Welker completes comeback from knee surgery
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - There are a lot of Patriots with bad memories of last year's embarrassing playoff loss to the Ravens. Being booed out of Gillette Stadium for the first time in more than a decade will do that to you. But few have been as driven to get back to the playoffs as the guy who didn't even play in that game: Wes Welker.
He suffered a devastating knee injury in the regular-season finale last year and watched from a luxury box as the Patriots were trounced, 33-14, in their wild-card game.
"I had my foot up in the air trying to get the swelling to go down and things like that," Welker said. "[I'm] definitely excited about getting the opportunity to go out there and have some fun and get in the playoff atmosphere. This is what it's all about. This is where you want to get to."
For most of the offseason, it wasn't clear whether Welker would get there again. He tore his ACL and MCL, and putting those acronyms together often spells "career-threatening." But Welker was back on the field for the start of this season. Now he'd like to be on the field for the end of it, too.
"This being my seventh year in the league now, and understanding what this means and how rare of an opportunity it is, we've got to make sure we take full advantage of it," he said.
"It was tough," he added about his role as spectator for the Patriots' one-and-done playoff run last season. "It was definitely hard to watch, especially the way the game went. I am definitely excited to be out there and these are the types of games you play for. This is what you spend all year getting ready for, and you want to go out there and put your best foot forward."
This hasn't been Welker's best season. In fact, it's probably been his least productive. He did lead the Patriots in receptions (86) and receiving yards (848), but those numbers are considerably lower than his previous three years with the team. When he was named to the Pro Bowl last month, even he pointed out that this "wasn't my greatest year."
Stats can't begin to explain Welker's returning from his surgeries as quickly as he did, though. Had he blown out his knee earlier last season, he'd likely be talked about as Comeback Player of the Year for 2010. He just didn't miss enough games for anyone to think of him in those terms. But it was enough to impress quite a few teammates, both current and from the past.
"He worked hard," said 13-year veteran running back Fred Taylor, who has seen his share of players overcome knee injuries. "He deserves to be able to come back. He's earned the things he's done so far."
"Nothing short of amazing," added Jets linebacker Jason Taylor, a teammate of Welker's with the Dolphins. "He's one of the best teammates I've ever had . . . I wouldn't have expected anything else."
Welker sat out this year's regular-season finale, and the Patriots had a first-round bye. So it's been three weeks of rest for his knee - and the rest of him - since he last played in a game.
Welker has said he feels strong and ready to play in the postseason. He knows he'll likely be matched up with Darrelle Revis, the premier cornerback in the league. And because of that, he could end up with as many receptions in this game as he had in the one he watched from the suite level last year.
But just being on the field for his first postseason game since the Patriots lost Super Bowl XLII to the Giants will be worth all of the surgery and rehab and struggle.
"It is definitely a little bit different," he said of this year's experience. He hopes the outcome will be, too.
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