Posted on
1/19/2008 9:09:57 PM
NFL Football Betting – Wes Welker’s Receiving Yards
By Charles Jay
How much of a role will the diminutive slot receiver Wes Welker play in the New England Patriots' game plan as they approach the AFC Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers, for which they are favored by 13.5 points in the BetUS NFL football betting odds?
BetUS NFL Betting Props
AFC Championship Game -- January 20
WES WELKER
Over 70.5 receiving yards -120
Under 70.5 receiving yards -120
Wes Welker knows how to play the kind of game where they throw the ball all over the field. He is a product of Texas Tech, where he was a key component of the "Air Raid" offense employed by coach Mike Leach. Welker is one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2007 NFL season. He was Miami's leading receiver in 2006, with 67 catches, and Dolphins fans must have been sick when, after being dealt to New England for second and seventh-round draft choices, he emerged with 112 catches for 1175 yards in the Patriots' undefeated regular season.
Welker, who also had previously established himself as an outstanding kickoff and punt returner, has unquestionably been even better than the Pats had expected. And he became the preferred outlet for quarterback Tom Brady when defenses began to concentrate on stopping the big plays of Randy Moss. In the first five games of the season, Welker caught 27 passes and averaged 52.4 yards a game. Over the last eleven games, however, he really stood out, with 85 receptions for 83 yards a contest. In New England's divisional playoff game against Jacksonville, while the Jags were holding Moss to one reception for 14 yards, Welker caught nine passes for 54 yards, as Brady simply threw underneath.
That scenario can happen once again. No team wants to get burned on one play by Moss, so they have a tendency to devote safeties and double coverage to stopping him deep. With a team like San Diego, which brings linebackers on the pass rush, that leaves quite a few openings for a guy like Welker, who can slither through the seams in the coverage.
Can he make 8-10 catches, as the Chargers try to neutralize Moss? Yes, we think so.
Welker is so dependable, and has such good hands, that Brady never hesitates to use him when the situation arises. We think he's going to play a very big part in this game, especially as the Pats want to play a little more ball-control as they move it up the field.
We're going to look "over" on Welker's receiving yardage figure. That's OVER 70.5, as it is posted in the BetUS NFL football betting props.
JAY'S PLAY: OVER 70.5 YARDS (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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(Charles Jay of TotalActionExtra.com is a member of the NFL too - that is, "not for long" if you don't get results. He is now a regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room)