He lacks the star power of the other wideouts. He doesn’t lack the catches. Wes Welker’s NFL career has unfolded much differently than Randy Moss’ or Donte Stallworth’s, but when it comes to production this season, he’s ahead of them.
At least, that is, when it comes to number of catches. Welker leads New England with 47 receptions, though he’s second in receiving yards with 524 to Moss. Welker also is tied for second with five touchdown catches, five behind Moss.
Still, that’s not too bad for someone who entered this season with 96 catches in his first three years.
“Wes has done a great job for us; he is a good slot receiver,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “When the opportunity comes he has made plays for us both on offense and special teams.”
The Patriots traded for the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Welker this past offseason when he was a restricted free agent with Miami. He was coming off a 67-catch season and had caught 259 passes at Texas Tech, the only Division I school to offer him a scholarship.
“He’s just doing what he’s always done,” Redskins secondary/cornerbacks coach Jerry Gray said. “He did the same thing at Texas Tech, go inside making guys miss and getting to the end zone.”
