Welker grabs spotlight

Wes Welker takes a big hit from Josh Wilson after a 14-yard reception in the third quarter. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

SEATTLE - After the Patriots escaped the Pacific Northwest with a 24-21 victory over the Seahawks, Randy Moss told Wes Welker, "You are slippery."

Welker, who last week absorbed a vicious hit from Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark that knocked the diminutive receiver out of the game, ran the Patriots' slip screen game to perfection yesterday.

Welker, who finished with season highs in catches (12) and yards (134), was able to relieve pressure on quarterback Matt Cassel, who was under fire from the Seahawks pass rush.

"He is a guy who you can rely on," Cassel said of Welker. "He is a guy that I look to constantly in big pressure situations because I know that he is going to get open."

The team needed Welker on the final drive with perhaps the season on the line.

Prior to the winning drive, the Patriots trailed, 21-16, and the offense knew it had to take care of business to save its season.

"I think there were about six or eight minutes left in the game, something like that, and who knows if we'll get another opportunity," Welker said. "So we have to make sure that we take full advantage of it, and play the series as if it was our last one, and give it everything we got."

With the Patriots facing third and 10 from the Seahawks' 44-yard line, Welker caught a 13-yard pass, beating cornerback Josh Wilson for his fourth third-down conversion.

"It's huge," Welker said. "It's something that we put a lot of work into - third down and red area. We're trying to make sure that we can come through in those two areas."

On the next play, Welker took a short pass and scampered 25 yards to the Seahawks' 6-yard line. Four plays later, the Patriots scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run by Sammy Morris.

"He is quick and fast and does the dirty work," Wilson said of Welker. "To be a good receiver in this league you have to do the things he does."

For good measure, Welker provided the game's final points by catching the 2-point conversion.

The Seahawks entered yesterday's game with the league's worst pass defense, yielding 265 yards per game.

Although the Patriots could not get the ball downfield to Moss, the attention placed on him left Welker the underneath plays to methodically move the chains.

"Having Randy there to stretch the field, it scares DBs and opens up opportunities for others," Welker said.

Cassel, who completed 26 of 44 passes for 268 yards and one score, said the team had to be patient and utilize its patented screen game.

"It was effective," Cassel said. "They made big plays for us when we needed them. You have to get the ball out quick and then make the guy miss. It definitely takes the pressure off us a little bit. Especially myself, not having to make all the throws down the field all of the time."

After last week's big hit, many doubted whether Welker, who is generously listed as 5 feet 9 inches, 185 pounds, would be at Cassel's disposal yesterday.

"That's just part of your job," Welker said. "You're going to take some vicious hits out there, and you just have to make sure that you're bouncing back and getting ready for the next play. People think it was worse than it was. I felt OK. I felt fine. The doctors didn't agree.

"I'll do whatever they ask me to do," Welker added. "I just go out there and do my job each and every play, and do it to the best of my ability, and I think that's everybody's role on the team."

Gregory Lee Jr. can be reached at glee@globe.com