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To be honest, I don’t really think the call or non-call was the issue for me, because it isn’t. The GAME certainly didn’t hinge on that call or non-call, though it is clear that the loss of Talib on that play made a huge difference in that game. (Anyone who says otherwise only has to look at how many times the rookie who replaced him was targeted after that, and to look at the result of those targets)

And it isn’t whining because I think the Patriots were robbed or something...I tried to make that as clear as possible in my post.

The Broncos were clearly a better team, they executed better, there is no argument there. I have been watching pro football avidly since 1971, and if there was ever an example of a team simply being overmatched with no answers, the Patriots in the game Sunday would be a case in point.

To me, I didn’t see any shame in the Patriots being beaten. First, it happens even when there isn’t adversity, and second, the Pats played up to their fullest potential with the players they had on hand. And it just wasn’t enough. But boy, did I enjoy watching them play this year.

But in the case of this thread, the reason I was compelled to post, is the multitude of people who were doing one of two things:

1.) Unequivocally stating that it was a clean “block” by Welker and claiming that any other point of view is simply sour grapes.

2.) Drawing an equivalence between the actual EXCELLENT block on Rogers-Cromartie by Edelman, and the actual against the rules (illegal) hit by Welker on Talib. (NOTE: I just want to be clear on this: the use of the word ILLEGAL does NOT equal “DIRTY”. It just means it was against the rules.)

In summary, I think the world of Wes Welker as a player, and I feel PRIVILEGED as a fan of the sport of football (as I THINK it should be played) to watch a tough-as-nails, hard-nosed player like him play for the team I follow for the years that he did.

All the other fans in the league only got to watch Welker play when the Patriots played THEIR team. I got to watch him every single game he played regardless of the opponent.

So, I DO NOT think it was an intentionally dirty hit or he is a dirty player. Far from it. I simply think things happen so fast on the field that even the best players occasionally are involved in a play that looks underhanded, even if it isn’t intentional. And I try to give players leeway on that.

It isn’t as if Welker has a history like Ndamukong Suh. I try to judge players on the body of their work, not an individual play. And Welker has shown his quality.