PHOENIX - To gauge the impact Wes Welker has had on the Patriots' run to the Super Bowl, look no farther than the Red Sox, who offer second baseman Dustin Pedroia as an example of the impact an undersized player with an overachieving attitude can have on a championship-driven team.
The difference, of course, is that Pedroia already has his championship bling from the Red Sox' sweep of the Rockies in the World Series. Welker is one game from adding the most precious NFL bauble there is, a Super Bowl ring, to the riches he's already reaped this season.
If the 5-foot-9-inch Welker were to achieve that Sunday in Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants, would he, like Pedroia, become an inspiration to undersized young athletes across New England?
"Maybe a little bit," Welker said yesterday during the Patriots' media session at the Phoenix Convention Center. "Probably, for the most part, because I'm the same size as a lot of those kids growing up. I guess, in a way, I kind of am [an inspiration]."
A jack-of-all-trades during his three-year stint with the Dolphins, Welker was a thorn in the side of the Patriots, so coach Bill Belichick was quick to pull the trigger on a deal last March that brought Welker to New England for second- and seventh-round draft picks.
"He killed us every time we played them," Belichick said. "The only way we could handle him was to double cover him.
"He also hurt us in the return game. In fact in one game, he even kicked off and kicked field goals against us and killed us there, too, when Olindo Mare got hurt in pregame warmups."
Indeed, Welker subbed for Mare Oct. 10, 2004, and kicked off for the first time since he played at Texas Tech. He converted his only field goal attempt - a 29-yarder - and made his only PAT.
"I think that kind of speaks to Wes's competitiveness, his versatility, and his total skill set," Belichick said. "He is a tough player.
"He is productive on offense catching the ball, running with the ball, and a productive returner, and the fact he went out there and kicked as well as he did in that game says something about him as an athlete and competitor."
Of course, that's saying nothing about Welker's great catching ability and unheralded blocking.
In the Patriots' 38-35 victory over the Giants in the regular-season finale, Welker led all receivers with 11 catches for 122 yards, which helped him establish career highs for receptions (112, tied for the league lead) and receiving yards (1,175) in a season.
And while he factored heavily in a controlled short passing attack that helped neutralize New York's pass rush, Welker seemed particularly pleased with the pancake block he administered to safety James Butler, which enabled Laurence Maroney to score on a 5-yard run.
"He's not exactly a road grader," Belichick said. "But when he's been lined up in the slot, he's had to take on some guys."
Left tackle Matt Light lauded the blocking of the receiving corps as a whole.
"I think all of our receivers have done an excellent job of getting into the secondary or getting on some of the guys [who] are tight to the line of scrimmage, [getting] some key blocks to free the running backs to get to the second level," he said.
"As a lineman, when you have a guy like Wes, who is not the biggest receiver we've had around here, who flies around and throws his body in front of people, that's a lot of fun."
Said Welker, "Blocking is a key part of this game and, really, personally, if every person on that field doesn't block, then no play is going to spring for a big one.
"With the receivers, it's a big deal to get on the safeties, linebackers, or defensive backs and make sure that we at least take care of our man to allow the running backs to get downfield."
Which Patriot offensive lineman would Welker say he patterns his blocking style after?
"I'd probably go with Stephen Neal," Welker said. "He's a guy who gets the job done, with good leverage and things like that."
Just as important, though, was Welker's ability to get open against the Giants' secondary.
"It's key that we were getting open quick and making sure that we get that separation and making sure that we get some positive yards on first and second down," said Welker, who broke Troy Brown's team record for receptions (101). Welker's total nearly doubled his previous high of 67, in his last season with the Dolphins in 2006.
"Our line has been doing a great job [of giving Tom Brady time to throw] and we have a lot of confidence going into it," he said.
That confidence was bolstered yesterday when Brady returned to the practice field for the first time since injuring his right ankle in the third quarter of the AFC Championship game against the Chargers.
"Any time you get the MVP of the league back, it's always something positive," Welker said. "So we were happy to see him back out there."
How did Brady look? "He looks good, you know? He's got the same dimples and everything," Welker joked, drawing laughter from the media.
Making his first trip to the Super Bowl, Welker was peppered by questions about how fortunate he was to escape from a team that went 1-15 and land on a team that is one win from a 19-0 season.
"I'm blessed with a good situation and a good team here," Welker said. "I'm excited about the opportunity I'm getting with this team here."
That's a sentiment Dustin Pedroia could appreciate.
Michael Vega can be reached at vega@globe.com.
