Star Patriots WR Wes Welker badly injured his knee on Sunday in what amounted to a meaningless loss to the Texans (the Bengals came out flat and lost last night, meaning New England kept their three-seed in the AFC Playoffs anyways). Welker was set to undergo an MRI today, but it is likely just confirming the bad news that he tore both his MCL and ACL.
Pats Pulpit: Does Welker’s Injury Change Anything In Argument To Rest Players?
Welker’s injury raises the question: should he have even been playing? It’s a question SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit answers, saying yes, Welker should have been in -- his injury was a fluke if there ever was one.
Now, for those criticizing Belichick’s decision to start many key starters inluding Wes, hindsight is 20/20. There’s no way Belichick could’ve predicted such a devastating injury and given that it wasn’t even the result of a hit, Welker could’ve done this on the practice field. I’ve said many times over the past week that some guys should be rested (Vince Wilfork), but the vast majority should see some time in a game, no matter how meaningless. Why? I’m a firm believer that rhythm is important to maintain and can be lost if not properly cultivated. This takes reps. Maybe not a game’s worth, but certainly a few series. Resting key starters, especially those at skill positions, is too dangerous, IMO. Keep them on the field as long as is needed to maintain that rhythm.
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