Nose tackle Vince Wilfork said on WEEI radio yesterday that leading up to Sunday's game against Pittsburgh, the Patriots saw on film Steelers safety Ryan Clark deliver blows like the one he used to level Wes Welker.
Clark blasted Welker over the middle, leaving his feet to deliver a shoulder to the head (???), after a Matt Cassel pass had been tipped well out of Welker's reach. Welker left the game with 2:03 left in the third quarter and did not return. Clark was penalized for unnecessary roughness.
"Of course it was a cheap one," Wilfork told the radio station during his contractually obligated appearance. "We've seen it on film all year. He's nothing special. He's nothing special. He deserved that penalty. There are a lot of times they take shots, unnecessary shots on guys.
"If you're going to sit me down and send me to the commissioner's office for me playing in between the whistles you need to sit this guy down. The same thing I got punished for is the same thing he did.
"I've been fined. I've talked to the commissioner about my play. That was unnecessary. We've seen it all the time, leading up to this game; this guy taking shots when nobody is looking, or when it's out of the play, he's taking shots."