Sure, Edelman had a severe drop-off in production in his second season, and he said there were times when he might not have been happy with his performance. But Edelman, a workaholic who has dedicated his life to transforming from college quarterback to professional wide receiver, has tried to keep an even keel.
"I'm a competitor at heart," Edelman said. "That's what we all are in the [locker] room. We like to compete. It's our job, and if you're not doing something right, you get a little mad. You've got to be able to fix it, have a short memory, go out there and do it another time."
Edelman had seven receptions for 86 yards in the regular season, and he had one stretch when he went more than three months without a catch. He had four receptions for 14 yards by Week 3, but he didn't hit the offensive stat sheet again until his three-catch, 72-yard output in the Patriots' regular-season finale against the Dolphins.
Edelman's chances dropped drastically this season — he had 37 receptions for 359 yards and one touchdown in the 2009 regular season — but he received more playing time against Miami because the Patriots rested starting slot receiver Wes Welker. That has been a common theme for Edelman, who has mostly been used as Welker's backup, and his opportunities have hit a snag when Welker has been healthy enough to play.
Welker has missed four games in the last two years, including the Patriots' playoff loss to the Ravens, and he was injured at the start of the 2009 regular-season finale in Houston. In those five games, Edelman has amassed 27 receptions for 317 yards and two touchdowns. In every other game, he has 23 catches for 172 yards and one score.
More than anything, those stats outline what Edelman can do when he's given the proper opportunity, but Welker hasn't been the only one in his way this season. Rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have also been used more prominently than Edelman, and Hernandez has also been able to play the role of slot receiver.
Also consider this: When the Patriots use a formation with two tight ends — something they've done very often in 2010 — they've only got enough room on the field for three skill-position players, which is typically two wide receivers and one running back. Edelman has really been hurt by that numbers game.
"We haven't been able to get him started," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. "We still have a lot of confidence in Julian, and I'm sure that when he gets his opportunities, his production will come offensively as well. I really don't see much of a drop off in the punt return game."
Naturally, that's where Edelman has had the opportunity to shine. He was second in the NFL this season with 15.3 yards per punt return — otherworldly Bears returner Devin Hester led the league with a 17.1-yard average — and he showcased his ability with a franchise-record 94-yard return for a touchdown against the Dolphins.
"That's my job," Edelman said. "My job is to be the punt returner, catch the ball first, get the ball in the offense's hands in reasonable field position, and it's good to be out there to do that."
Offensively, as Belichick said, it will come for Edelman, and he was bitten by drops this season, too. That's an issue that quarterback Tom Brady has tried to handle, trying to keep Edelman from beating himself up too much and stay in the present. One drop, Brady said, isn't the end of the world, but he wanted Edelman to know that a singular mistake can't lead to two, three or four mistakes.
"If anything, Julian presses maybe too hard," Brady said. "He's really hard on himself. He's very critical of himself all of the time and sometimes I think that some players beat themselves up. Julian is one of those guys because he wants to do it so right.
"But nobody works harder than Julian. He fits right in with that receiver group of Deion [Branch] and Wes because they all work so hard and they push each other. He's a great asset to this team and really, I think he's gained a lot of confidence in returning punts."
Even though Edelman didn't take a big step forward this season on the offensive side of the ball, he has proven his worth in sub situations, and he's become a threat as a punt returner, too. For a young player like Edelman, he might have to improve his consistency, but for any one play, his explosiveness makes him a dangerous asset.
"Any time you get to go out there and catch some balls, you're gaining a little bit more experience," Edelman said. "Regardless if you're catching or not catching, being out on the field, every play is a new bit of experience, so that's good."
After gaining a little more confidence in Week 17, Edelman could be in line to make an impact at some point in the postseason.
