FOXBORO, Mass. — If the New England Patriots lose Julian Edelman, their offense might never see a first down again.
That’s why it’s so scary to see the 5-foot-10, 200-pound receiver take hits that would leave players eight inches taller and 65 pounds heavier curling into a ball and begging for mercy.
Edelman grinded through a 10-catch, 84-yard performance in the Patriots’ 16-9 win over the Oakland Raiders with a back injury that kept him limited in practice all week, and he kept peeling himself off the turf and risking his body for more.
Patriots fans across New England might have collectively held their breath when Edelman leapt up and tried to dive for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Edelman caught a 10-yard pass from quarterback Tom Brady on 3rd-and-3 and hurled himself in the air for the touchdown from two yards out.
Edelman admitted he has to play safer to preserve his body for a full season.
“I gotta play a little smarter,” Edelman said Sunday in the Patriots’ locker room. “Protecting myself a little better with the ball in my hands — ball security is No. 1. You can’t get caught up in making a play sometimes. You gotta be there for 16 games, and of course it’s a rough game, but I definitely have to play a little smarter.”
Edelman already has 22 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown on the season, and the Patriots would be in rough shape without Brady’s favorite target. Edelman’s on pace for 117 catches for 1,387 yards, and no one else on the team could take his place to put up those numbers.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski is obviously still recovering from offseason knee surgery, and the Patriots can’t seem to decide on their No. 2, 3, 4 or 5 receivers. Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins have each been inactive, and Danny Amendola and Brandon LaFell are sharing snaps.
Edelman said the punishment he took by helicoptering in the air and nearly landing on his head would have been worth six points.
“If we got the touchdown it would have been worth it,” Edelman said. “I don’t know for what we got.”
The Patriots didn’t even get into the end zone on that drive, settling for one of three field goals on the day.
There have been complaints around Patriot Nation that Brady is targeting Edelman too much. But Patriots fans need to realize that Edelman is only being thrown to because he’s open, and because he’s been so good for the Patriots. Edelman has emerged as the No. 1 receiver that the Patriots thought they were getting when they signed Danny Amendola to replace Wes Welker.
It’s clear now more than a year later that no one could replace Edelman, so he better stay healthy for the second straight season.
