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Wade Phillips’ comments on Wes Welker create stir

 01.10.13 at 8:55 pm ET
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Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips stirred some mild controversy on Thursday when answering a question on Patriots receiver Wes Welker. Phillips was asked by ESPN.com whether or not Houston cornerback Johnathan Joseph — who covered Cincinnati’s A.J. Green in Houston’s wild-card win over the Bengals — would draw Welker in this week’s divisional playoff matchup.

“Welker’s not Green,” Phillips said. “He’s a good player, but he’s not that big or a real athletic guy. He’s a quick guy that gets open on option routes. [Brandon] Harris actually played him pretty good.”

For what it’s worth, in the first game between the two teams Welker was held to three catches (matching a season-low) for 52 yards in the 42-14 win over the Texans.

Later in the day, Phillips tweeted the following message: “Wes Welker is a great athlete and one of the best receivers of all time. #twistthataround”

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  • backtothebowl

    Ut oh!  Im predicting Pats are in hurry up no hudde late in the 4th winning 37-16

  • Www Roger007

    Wes goes off! 100+ yds td, almost return a kick off for td…#beastmode

    • Bruinman86

       I Bet he has 8+ receptions.

    • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

      When did he start returning kickoffs?

  • trollhunter

    To the bulletin board we go!

  • Chrisindanvers

    Wow…this is just like Shaugnessy’s piece. It really is no big deal. I am sure this won’t be put on the bulletin board at all. However, I also would not be surprised to see Wes the target of many throws.

  • Br549

    I will just be happy with a win , I seem to remember this theme a few years ago when the jets game was going to be a no brainer and Rex was a fool. I don’t need a repeat performance of that day.

    • paul

       amen to that…..

  • Bruinman86

    So who’s gonna cover Gronk and Hernandez while they try to smother Welker?  Good luck with that!

    • Uncle Buck

      Right.  I can hardly wait to see the full offense in high gear.

  • Johnny Spygate

    Pats the better team.  Shouldn’t be close at all.  
    But then again it’s January……and Tom’s collar gets a little tight this time of year (6-6 last 12 games.  Very Flacco-esque)

    • Fab4ever

      Thanks again for your expert analysis….We didn’t know that the Pats were 6-6 in their last 12 playoff games. How did you ever come up with those stunning stats? So, from our observation, your opinion is where the rubber meets the road and we should disregard the myriads of other keen obsrevations that Tom is one of the better ones, regardless of the .500 record these past few years. Yeah, you’re right. Tom Brady is merely a step above Joe Flaco…Do you know just how stupid your posts read? It’s one thing to swim upstream but pick a better argument because this is one you will lose each and every time…I hesitate to call you a moron because I think more than anything, you’re just a very envious guy…How long before we get to see the Youk Monument being erected in CF?

      • Johnny Spygate

        If Brady hits a wide-open Welker last Feburary (after another subpar game in the AFC Championship game the week before) then we’re not having this conversation.  But he didn’t.  So we are.
        But again, I’m predicting a big Pats win.  They’re clearly the better team.  We’re on the same side.  You’re welcome.

        • Anonymous

          Flacco hasn’t won anything… Not even close. Once again I ask, do you even watch football??

        • Bruinman86

           It could also be argues “IF welker makes that catch” then we’re not having this conversation.  Even better, if Gronk was healthy for the game, Pats roll. Brady could have made a better throw, no doubt, but 9 times out of 10 Welker makes that catch. Not much different than Cruise or Tyree making spectacular catches to help the Giants win 2.

        • Fab4ever

          If we are indeed on the same side, then why are you implying that Brady has been “suspect”? I use that term not as a direct quote but from how the tone that your posts imply…”Tom’s collar gets a little tight this time of year (6-6 last 12 games. Very Flacco-esque)”…if that ain’t a dig, I don’t know what is….BTW, even if Welker makes that grab, we don’t know for certain that the Pats win. I am of the opinion (and at least I have the backbone to give credit where it is due) that the Giants were kryptonite to the Pats these past couple of years. There’s no shame there. It’s called “sport”. When a team is one dimensional (as the Pats have been since 2004)(the Pats had no running game to speak of unlike those Super Bowl teams), a defense can concentrate on the thing that drives an offense and that was the passing game. That’s not Brady’s fault…Now they have a running game. I believe they are more complete as a team offensively …if they have an Achilles Heel, it remains their defense…and this is why we watch. You’re welcome.

          • Ty

            With “Johnny”, it’s always about Brady needing to make a better throw on that pass.  I think most people would agree that pass could have been better, but there’s a reason why people refer to that play as “the dropped pass”, or something similar along those lines.  Plain in simple, that play went down in the books as a drop, and that’s what it ultimately was.  Most athletes and wide receivers would agree that if the ball hits you in BOTH hands, that’s a catch you have to make.  That’s a play Wes Welker has dreamed of making his entire life–on the big stage, in a big moment of the game, one chance to make a huge catch, and you expect a player of his caliber to make that play.  I mean, he knew it right after it happened.  The body language of putting his hands on his helmet just said it all–he had missed a major opportunity there.  The whole discussion is pretty moot though because in all honesty, does anyone ever win in the blame game?  I still look at Welker as one of the biggest playmakers on this team, and we all know where Tom Brady resides in NFL history.  Given another chance like that, I love their chances to make a play, and I strongly believe they would.

        • Bartor

          For the record, we don’t want you on our side. 

    • Gronkfan

      You must just read the sports pages because you obviously do not watch the games, and for what its worth Joe Flacco played a very good game against the patriots very bad defense. Football is called a team game and if Joe’s and Brady’s receiver catches those ball there would be a totally different outcome.

    • Dee-fense, dee-fense!

      Umm. 6-6 against the best teams in football, with a defense that has been very mediocre, doesn’t seem too bad.  You can have Flacco and I’ll take TB, thanks. 

    • Old Time Hockey

      at least it’s not Peyton-esque

    • Uncle Buck

      When will little Johnny learn ?  Do you live your entire life in the past tense ?  Laughable. Comparing Brady with Flacco ?  Put the pipe down kid, give it a rest.

  • Tito

    Wow, Wade speaks the truth finally about the hobbit and everyone gets all upset. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA..

    • Fab4ever

      Yeah, you’re right…Welker isn’t a “great athlete”…again, your stupidity is hysterical…

      • Bartor

        NOOOO. He said welker isn’t big and athletic – in NFL nomenclature that means he’s a smaller receiver who uses quickness and precision instead of physical size and strength to be productive.  

  • Maseda17

    Oh no, accurate commentary from the opposing defense coordinator….

  • Anon

    A look at the user name and you should know whether the person is serious, or simply has an immature juvenile agenda to attempt to get under other people’s skin.
    -
    In other words, don’t feed the trolls.

    • Ty

      Well said.

  • Grygor_c

    Oh so that’s why Coach B and his players say a lot about nothing. I get it now.

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