Photo: The Big Lead
DENVER — It took less than 24 hours for Bill Belichick to munch on sour grapes.
Belichick is conveniently forgetting Welker, two weeks removed from being cleared from the effects of another concussion, was spotting Talib 25 pounds in their collision over the middle that was a product of the pick plays Peyton Manning feasted on during his 26-16 demolition of the Patriots. Talib suffered a left knee injury and never returned.
Belichick is apparently remembering Welker expressed a desire to stick it to him after leaving the Patriots for the Broncos, after Belichick’s two-year, $10 million contract offer insulted him.
“I was asked about the hit on [Aqib] Talib and I feel badly for Aqib, the way that play turned out,” Belichick said Monday. “I went back and watched it, which I didn’t have a chance to do [Sunday]. I think it was a deliberate play by the receiver to take out Aqib. No attempt to get open. I’ll let the league handle the discipline on that play; it’s not for me to decide, but it’s one of the worst plays I’ve seen. That’s all I’m going to say about that.”
Broncos head coach John Fox on Monday said: “I haven’t even seen the tape and I haven’t seen [Belichick’s] comment, so I don’t feel that I can comment on that other than I know Wes Welker is a great player with high integrity and was not doing anything with any intent [to injure].’’
Responding to Belichick’s assertion Welker was making “no attempt to get open,’’ Fox said, “I would say that most pass routes that we run, there’s an intent to get open.
“I’ve got a lot respect for Bill. I’ve not seen the comments so it’s really hard for me to stand up here and comment on comments I’ve not seen.’’
Broncos tight end Julius Thomas was adamant on Monday Welker is not the type of player who tries to injure opposing players.
“I’ve known Wes for a while now and he’s definitely not that kind of guy,’’ Thomas said. “Things happen in football and sometimes people get hurt, but I don’t believe that Wes would intentionally try to hurt anybody out there.’’
Welker, who not available for comment, detailed for the Boston Globe last summer how his relationship with Belichick had soured over six years.
“It was just kind of hard,” Welker said. “One of those deals where you have to endure him, put up with him … But he does it to everybody, it’s the way he is.”
It’s the Patriot Way with the media.
“When I’m answering questions from the Denver media, I’m not worried about what the Broncos’ people are going to think,” Welker said. “I’m worried about what Belichick will think. Isn’t that crazy?”
The NFL Network’s Terrell Davis thinks it’s crazy to make the charge Belichick made.
“I’m looking at this,” Davis said, “and I’m saying, ‘OK, if I’m John Fox, do I get Wes Welker, put him in the game and say, ‘OK, you’re a small, little 150-60 pound guy, you just came off two concussions, let’s go create a traffic jam and then you be the hammer. You go knock out their defensive back.’
“I just don’t see how that makes any sense. Is the intent of the play to try to create a little separation between them? Yes it is. But when you’re running these crossing routes, receivers are normally looking back at the quarterback. You’re not selling me on the fact that that’s intentional to take out Talib, I’m not buying that.”