Phillips backs off original Welker talk

Ok, we know Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips didn't mean to dismiss receiver Wes Welker like that, he was just being frank in his assessment when comparing to what they did to Bengals receiver A.J. Green last week. But it's the playoffs, and teams genearlly tend to find motivation from anything that can remotely hint at what could be loosely defined as 'disrespect', Wade knows that. “Ah, Welker’s not [Cincinnati receiver A.J.] Green,” Phillips told ESPN.com, when asked whether Texans CB Johnathan Joseph might get Welker duty. “He’s a good player, but he’s not that big or a real athletic guy. He’s a quick guy that gets open on option routes. [Brandon] Harris actually played him pretty good.” Perhaps Phillips feels that because Welker only had three catches and no TDs in the Patriots' regular season blowout of the Texans, that he's got him covered, so to speak, and nothing to worry about. Wade, in an effort to smooth it over, tweeted this. ...