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Bill Belichick: Wes Welker's block was 'deliberate'

The typically tight-lipped Bill Belichick didn't hold back Monday when asked about the performance of Denver Broncos receiver Wes Welker.

Welker, the former Patriots pass-catcher, laid a vicious block on Aqib Talib in Sunday's AFC title game that sent the New England cornerback to the locker room and out of the contest for good.

"One of the worst plays I've seen," Belichick said. "It was a deliberate play by the receiver to take out Aqib. No attempt to get open."

The Patriots coach didn't have much to say about Welker's block in the minutes after New England's 26-16 loss to Denver, but he told reporters Monday that he "went back and watched it."

We argued Sunday that Welker should have been called for pass interference on the play, as it appeared he slammed into Talib well after Peyton Manning threw the ball to Denver wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

The loss of Talib was a bitter blow to New England's already injury-riddled defense and a play Belichick believes the NFL should take a close look at, saying: "I'll let the league handle the discipline."

It especially was crushing for the Patriots to see Welker subsequently slice through their defense for four of Manning's 32 completions on a day when Welker's old pal, Tom Brady, couldn't get anything going through the air.

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