Our Fearless Leader Speaks

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady spoke Monday morning for the first time about receiver Wes Welker's knee injury, saying the team "can't replace him" and would have to "evolve a little bit" on offense without its leading receiver. Welker suffered a devastating knee injury while making a cut in the first quarter of Sunday's regular-season-ending loss to the Houston Texans. Initial tests showed he tore both the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee, but he is scheduled to undergo more testing Monday, a source close to the situation told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Should the diagnosis hold up, Welker's season would be over and he would face a long recovery period. Meanwhile, the Patriots are beginning preparations for Sunday's home playoff game against Baltimore. "You can't replace him, there's no doubt about that," Brady said Monday in an interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI. "There's nobody that can substitute in for Wes and think that they're going to be Wes. He is everything you ask for. "We've got to move on and we've got to go out there and play, and everyone I think in different areas has to pick it up. I have to play better, Julian [Edelman] has to play better, Randy [Moss] has to play better, the offensive line, running backs, tight ends, we all have to do more. I think that's the commitment we have to make to one another."

Listen, nobody can replace Wes Welker just like Cassel couldn't replace Tom Terrific. Having said that, it's time to move on. I played that whole "what if" game when they got the super bowl stolen from them in 2008 and it leads you nowhere except with a shotgun, dark corner and a bottle of skotch to numb the pain of the coming blows. Anyway. It's nothing really extraordinary that has to happen. Everyone just has to pick their game up to the next level. It's a waste of your time to try and tell me the Pats aren't winning the Super Bowl. #12 spent the majority of his career winning rings with chumps like Troy Brown, David Patten and a young Deion Branch. Not to mention he was one defensive collapse in Indy from an AFC championship with his #1 target as Reche Caldwell in 2006. Who? Reche Caldwell. He's not even in the league anymore. So, no, I'm not worried.