To Turf or Not To Turf?
The dark clouds descended upon Foxboro at approximately 1:12pm eastern time on Sunday. Wes Welker's injury deflated Patriot Nation almost immediately.
We know what his absence means to the offense. No blitz communications with Tom Brady. No underneath routes to keep linebackers honest. No dependable set of hands to lean forward for eight on 3rd and 7.
But could it have been avoided? When Bill Belichick openly ripped the turf in Houston it could be seen as an act of defense for a fallen player.
However, if Belichick realized the turf was so terrible before the game as he mentioned, why put any of your players at risk?
(Especially the team's Most Valuable Security Blanket?)
"The turf down there is terrible. It's terrible. It's just inconsistent. It's all the little trays of grass and some of them are soft and some of them are firm and they don't all fit well together, those seams … some of it feels like a sponge, some of it feels real firm and hard like the Miami surface. One step you're on one, the other step you're on another. I really think it's one of the worst fields I've seen."
Did Belichick realize it was dangerous before the game started?
"Yeah, absolutely. I said I walked out there and I thought it was terrible."
The Patriots have a way of A) winning their first-round playoff games B) winning their home playoff games C) bouncing back well after losses.
The Pats will be favored on Sunday and have every chance of advancing past the Ravens and out to San Diego. Football is a cold, heartless game. Once upon a time, Ki-Jana Carter blew out his ACL on artificial turf on his third professional carry and was never the same. Injuries happen.
But if the head coach knew before the game even started that his players were in danger, why would any of them play on a Sunday that didn't matter?
