Hey, Welker Fans!

[TheBostonStraggler]

Yep, and give Arrington credit too.

Put me in among the chorus of people who saw Welker's fourth quarter and OT performance as something familiar. I loved him while he was here, but his limitations were evident toward the end. He's as tough as they come, but mentally, he loses that edge in the clutch.

As for the OT play, Welker should have caught that. It wouldn't have been a first down, but I think most receivers make that catch and hang on.

Oh well...Welker takes the long flight home with Forehead, while Edelman drives 10 minutes home, props his feet up, and sleeps well.

Damn fine point. In the rush to judge WW's performance, few have made the additional point to credit Arrington. While WW has his failings like every player, there isn't a DC out there who doesn't think WW is a very difficult prospect to plan against. Yet our #3 CB did a great job of shutting down an otherwise pass catching machine. Even on the completions to WW, there was competitive coverage. With Arrington largely taking care of his assignment and Talib largely taking care of his assignment? That makes the passing field of play so much more manageable for everyone else on the defense.
It just goes to show this secondary can be solid when all the pieces are in place (Talib, Dennard, Arrington) allowing everyone to be put in their 'sweet' spot. And if these pieces we had against Denver were available last week for the Panthers? Well, let's just say I like the odds that the outcome would have been markedly different.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

To be fair though, Edelman's actual skills at the position of receiver were far from being considered "good," and he is still currently working on his progress in that area. As we've seen several times or more this year, he has made some bad mistakes too in terms of not reading the defense properly and running the wrong route. Coming into this year he had posted receiving numbers of 37, 7, 4, and 21---and he had been injured pretty significantly. In terms of being considered "good" as an actual receiver, he hadn't shown too much prior to this season aside from flashes here and there, and even that was mainly in the slot role.

The great news is that Belichick, JMcD, and Chad O'Shea have continued to give him the proper time to try and develop and progress in that role, and I think that we've seen some significant development in that area and will continue to in the future if he stays here. I honestly believe that if he stays for another 2-3 yrs, he can have the potential to see a bigger deal of 5-6 million AAV if he continues to polish his skills as more of an actual receiver.

He's got great moves, is one of the most shiftiest players in the entire league, has a ton of heart and guts, and his special teams play is on par with some of the best in the entire NFL. I hope that they pay a little extra on his next pact to keep him here and allow him to continue to develop in polishing his skills in the transformation from a college QB. He is very talented for sure.



I find your guesstimate to be directly in line with my own. I think that a nice raise from 700k to 2.5/3 million AAV is in order, and I hope he stays and continues to develop for the next couple/few years here as our WR3-4 (which could allow him to climb up that ladder even more in the next year or two).

Just his ST presence, versatility, and raw talent alone are likely worth double his 700k salary. The concern will be whether he's looking for a bigger payday or how much Belichick will come up a bit on what he sees his value at to at least make things "reasonable" enough to keep him. As we know, Belichick coming up in his value doesn't happen very often, but I'm hoping that he is pleased with Edelman's progress and that he sees a future with him here.

No doubt, Sup, that JE did not have a resume that could make anyone feel anything remotely close to certain he had some potency at receiver (or at least it shouldn't have made anyone feel like that). I was bull-ish on JE the WR prior to the season based on the eye test and largely gut feeling-speculation (though strongly questioning his ability to play 16 games/health).
I think -- more speculation -- what we are seeing this year with JE is as much a result of raw opportunity as anything. Previously he was trying to get targets with Gronk, AH, WW, Lloyd, Woodhead, Vereen all very strongly established targets for TB. Add in the injury problems and he just wasn't in a good situation for playing time/serious targets being thrown his way.
On top of that, as you pointed out, he was making some mistakes. JE just had very very little room for error for drops and route issues until all of TB's targets vanished into thin air not allowing TB to look elsewhere among a plethora of other reliable and potent targets. This year he was going to get targets whether TB liked it or not as well as getting much more first team practice.
So, ultimately, I think the greater opportunities given to JE this year was the ultimate factor in why he has emerged. And I suspect what we are seeing this year is what we would have seen last year too (when healthy). That's not to say it was a mistake to leave him out of the passing game to a large extent, I'm saying if there were more injuries to the receiving group last year making BB/TB involve JE in the passing game much more (more than just a game or two), I think he would have seen similar results (again that's just my hunch).

 

[Galeb]

Who's AJ?

.......

Was thinking the same thing.

 

[Brady6]

Rookie linebacker covering your boyfriend Wes on third down one on one. Shut down. Game over. How you like those particular apples?

Welker did not play well on Sunday night and it was clear that his returning to New England got inside his head, all and all though Welker is still a terrific player. Welker may not be clutch or as they say in the NBA be a closer some players aren’t wired for that, the attribute of mental toughness is not universal amongst pro athletes it is generally something you see in the best of the best. I for one cannot fault Welker for his not being an end of game assassin all I do is recognize that is not part of his makeup as a player and do not expect him to make the last minute spectacular catch break 5 tackles and score the game winning touchdown. I will still take Welker on my team any day as the player who can help me build the lead and get first downs in the first 58 minutes of a game; I just know that when the pressure is on he is probably not my best weapon.

I mean no disrespect by saying this but there is no reason to put Andy or any forum member on blast, if Welker had come in and shred the team I do not think you would have appreciated a thread asking you about your apples.

 

[shmessy]

I mean no disrespect by saying this but there is no reason to put Andy or any forum member on blast, if Welker had come in and shred the team I do not think you would have appreciated a thread asking you about your apples.

Agreed. The title is now edited.

 

[PatsDeb]

Rookie linebacker covering your boyfriend Wes on third down one on one. Shut down. Game over. How you like those particular apples?

I like 'em just fine! Still love Welker and wish he was here. Glad he did nothing to hurt us and helped us on that last punt!

 

[Patjew]

I like WWW alot and hope he plays terribly for the rest of the year. I was happy to see him have a subpar game on Sunday. Still like him, though.

 

[Rob0729]

Anyone else tired of all the Welker talk? I hate that so many threads get highjacked because people want to grind their axes because the Pats didn't re-sign him. He ended up being a liability in the game on Sunday, but he has had a good year overall.

Fact of the matter is that the Pats would probably be 8-3 right now with or without Welker. The Pats are probably the odds on favorite to go to the Super Bowl from the AFC right now. We would be that way right now with or without Welker. Can't we just be happy with that and move on from the Welker debate?

 

[shmessy]

Anyone else tired of all the Welker talk? I hate that so many threads get highjacked because people want to grind their axes because the Pats didn't re-sign him. He ended up being a liability in the game on Sunday, but he has had a good year overall.

Fact of the matter is that the Pats would probably be 8-3 right now with or without Welker. The Pats are probably the odds on favorite to go to the Super Bowl from the AFC right now. We would be that way right now with or without Welker. Can't we just be happy with that and move on from the Welker debate?

Some people want to move on and some people would like to discuss it.

No offense, but that's why there are thread choices on the website..........

 

[Rob0729]

Some people want to move on and some people would like to discuss it.

No offense, but that's why there are thread choices on the website..........

Probably brought this up in the wrong thread. Probably should have posted it in another thread that is unrelated to Welker that got highjacked by Welker talks.

That said, I still don't get why rehashing it over and over at this point.

 

[MassPats38]

I appreciate what Welker did with the Pats while here and still like him, but he is on another team and I won't cheer for him against the Pats. As he is projected for 95 receptions and 1000 yards, I'm also not going to bash the guy as lame.

Not for karma reasons, but rather recognizing the simple fact these two teams may meet well again in a far more important game this season than this game represents, I am not going to pounce on anyone who favors him because it will be a very sour diet of crow if this guy torches the Pats in a loss in a rematch. On the plus side, if the Pats get bounced by the Broncos I doubt the recipients of the abuse now will be citing this thread, as they too will be stinging from the result.

Remember the second Pats-Jets game in 2010? 45-3, and lots of celebratory trash talking. Remember the third game that terminated the Pats' season? I for one hope not to relive that mess if this guy proves not to be the choker others believe him to be. I hope everyone is right and he folds like origami, because it would suck at many levels if he didn't in a rematch this year.

And I would credit the Pats pass defense for the lack of passing success rather than attributing it to a Welker choke (D. Thomas had about the same success as Welker, and he is no JAG receiver). I thought they played an outstanding game, and would have looked just as good against any team in the NFL.

 

[shmessy]

Probably brought this up in the wrong thread. Probably should have posted it in another thread that is unrelated to Welker that got highjacked by Welker talks.

That said, I still don't get why rehashing it over and over at this point.

No problem, Robo, it's all good.

 

[wizwor]

(rubs hands together maniacally)

I'm guessing that we may all have a brand shiny new nickname for one White Wes Welkah come tomorrow morning.

"Peter" it is! Or as you'd all say up in the N.England area--"Petah"

LMAO. Peee-Tah Peee-Tah sounds like a chant. Flash back to Darryl Strawberry. Good times!

 

[Vataha]

Welkah should have fair caught that punt, it landed 3 yards from where he was standing. He was afraid to catch it.
He was put back there for his sure hands.

Me thinks it was the yips for sure.