Doug Saffir

On an afternoon where Rob Gronkowski showed once again that he is the best tight end in football, Patriots fans left one of their most impressive players to shine quietly in the background.

Wide receiver Wes Welker caught 7 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown against the Washington Redskins, once again proving reliable as quarterback Tom Brady’s safety valve. In Belichick-speak, he went out there and did his job to help the team get a win.

But outside the confines of a Humble Pie crust, Welker completed a remarkable feat in Week 14. Those 7 receptions bring his season to total to an even 100. There have only been 68 100-reception seasons completed in NFL history, and this is not Welker’s first among them. In fact, this will be Welker’s fourth time catching 100 balls in a season, something only Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison have done.

That’s pretty good company, and Welker is far from done. Unfortunately, amidst the Gronk Fever and the heated exchanged between Brady and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, no one was concerned with Welker’s achievement. His press conference only lasted 52 seconds and consisted of two questions: “Tell us about the game” and “How were the conditions?”

Obviously there has to be a list of priorities: Gronkowski set a record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end and Brady needs to be on good terms with his coaches to succeed. But I think anyone that has watched the NFL in the last five years can say that Welker has been a star and deserves some recognition. 52 seconds is hardly recognition.

In the coming weeks, the benefit of hindsight and a few more Welker receptions will allow people to gain some perspective. With 3 games left in the regular season, Welker has a decent chance at threatening his career high of 123 receptions in a single season. That 2009-10 season total is tied for second on the all-time list, 20 catches short of record-holder Marvin Harrison. If Welker breaks his career high, and in doing so secures second place all to himself, you will almost certainly read about it. Until then, Welker is clearly content to sit back with a piece of Humble Pie and shine on in the background.

Other notes from Sunday’s game at the Redskins:

• In the second quarter, with the Redskins up 17-14, Tom Brady went 3/9 for 31 yards. This line may not be Brady’s worst statistical drive this season (at least they got a first down), but boy was it ugly. Maybe the guy is human after all.
• James Ihedigbo appeared to be suffering from a recurring injury, perhaps marking yet another health issue in the New England secondary. Thankfully, the regular season concludes with the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills, so it seems the Patriots will not face a truly terrifying quarterback until the playoffs.
• A dispute over the television rights to the Denver-New England game next week has been settled. You will be able to find it at 4:15PM on CBS, depending on your area. As always, consult http://the506.com/nflmaps/ to find out what’s on.

Photo Credit: Sports Net