Pats’ Edelman still making most of opportunities
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – His face was still a little flushed from stepping out of the subfreezing temperatures at Gillette Stadium field just minutes following the Patriots’ 41-28 divisional-round win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Still, Julian Edelman stood at his locker satisfied – at least for a moment.
Then he was asked when he would start his preparations for their AFC championship game matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Immediately,” he said without hesitation. “We’re going to go play the best team in the AFC, the No. 1 seed. It’s going to start with an unbelievable week of practice, preparation. We need to do that to give ourselves the best chance to win.”
Making the most of every one of his opportunities has become a hallmark of Edelman’s 10 seasons in New England.
The Patriots were dealt a blow prior to their final two regular-season games when Josh Gordon was suspended for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.
But what could have created a hole in New England’s receiving group has been plugged by its oldest member.
The 32-year-old Edelman has put together back-to-back vintage performances and is expected to again play a big role during Sunday’s AFC championship game.
Edelman tied his regular-season high of nine catches and had a career playoffbest 151 yards receiving in New England’s win over Los Angeles.
With 98 playoff receptions during his career, he moved past Reggie Wayne (93) and is second all-time behind Jerry Rice with 151. Edelman’s five career 100-yard receiving games in the postseason trail only Rice’s eight and Michael Irvin’s six.
Edelman, who missed last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and sat out the first four games of this season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers, empathizes with Gordon’s situation.
The week after Gordon’s suspension, Edelman caught five of the six balls thrown to him for 69 yards and a TD.