You're making our case for us...

Fitzgerald, Johnson, C. Johnson, Nelson, Nicks, Cruz, J. Jones, A.J. Green, V. Jackson, Smith, Boldin, Crabtree, Moss, (Gronk) and a host of other non-5'9 WRs would've made that catch...effortlessly. 

That's why you don't build your offense around a 5'9 WR. 

In response to 49Patriots' comment:

You're making our case for us...

Fitzgerald, Johnson, C. Johnson, Nelson, Nicks, Cruz, J. Jones, A.J. Green, V. Jackson, Smith, Boldin, Crabtree, Moss, (Gronk) and a host of other non-5'9 WRs would've made that catch...effortlessly. 

That's why you don't build your offense around a 5'9 WR. 

Hmm, I guess Deion Branch and Troy Brown, are both over 6 feet tall. 

For the slot 5'9" to 5'11" is perfect.  Of course you would like your receivers who go deeper to be taller but Welker's position isn't designed for that.

In response to 49Patriots' comment:

You're making our case for us...

Fitzgerald, Johnson, C. Johnson, Nelson, Nicks, Cruz, J. Jones, A.J. Green, V. Jackson, Smith, Boldin, Crabtree, Moss, (Gronk) and a host of other non-5'9 WRs would've made that catch...effortlessly. 

That's why you don't build your offense around a 5'9 WR. 

Hmm, I guess Deion Branch and Troy Brown, are both over 6 feet tall. 

For the slot 5'9" to 5'11" is perfect.  Of course you would like your receivers who go deeper to be taller but Welker's position isn't designed for that.

It's time to stop using the lame Welker dropped the ball and lost the Super Bowl excuse to not sign Welker to a new contract.

Lately when someone post that the Patriots shouldn't sign Welker because he dropped that perfectly thrown, right on target pass from my man TFB to lose the Super Bowl, I have asked the following very simple yet ignored question...

Please describe the very next play and nobody has done it.  Why?  They don't remember? They just want to blame Welker because he is seeking a well deserved and fair contract from the Patriots for once.  Well let me take a moment and explain.. after all, the Brady to Welker play was only 2nd down.  So what happend next......

3rd down and 11, Patriots at the Giants 44 yard line, needing to get to the 33 yard line for the first down.  Brady takes the snap under center, Woodhead behind him.  The ball is snapped, TFB fakes the handoff to Woody, drops back, has all day to pass and finally throws the ball to an open Branch who is cutting accross the middle of the field at the 25 yard line.  The pass is a bit behind Branch yet branch gets his hands on the ball and drops it just as a defender hits him.  

During the replay Chris Collinsworth says "It's a poor throw by Tom Brady, really Branch could have helped him by slowing down in the middle of the field, there's space in there".  Then says " I think Michael Boley scared Brady off of throwing that thing a head of Branch, and Branch really should have seen that and settled in the hole and made that an easier throw".

So you tell me, why is all the blame on Welker for losing the Super Bowl when the very next play they had another chance but a poor route by Branch and a poor throw by Brady along with Branch dropping the pass, causing a 4th down and punting the ball back to the Giants?  Why is the blame on Welker?  Why not Brady for two poorly thrown balls in back to back plays or Branch for running a poor route and dropping the ball?   Please explain why the blame all goes on Welker?

In response to garytx's comment:

The reason people remember is because it's a play that should have worked.  A wide open Welker and if he can get his hands on it it's over.  The faithful were let down. 

Let there be no mistake.  This does effect the contract talks.  You make those two catches and you name your price.  But he dropped both getting labeled a choke.  Fair or unfair it doesn't matter because if you're going to pay big money those, especially those catches have to be made.

Not true. Deion Branch played back to back great Super Bowls and he certainly couldn't name his prime. He was also supposedly entering his prime too.

A play here or there isn't going to make that huge a difference in contract talks. Hern has had some bad drops and he still got a big contract.

Pats have a price on their players, they aren't going to change that because of a play or 2. Welker, whether he made those plays or not, will still be a 32 year old WR next season and someone who has taken a ton of hits.

PS The drop was a quintessential drive killer. The Pats had a chance to convert on third down, but the drive was already dead at that point. Welker killed it

I doubt great players and great teams think like this, especially in their biggest game.

In response to redsoxfan94's comment:

In response to BabeParilli's comment:

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

If you are happy with how well Brady takes care of the ball you have to accept the reasons this is so. Brady will pass exactly as he did to Branch and Welker in those circumstances in order to minimize the INT risk yet give his guy a chance to make the play. He does the exact same thing on many of his low throws.

Complain about a "bad pass" all you like, but the passes are usually exactly where they are for a reason. And he isn't the GOAT for no reason.

so he intentionally threw the ball 7-8 feet in the air to a wide open receiver that is 5ft9?
yea that makes alot of sense...

You're making our case for us...

Fitzgerald, Johnson, C. Johnson, Nelson, Nicks, Cruz, J. Jones, A.J. Green, V. Jackson, Smith, Boldin, Crabtree, Moss, (Gronk) and a host of other non-5'9 WRs would've made that catch...effortlessly. 

That's why you don't build your offense around a 5'9 WR. 

"2 poorly thrown passes back to back and Branch drops the ball yet it's all Welkers fault.  "

It's not all Welker's fault by any means, but if you think this doesn't affect contract negotiation with Welker you are out of your mind. The Patriots are conscious of a ticking clock with Brady and while Welker deserves to get paid, and hopefully will, he's not in the position to name his price as he would have if he had been able to bring in both of those balls. That's how it goes, and you can't put it to rest because it is what it is. I don't blame Wes for either loss but in a performance business everything is factored in to contract talks, you may wish it wasn't so but it is.

In response to 42AND46's comment:

Tom Brady's contract made him the NFL's highest-paid player.
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=5552561

Vince Wilfork's contract made him the NFL's highest-paid nose tackle.
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=4970238

Logan Mankins' contract made him the NFL's highest-paid interior offensive lineman
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4699733/logan-mankins-contract-details

Jerod Mayo's contract made him the first player in the NFL that has guaranteed money in 2015.
http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/7362239/new-england-patriots-sign-jerod-mayo-5-year-extension-source-says

Rob Gronkowski's deal was the richest contract for a tight end in NFL history.
http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/8025822/new-england-patriots-rob-gronkowski-agree-6-year-53-million-extension

You were saying?

In response to TFB12's comment:

In response to 49Patriots' comment:

You're making our case for us...

Fitzgerald, Johnson, C. Johnson, Nelson, Nicks, Cruz, J. Jones, A.J. Green, V. Jackson, Smith, Boldin, Crabtree, Moss, (Gronk) and a host of other non-5'9 WRs would've made that catch...effortlessly. 

That's why you don't build your offense around a 5'9 WR. 

Hmm, I guess Deion Branch and Troy Brown, are both over 6 feet tall. 

For the slot 5'9" to 5'11" is perfect.  Of course you would like your receivers who go deeper to be taller but Welker's position isn't designed for that.

If you look closely, you'd notice I had Victor Cruz and Anquain Bolden on that list. Both guys play in the slot and both guys go deep. They're both over 5'11 and they're both freaks when it comes to jumping and making athletic catches. 

Both would've made that catch...effortlessly.

In response to TFB12's comment:

In response to 49Patriots' comment:

You're making our case for us...

Fitzgerald, Johnson, C. Johnson, Nelson, Nicks, Cruz, J. Jones, A.J. Green, V. Jackson, Smith, Boldin, Crabtree, Moss, (Gronk) and a host of other non-5'9 WRs would've made that catch...effortlessly. 

That's why you don't build your offense around a 5'9 WR. 

Hmm, I guess Deion Branch and Troy Brown, are both over 6 feet tall. 

For the slot 5'9" to 5'11" is perfect.  Of course you would like your receivers who go deeper to be taller but Welker's position isn't designed for that.

If you look closely, you'd notice I had Victor Cruz and Anquain Bolden on that list. Both guys play in the slot and both guys go deep. They're both over 5'11 and they're both freaks when it comes to jumping and making athletic catches. 

Both would've made that catch...effortlessly.

Pats lost the game... SB46 is now put to rest!

come on stop the cherry picking, I am not saying anything the pats dont have a reputation for

I like Welker, I hope honestly that he catches another three hundred passes before he retires, but I'm curious to see how people think he will do if he leaves here.

In response to 42AND46's comment:

Overstated maybe, but not absurd. A more graceful athlete makes the play rather easily after making a slight adjustment on the ball

Welker is a lot of things (tough, resiliant, durable), but graceful is not one of them. He mistimed his leap on that play in my opinion, and CLANG! He dropped the ball

PS I am not the type to say the Giants were lucky to win SB46. To me, they won fair and square. But you have to admit, on that play your team was the beneficiary of a little good fortune...