then he's not defenseless. If he's hit within 5 yards, it's not pass interference or illegal contact. If it's just a hit rather than a grab of the jersey, it's not holding. If Welker doesn't have the ball, it's not a penalty under the new lowering the head rules. If the Seahawks decide they want Chancellor to essentially KO Welker, then they'd have plenty of plays where they could do that. That's what the NFL would have to deal with if they stick with the very literal interpretation of the rulebook here.

I mean, look at what happened to Welker the last time he played the Seahawks.

Given the complete lack of interest in fans, commentators and the NFL FO in how Welker went at his, there's only one way to protect your players from it happening again, and that's to destroy to the point of injury (without actually diving at knees) any WR that comes remotely close to making a pick play. Run at them full speed, go high, knock them out--and only then will they think twice about cross-body-blocking a Cb in full pursuit of another WR.

 

[everlong]

Well, given Mort's tweet, receivers deserve to be clobbered an injured in the future. Unfortunate, but this is how the NFL wants it.

Defenders absolutely should just start blowing up receivers running the pick.

 

[Sciz]

Defenders absolutely should just start blowing up receivers running the pick.

And if the defender so chooses, there's nothing preventing him from going for the head or the knees of the receiver. Just another example of how awful the defenseless players rules are.

 

[robbomango]

Would be epic if a Seattle defender reads the play, doesn't even try to cover the intended receiver, lowers his head/shoulder and delivers a crushing blow. Make em think twice about that cheap crap.

EDIT: looks like this grounds been covered but hey I second the motion...

 

[moosekill]

My quick thoughts.

1. It was Pass interference, as blatant as it possibly could be. His intention was to take him out of the play, no question. He was trying to hit him hard, hurt him if he could, but that is football, but most every hit out there is trying to hit as hard as they can and hurt the opponent.

2. Bill doesn't want this kind of stuff to continue, doesn't like the pick plays, and figured that his comments would force the conversation on this, and probably cause the league to tell the officials to start calling this. Now, I am not sure if his hope was to screw over the Broncos at the superbowl, or to get things changed for next year, kind of depends how pissed he is at Denver.

3. Bill changed the discussion about Talib quickly. Now, for the most part, we aren't talking about what a wimp Talib is, we are talking about what an ass Wes is. If you had a free agent you wanted to resign, would that free agent be more likely to sign with a Head Coach who had his back, one who stood up for him and went after the guy that put him out of the game and probably cost him millions of $$?

Bill doesn't seem to do many things without having a reason for doing them. He took a day, checked the film and made his statement.

 

[IcyPatriot]

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

OT- just saw Micheal Silver on NFLNW talking about this...What a ******* hack ....

 

[supafly]

I still think that there have been hints to bad blood between Welker and Belichick. We see Belichick comment on these kinds of things every now and then, but most of the time he refuses to touch the subject.

 

[Aßßynormal]

My quick thoughts.
<snip>

Now, I am not sure if his hope was to screw over the Broncos at the superbowl, or to get things changed for next year, kind of depends how pissed he is at Denver.

<snip>

If this doesn't cause the pick to be called, there'll be mayhem in the Super Bowl or should be. It's a huge advantage for Denver as is and would help them win.