This Week in Bulletin Board Fodder: Texans Coordinator Wade Phillips Says Wes Welker is Not “Real Athletic”
NFL.com – New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has caught 240 passes over the last two seasons, with rare short-area quickness and an insane mental connection with Tom Brady. But Welker is not a true No. 1 receiver; not one that requires the best opposing cornerback on him. That’s Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ stance, and he’s sticking to it. “Welker’s not (A.J.) Green,” Phillips told ESPN’s Paul Kuharsky when asked if Houston’s top corner Johnathan Joseph would track Welker around the field. “(Welker’s) a good player, but he’s not that big or a real athletic guy” Phillips said. “He’s a quick guy that gets open on option routes. (Cornerback Brandon) Harris actually played him pretty good. He got a holding penalty that hurt us early in the game. But Harris played pretty well … If we don’t get him on a speed guy, we’re in good shape.”
In this day and age when folks are stretching to find bulletin board material, the Welker comments are already getting noticed in New England. But it’s hard to argue with anything that Phillips says. Welker was held down by Harris last game, and Joseph would be better used on Brandon Lloyd or tight end Aaron Hernandez. “If you put a corner on him, they’re not quite as good,” Phillips said.
Excuse me, “stretching for bulletin board material” in New England? Why would we “stretch for bulletin board material” when the defensive coordinator of the team we’re facing this weekend is putting it in a nice, decorative magnetic frame and putting it on the board right there for us at eye level? Phillips has already backed off his comments faster than Shaughnessy on a Houston radio station, but we all know the real story. This was him being candid. This was a coordinator in the NFL pulling back the curtain and showing us what he really thinks behind closed doors. That Wes Welker is nothing but some kind of a gimmick. A system guy you can shut down with a better, more athletic, bigger, stronger, faster corner. That’s he’s basically Rudy Ruettiger, all heart and no athleticism but who lucked into having the best quarterback in the world getting him the ball 10 times a game. And any time you want to stop him you can. It’s that same condescending nonsense that Andy Gresh has been spouting about how Welker’s not “elite” because he can be shut down at any time by a superior cover guy. Notwithstanding the fact that week in and week out, season in and season out, no one has ever actually shut him down. How many more records does he have to shatter before these people will acknowledge he’s not some overachiever who needs to be graded on the curve? That Wes Welker is a gifted athlete with God-given talent?
*Most seasons with 100+ catches (and 105+, 110+, 115+ and 120+) in NFL history
*Most games with 10+ catches (and 11+, 12+, 13+, 14+ and 15+) in NFL history
*The only player ever with 3 straight 110+ catch seasons
*Patriots team records for career receptions, catches in a single season and yards in a season. All accomplished in 6 years
*And even this season, he was 3rd in the league in receptions and had more TDs catches than Detroit’s Calvin Johnson or Wade Phillips’ own Andre Johnson.
But still the narrative continues to be that Welker can be taken out of a game by any above average squid you happen to put in coverage, all evidence and common sense to the contrary. That’s what Wade Phillips thinks, anyway. I mean, let’s not kid ourselves it’s not easy to do just because no one’s ever done it. That game where “Brandon Harris played him pretty good” Welker had to settle for 3 catches for 52 yards. And oh, by the way, his team lit Houston up for 42 goddamned points and called off the dogs in the 4th quarter. So am I “reaching” for bulletin board material with this? No. We’d be doing that if I brought up the lettermen jackets thing again. And I won’t do that. @JerryThornton1
i predict big things from this Welker kid.
You left out 0 Superbowls. Gonna be funny what Pats fans say on Welker when they don’t franchise him, and he goes to some other team and has 70 catches next year.
Oh, Smithers… you sly dog! I’m sure Belichick and the rest of the Pats will read this and get all fired up. Grow up.
even when covered, him and brady complete those 3rd and short passes all day…just way too quick off the line. even if they limit him in yards, the 3rd down completions are what make him so effective
This shit pisses me off. I still chock it up to reverse racism in the NFL. If Welker was black nobody would ever question his athleticism or his stats/records anyone who says otherwise is a fucking liar. Like I always say – people talk about woodhead like its a damn MIRACLE he can even step foot on the field but ray rice, warrick dunn, MJD (he’s faster in the 40 than all 3) nobody bats an eye (not saying woodhead is “better” but his body type and skill set is identical).
FUCKING AWESOME BLOG LARRY……..please take up a hobby
Paul Bearer Jr. has a lot of balls saying an NFL WR is not athletic.
Welker is so overrated it’s not even funny. Pats “fans” want to harp on his reception count – I can catch a bubble screen at the line of scrimmage 8 times a game #spygate
Welker sucks…all he does is make catches, rack up yards and score touchdowns…over-rated.
I’m a huge Pats and Welker fan, but isn’t what Phillips said kind of true? The guy isn’t AJ Green. He definitely isn’t big, and it’s not his athleticism that kills cornerbacks. He is smart and quick off the line and gets open all the time.
And it’s true… Brandon Harris holding him to three catches for 52 yards in a 42 point game isn’t all that bad. You are definitely reaching Jerry.
Comparing Woodhead to Ray Rice may be the single dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. Grow up Peter Pan, Count Chocula
Comparing Woodhead to Ray Rice may be the single dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. Grow up Peter Pan, Count Chocula
Comparing Woodhead to Ray Rice may be the single dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. Grow up Peter Pan, Count Chocula
Barwin looks like what would happen if a Jewish Jon Hamm took steroids and went to the worst barber in the world.
^ Someone still not understanding how the “post comments” button works might be the second dumbest.
Evidently the Patriots agree too or else they would lock him up with a contract rather than letting him walk at the end of this season.
They aren’t using the Shank-like comments from a sportswriter in Houston that says the Pats are overrated for chalkboard material? Wish they would act like they’ve been there before.
I will fucking compare Dan Woodhead to Ray Rice. They’re both 5’7 200 lbs, they both play RB, Look up the combine #’s asshole Woodhead beat him in EVERYTHING they were same “draft” year. I said in my earlier post I’m not saying he is “better” what I’m saying is the media/NFL scouts or whatever dismiss woodhead because of his “size” its really the color of his skin – cuz he’s the same size as those other guys but he’s actually FASTER. And Welker its the same deal – PLENTY of slot receivers are his frame, but they’re black so their “athleticism” isn’t questioned. How about this: now that Hines Ward is no longer playing Welker is absolutely the toughest receiver in the league, hang your hat on that one. Guy takes BRUTAL hits and gets right back up more than anyone else
Gotta agree with you on this one Worm. And I think this guy saying Welker isn’t that good and isn’t athletic is like someone saying Andre Johnson is too short, too slow and has horrible hands. It’s just a miscarriage of the truth. Eventually teams are going to har to wake up and start game planning specifically for Welker, but that’s just gonna mean someone else is beating them like a drum all game long… And for all you idiots out tere talking about Super Bowls, your argument is irrelevant here. The pats lost the Super Bowls they lost because the D couldn’t get off the field, not becaus the offense couldn’t move the ball and score at will. Don’t be dumb
Saying welker is the toughest player in the league because he “takes BRUTAL hits and gets right back up more than anyone else” is clearly coming from a 2001 Patriots “fan” who has never watched any other game accept for when he remembers the Pats are playing on Sunday.
Jerry I love everything you write, but this is the definition of out of context.
He said we Welker isn’t aj green. Well… Is he? Is he 6’3 220??? No. He also said last game they did a good job on Welker without having to use Joseph. Is that, or is that not a fact? This is stretching. Obviously belichick will still use this, but you’re making it sound like he said he sucks.
Wade Phillips should probably spend less time answering questions about Welker and more time trying to figure out how to keep the rest of the offense from dominating their D from the line back trough the secondary again… Unless of course he enjoys getting 40 hung on him
ReadyFUELZ, stop typing as if you dont have a bag of dicks shoved up your ass.
No, Wes Welker isn\’t aj green, he isn\’t 6\’3\” 220. And that\’s why its pretty damn impressive what he does year in and year out. He\’s athletic no doubt about it. And hey fuelz if you could catch a bubble screen at the line of scrimmage 8 times a game you wouldn\’t be sitting here commenting on blogs bro, you be preparing for the divisional round of the playoffs
Welker isn’t going to run a long pattern and catch a jump ball. Wade’s right.
Instead, Welker just gives a quick burst and cut and usually makes great catches in tight coverage and then throws on some yards after the catch. He is GREAT at what he does and to discount him because these types of catches aren’t sexy, Sportscenter highlights is just moronic. Not all offenses have to run on the deep pass to AJ Green/Calvin Johnson. Big surprise why Wade couldn’t hack it in Dallas with the receiving talent they had there….
I’m thinking that if the Pats really need this as motivation or “bulletin board” material then they’re already fucked…..
Rusty Tromboner – good one. Can’t negate my point though. I’m guessing the first pats game you ever watched was somewhere around 2001?
I’m sorry, those letterman jackets are boss.
“Wes Welker is not black” is actually what he wanted to say, but people are so touchy these days.
Sports arguments are for kids and the feeble minded. Who gives a rat’s furry ass who’s faster, stronger, has more records etc? It always and only comes down to which player and which team wins the game. That’s all there is. That’s why every sport from 3rd grade on up has a championship. All the other debate is to kill time and an attempt to under rate or over rate some guy who has no idea you even exist.
terrible premise Smithers, try again. Phillips comment is accurate.
Thank god Pats fans don’t coach the team. This is just some little ploy, blown up by the media, to make Brady potentially try and force the ball to Welker to ‘prove Wade wrong’ while ignoring Gronk, Hernandez, and Lloyd. It’s not gonna happen. If Jerry were coaching it might. I could care less if Welker has 15 catches or 0 catches. The Pats will do what is needed to win. Case closed. And Wade Phillips is a joke anyway, not to mention it was taken WAYYY out of context.
welker is great as a slot receiver and nothing else. he doesn’t have great hands. he won’t out jump people for the ball. he rarely catches anything beyond 10yds from the line of scrimmage. just because he’s extremely quick and great getting by the first bump doesn’t mean he’s super athletic. it means he’s quick as shit. he has an insane amount of yards because brady throws him the ball 5yds off the line of scrimmage and welker’s quickness picks up more yards. it’s a fact. his average yards/catch are god awful for a #1 receiver because the only thing he’s good at is catching the ball 5yds off the line.