Welkerless Patriots will be just 'OK'?
by Cyrilp on Jan 5, 2010 9:04 PM EST
Email
Print
What do you think? Do you think the New England Patriots without star wide receiver Wes Welker will be just 'OK' in the playoffs? A recent Shutdown Corner blog post on Yahoo! got me thinking. If the Patriots were bound to go deep into the playoffs and maybe even reach the Super Bowl, then they can still manage to do so without Welker. Julian Edelman is no Welker, obviously. He plays with the same style, he's about the same size, and he can make a defender miss in the open field just like Welker. But the route running, footwork, precision, timing, that's all exclusive to Welker. Still, Tom Brady has made a career out of giving a name to no-name receivers such as Reche "No Hands" Caldwell, Troy Brown, and Wes Welker. None of these guys were even heard about before Tom Brady and Tom Brady got them to the Super Bowl and gave them great years. Hopefully, he can work his art with Edelman too. He was a college quarterback, so he doesn't have the hands of Welker. He'll drop a few passes, some to end drives, but hopefully nothing too crucial. As I was saying, if the Patriots were bound to go deep in the playoffs, they can do it with the rest of their team. With Fred Taylor back, he can re-take the starting rusher role and dominate the rushing game for us, something Maroney has tried and failed to do many times. And by the way, thank God we even have Edelman, a Welker-type-B to replace Welker. Thank God it's not Moss we have to replace. I'm starting to like our back-up receivers: Stanback, Tate, Aiken, Baker, they're all great under Brady. Our offensive line hasn't skipped a beat, so guys like Logan Mankins will still make room for the rush and guys like Light will still protect Brady and give him the time he needs. But the question is, were we meant for a deep playoff run? Were we even meant to win one playoff game? Forget Welker for a second. Focus on the defense. Our corners aren't that bad, but sometimes, they get burned. None of them can play island, so even if we can get past the Ravens, receivers like Reggie Wayne will burn through our secondary. We're a defense that starts up front. From Warren-Burgess-Wilfork to Mayo-Thomas-Seau-Banta Cain. Try getting through those roadblocks. Still, our back is as important as our front and we just don't have a back. Nontheless, I believe the Patriots were meant for a deep playoff run. Even if we can't win the Super Bowl, or even get there, I believe we still have a chance at the AFC championship. Sorry that I keep saying 'we.' Yes, I know, I'm not a Patriot, you're not a Patriot, so I should be saying 'the Patriots.' Forgive me, it's by habit. So what do you think? Do you think the New England Patriots will be just 'OK' without Welker? Do you think they were destined for a deep playoff run? And on a side note, I'd like to hear everyone's Wild Card Weekend predictions. Good night!
Cyril P
The views expressed in these FanPosts are not necessarily those of the writers or SBNation.
11 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
If the pats want to win they need to rely more on the run game now more than ever
Maroney + taylor + faulk + morris, just ram it down the opponent’s throats. clock control and smart play calling. without wes the pats can;t simply expect to air it out as moss will most likely receive double coverage over the top. and since this randy moss guy is pretty good last time i check have him go over the middle more rather than just long. i rather have brady try to get the ball into moss’s hands in a critical 3rd down than edelman for numerous of reasons.
it...yes i said it..is to be referred to as the bug eyed idiot
Non Sibi Sed Patriae.
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum!
I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
I do SO love that picture. lol
And I thought Taylor was IR’d?
"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007
by peytonsthebest on Jan 8, 2010 2:03 PM EST up reply actions
pats will win against the ravens but after i know know
Non Sibi Sed Patriae.
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum!
I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Heavy doses of Taylor and Maroney.
The major chink in the Pats armor the past three seasons has been lack of balance. As much as Welker’s absence limits the passing attack, it forces (hopefully) O’Brien to call a more balanced game. Although I love Welker and hate what’s happened to him, it might actually be better for the team that they get back to a more balanced (though not basic or uncreative) offensive strategy (a type of scheme which Brady truly excels at running, a la 2001).
If this team leans hard on Maroney, Taylor, Morris and Faulk, they have more than a good chance. It will force more men into the box, pull the safeties up, really set up the play action, and hopefully open things up for Moss. However, if O’Brien tries to call the same pass-heavy game plan with Edelman simply filling in 100% for Welker, it will not be pretty, especially come the 4th quarter.
Ngata, Gregg, Suggs, Pryce are excellent run stoppers. We are much better stopping the run than pass rush. You will HAVE to rely on the pass. No way around it. I wish you were a run team because we have better luck there. Edelman played just as well as Welker could have against Houston. He’s the real deal and the timing is there. He is more of a concern than Moss really. Moss plays into Ed Reed with the deep ball but Edelman will slice up our poor LB pass defense.
Edelman and the TEs, yes
I think this is one of those games where Brady has to get the TEs heavily involved in the pass attack, over and throught the LBs. The Ravens will be forced to drop the safeties down (Ed Reed being their biggest playmaker outside of the box) and that’ll mean that Randy gets a crack at an occasionally leaky CB matchup without having Ed Reed sitting on top of him every play.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Sorry to hear about your loss.
Injuries suck and transcend team alliance. Here’s to an injury free game for both sides.
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Jan 6, 2010 2:41 PM EST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Media requests: Please email patspulpit at gmail.com
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
