Penn State's Bill O'Brien came out this weekend and said that the Brady-to-Welker touchdown-pass-that-wasn't in the Super Bowl "wasn't a drop."
That's right. It wasn't. I've been saying that since the play happened. As the ball rolled along the Lucas Field turf, I believe my words to the room full of stunned family members were "How can Brady miss a wide-open pass like that in the Super Bowl?" Then the replay was shown. Bad pass. And shown again. Bad pass. And shown again. Bad Pass. In the 30-plus times I have looked at the play ... bad pass.
Former offensive coordinator O'Brien defended his player. "That would have been a tremendous catch and he should never think twice about that. I would tell (fans) they should be very grateful ... to have a player like Wes Welker as a Patriot. He is what Boston is all about, in my opinion. He's a hard-working guy, he's a tough guy, he's an honest guy, nothing was ever given to him." Couldn't have said it better myself.
So where's Brady?
Welker has taken a lot of criticism for "the drop." There seemed to be more people willing to let the All-Pro wide receiver walk in free agency after that play. (Fortunately he and his 122 catches aren't going anywhere). I was surprised how many NFL experts -- not the media, but ex-players and ex-coaches -- who said they thought it was a decent throw and a catch that should have been made. No matter how many times I watch the replay I can't see that. (Skip the next few graphs if you don't want to go back there).
Super Bowl. The Giants and little Manning -- again. Pats up 17-15 with just over four minutes to play and a 2nd-and-11 at midfield. Score on this drive and the game is over and the fourth Lombardi is hoisted high. As the ball is snapped, TV analyst Chris Collinsworth says it looks like the Giants D is confused. He is right.
Welker, lined up in the left slot, flies past the defensive back down the left hash marks and comes wide open at the 30. If Brady -- as he should have -- hits Welker in stride on the inside shoulder Welker goes for a touchdown. Watch the replay. He's that open and going that fast. The safeties are a good five yards away and out of position to break the play up. Instead Brady throws it outside shoulder -- way outside shoulder -- and a little too high. Welker spins around to grab it. He leaps and the ball hits him in the hands... ... but it bounces away. Welker usually catches the ball when he gets both hands on it, but not when he has to twist his body back-around 90 degrees and hurl himself in the air. Welker feels he should have caught the ball. And maybe he should have. But what really should have happened is Brady dropping the ball right into the cradle of Welker's arms for a touchdown and a highlight that would have taken its place next to some of the best moments of the past ten years.
The defense had done its job. Brady and the offense were making a memorable championship drive. They had a chance to secure the victory -- which is what great players and offenses do -- and they let it slip away. Those things happen. That's sports. You really can't win 'em all. But it doesn't make it any less tough to take. You could see the look on Brady's face. He couldn't believe he had blown such an easy, Lombardi-clinching play. (Giselle apparently couldn't believe it either).
Welker came out after the game and -- team player that he is -- took complete blame for the play. "The ball was right there. I've got to make that play. It's a play I've made a thousand times, and at the biggest moment of my life I don't come up with it." Class act. The Globe's Greg Bedard quickly came out with a story saying that, actually, it's not a pass that Welker has caught a thousand times. Not even a dozen. Bedard went over every pass to Welker throughout the whole season (when does he find the time?) and, not surprisingly, found that Welker never had to make a leaping, twisting, spinning catch a couple feet above his head.
But Welker still took the blame. "I let the team down," he added. That's being a stand-up guy.
Where's Brady? On the beach with Gisele somewhere (with Welker, by the way).
The last thing Brady was heard saying about the "drop" was this right after the game ...“Wes went up to try to make it, as he always does, and we just couldn’t connect. I’ll keep throwing the ball to him for as long as I possibly can.”
There's a word implied in that statement. "But." As in "... we just couldn't connect BUT I'll keep throwing the ball to him for as long as I possible can." That was the sound of Brady very subtly throwing Welker under the bus. Translate it into "Wes dropped the ball but I still love him." Where was the "It was a bad throw. I put it too high. It's as much my fault as his."? Anything like that. He didn't say it that day and, from what I've read, he hasn't said it since. Hopefully he has said it to Welker while strolling along the beach. And hopefully Gisele didn't hear him because it might have gotten ugly.
"It was my fault." How hard is that? Brady said it two weeks earlier after the AFC Championship victory over the Ravens. "I sucked," he said in front of the home crowd. He made some big mistakes. But he also made some great plays, including the tough-as-nails goal-line dive into the teeth of the Baltimore D for the winning score. That's why it was OK to say "I sucked." Because he was also great. But I guess the real reason it was OK to say it was because the team won the game despite Brady's mistakes. Not so in the Super Bowl. Not so in what could have been the biggest moment of Brady's career. There really is no shame in competing but coming up short. But the pressure of trying to cement his place in NFL history seemed to get the best of Brady. You could see it in his face. He knew he had made a huge mistake but he was so upset and disappointed that he couldn't bring himself to say it.
It was disappointing. Bourque would have said it. DJ would have said it. Bruschi would have said it. Brady should have said it. "It was my fault," It's what has separated Brady from most other star players in today's "me first" sports world. While Manning was blaming his offensive line or his coaches, Brady was always saying "It was my fault. I have to do better." He learned that from Drew Bledsoe. You are the leader. Take the blame if you deserve it. Brady always has.Till this time. It was surprising, especially since it's clear how tight Brady and Welker are together. I guess the pressure got to Brady that day -- on the field and off.
Brady losing in his last two Super Bowls hasn't lowered my opinion of him as one of the greatest players ever. But his letting Welker take the heat for that play has lowered my opinion of him as a person. A despondent Welker concluded his post-game comments back on Super Bowl Sunday by saying "I'll have to figure out a way to shake this one off."
Maybe if Tom Brady came out and said "It was a bad pass" it would be a little easier for Welker to do that.
We'll be seeing the highlight of the "drop" for years to come. Here are a few that are more fun to watch...
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