Welker's blocking

FOXBOROUGH -- Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels held a press conference this morning at Gillette Stadium (10:30 a.m.) and one topic that stood out was when he was asked about WR Wes Welker.

Welker's production in the passing game has often been cited -- his 84 catches rank third in the NFL -- but McDaniels shed light on another area of his game.

"I think Wes is having a very productive season. He obviously gives us an element in the slot when he's in there, he's been able to able to catch and run and has also done a decent job for us on punt returns. I think one of the things I'm most proud of is that he's probably one of the finest blockers we've had in the slot that we've ever had here," McDaniels said.

"Wes does a great job. He really goes in there and tries to fit up whoever he needs to get in the running game. He's done a great job in that aspect. I think he's been a very productive player for us. He's given us an element of catch-and-run yards that don't always get measured in practice. You throw a 5-yard completion in practice and it looks like a 5-yard completion. You throw one in the game and it turns into a 25-yard gain. Wes has been that kind of player for us."