Ex-Red Raider Welker hopes to cause Giants problems in Super Bowl
Back 
INDIANPOLIS — The users guide on how to defend Wes Welker would be thick, but it wouldn’t have much useful information in it.
The New York Giants seem to know how to slow the best statistical receiver in the NFL. In theory, that is. But whether they will be able to contain Welker in Super Bowl XLVI today in Indianapolis is anybody’s guess.
Not many have been able to.
The former Texas Tech receiver leads the NFL in receptions since 2007 with 554. The next best receiver is 80 catches behind him.
What makes Welker so difficult is he’s unpredictable, with too many possibilities on each play to plan for, but the Giants are tasked with figuring them out on Sunday.
“You see him at the slot for four of five games, and by time he gets to you (on the schedule) he’s way out there,” Giants linebacker Greg Jones said. “So you get thrown off by that. Don’t underestimate where he can be at.
“And people, I think by now, should stop underestimating him. Just because he’s small doesn’t mean anything. I think it’s more important that you don’t underestimate him and you give him the respect when you guard him because if you don’t, he’ll make you pay for it.”
The Giants defense chimed in his week on why Welker is so tough to defend.
Jones said he’s shifty.
Linebacker Michael Boley credited his quickness.
Safety Kenny Phillips admired his elusiveness.
Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said it’s Welker’s agility.
“On film you don’t realize how quick and fast he is,” Phillips said. “He’s just a special receiver.”
Some Giants receivers weren’t so quick to heap the praise on Welker, who caught 259 passes for 3,019 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Red Raiders under Mike Leach. Kiwanuka said it’s as much the Patriots system as it Welker. The playbook lines Welker up across the field, making it tough for defenders to prepare for a set look.
Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell laid the credit on Welker’s relationship with quarterback Tom Brady. But he was also quick to note that it’s Wes breaking hard off the ball, not Brady.
“He plays the game fast and hard every play,” Fewell said. “Some receivers, as you well know, when they’re blocking they don’t run full speed. Wes goes full speed all the time so you don’t know if it’s a run or a pass when he’s out there.”
Earlier this week Kiwanuka joked the best way to prepare for Welker is to put a jersey on second-year sensation Victor Cruz.
“With Wes Welker, it certainly seems that the position has been made for his outstanding quickness and his ability to win the matchups and get on top against two-deep,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.
“In Victor Cruz, you have the same kind of young guy who has exceptional quickness and is learning as he goes along here and has had an exceptional year as he learns more about how to play at an NFL level.”
Cruz has a lot to look up to.
All Welker’s done is rewrite NFL record books. He leads the NFL in receptions since 2007 (554), gained more than 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth time in five years, became the second player in NFL history to with two 120-catch seasons, became the eighth player in NFL history to hit the 1,000-yard mark in their ninth game, became the fastest player in NFL history to have 500 receptions with one team and became the third player in NFL history with four 100-reception seasons.
“Yeah, he’s a guy that I’ve looked at growing up,” Cruz said. “You always watch the best in the League and he’s definitely one of the best at his craft and at his position.
“He’s definitely a guy that I take a few things from and you add it to your game.”
He’s the one player Boley will always make sure to find on each play because Welker doesn’t make it easier on anyone.
“You’ve got to make all of your routes almost look the same,” Welker said. “Whenever you make them all look the same to a certain point, they aren’t sure which one you are running. You could be going in, out, straight up the field, faking a certain way or whatever. They really don’t know.”
Welker has spurned a slew of spinoffs, similar to how the Wildcat formation spread throughout the league a few seasons ago. Except, Welker’s defied time. Going undrafted in 2004, He signed as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers before the season but was released after Week 1, only to be picked up by the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots AFC East rival.
In the first Patriots-Dolphins game that season, Welker gave Bill Belichick a preview of what he was capable of, returning a kickoff and punt, kicking an extra point and a field goal, and made a tackle, just the second time in NFL history that happened.
If that wasn’t enough, Welker returned a punt 71 yards in their next meeting.
Three years later, the Patriots traded for Welker.
And the rest has been rewritten in the NFL history books.
“It’s an honor to be compared to a guy that’s had four 1,000 yard seasons,” Cruz said. “It’s just amazing to be in the same breath as guy who’s done so well in the league for so long.”
Comments (20)
Add commentAny Communists?
Any communists or hard core liberals out there not rooting for Welker?
Welker Wants Hance Out
Only those who belittle what Leach accmplished at Tech and stay quiet about all the success he was assonciated with, rather Kingsbury, Dana H., Amendola, Harrell or Welker, only those types of Hance Idiots are the ones not rooting for Wes today.
Good timing though, Zach Thomas and Wes Welker are precisely the guys Tubs would not recruit. They represent the real Tech and neither will help Tech with Hance et al in control.
LODOTX is CORRECT
It's true. Our most visible former players will not be a party to what is going on at Tech.
Here's some interesting info. Look at these measuements.
6-3, 290. 6-4, 285. 6-5, 309. 6-3, 300. 6-6, 285. These are the sizes of a few of Mike Leach's recruits this year. From Florida, Texas, California, American Samoa, Hawaii.........
Outrecruited Florida, Florida State, Miami, Clemson, Illinois, Arizona, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn, Southern Cal, UCLA......the list is endless.
The recruits are outstanding students and leaders and come from families where discipline has been instilled. Hmmmmmm........
Most PAC 12 games can been seen nationwide. As you will recall, Tech would be in the PAC 12 had we not showed up for the interview in the company of one Deloss Dodds.
@bill214
There you go again. Calling people names is the only thing that you seem to be good at. I hope nobody tells Spaeth or you may be fired.
bill214, go on down, establish residence
and marry your "honey".....
@bill214
Again, you need to read the posts. I never said a word on here until I mentioned your name calling and then you lump me in with other people who did respond. You are really close to losing it. What does gay marriage have to do with anything. Is that the only way you can repsond to a comment? All you are doing is showing your immaturity and your bigotry.
yeah you wish rettch... trust
yeah you wish rettch... trust me i have no interest in gay marriage, my wife is just fine... my interests are in sports not politics. That is why this is supposed to be a sports forum not political agendas that the 3 stooges plus red think it is in every article written.
if you have no interest in the subject....why
are you consumed by it?...
how fine?
het retch, im not consumed by
hey retch, im not consumed by it...it is a current event in washington st (feb 1, 2012) and these 3 stooges are the leach experts in pullman wa that are more interested in politics than sports. I'm trying to make this clear for you and the 3+1 stooges
hey foolco, let me make this
hey foolco, let me make this clear for you. I dont care and never have cared about politics in any form or fashion. You on the other hand along with your stooge brothers facts & lodotx (and red bucking to join you) twist every post you knuckleheads make into some hance forum or some BOR did this and did that. Listen real closely.... those people are in political positions and You dont matter and we dont care! Gay marriage has to do with the latest politics in wash st where your boy leach is that left tech over 2 years ago. It is as relevant as all you 3+1 stooges complaining about hance and the BOR here is
@bill214
I really do not understand what you care about. I care about Tech and their football team. I hate to see the school run into the ground by stupid administrators. Kent hance is ruining Tech. It is not politics it is plain facts.
You either need to quit ridiculing people and calling them names or you need to address the points that they make. If you do not like someone's comments, respond to the comment. Do not make snide remarks and call them names. You are sounding like a twelve year old.
You mention you do not like politics but every comment you make is political. Just for your information, I do matter as does EVERYBODY, whether they agree with me or not, who posts comments on this blog or any other blog. We are all people. Some of us have more than others and many of us have differing opinions, but we all matter. If you do not think so, maybe you should not be posting on this or any blog.
Hey foolco dude that is one
Hey foolco dude that is one of your problems... Dude you need to get some sleep! Maybe a little bph? When your posting on here @ 2:10 I'm guessing you aren't thinking clearly. You need to quit waking up thinking about hance and the bor dude... I'm starting to worry about you. Don't let them consume your life... And btw you don't matter to hance and the bor...trust me. Now go get some rest where you can think clearly.
It is a shame
that Welker dropped that one pass. Other than that, he had a pretty good game but it waas such a pivotal play and the ball hit his hands.
That might have changed the outcome.
Yes it is a shame welker
Yes it is a shame welker dropped that ball... He catches that ball 99% of the time. It is hance and the BOR that gave him that opportunity so it's their fault he dropped it. You know 2+2= whatever logic lodo thinks.
Yes it is a shame welker
Yes it is a shame welker dropped that ball... He catches that ball 99% of the time. It is hance and the BOR that gave him that opportunity so it's their fault he dropped it. You know 2+2= whatever logic lodo thinks.
That ball wasn't dropped
Wes said he catches that 100%. I call BS as he was falling on his sword. That pass was a very tough catch for anyone. I bet in practice it would be caught less than 30% of the time. The pass was high, hard and over the wrong shoulder; and Wes was very open. He had to make a very hard spin to try for it. His real problem is that he was good enough to get his hands on it in the first place.
Don't be fooled, this was not a typical back shoulder throw were the receiver is at least 20 yards down the field and has plenty of time to adjust.
@billywayne
I certainly would not blame Welker for that drop (or any drop for that matter). It was such a pivotal play and was commented so much by the announcers that it takes away from Welker's prowess.
I see you working feaco...you
I see you working feaco...you think only you have a crazy opinion about the administrators and only you, factsrfacts and lodotx (and red bucking for a spot) can interject everyday about them but when others do you get jealous? lol that makes about as much sense as you 3+1 complaining with all your nutty posts about hance and the bor. DGY
Go Giants
I am a blue blooded progressive, and yes Giants won!!! Did someone say communist? lol