"Patriots receiver Wes Welker believes that in one very important way he dropped the ball in dealing with the foul-mouthed, trash-talking Jets prior to last weekend's divisional round showdown with his club's most hated archrivals.

With time to reflect on the scope of his actions, the Pro Bowl receiver admitted to the Herald yesterday he regretted conducting a press conference filled with at least 10 foot references in an attempt to tweak Jets coach Rex Ryan about his alleged foot fetish.Welker knows the drill.

He has been well-schooled in Bill Belichick's art of saying nothing, ignoring insults and not stoking the fire with gasoline. He knows it's not the Patriot Way to respond to anything an opponent puts out there, no matter how loathsome.

That's why, even though he chose a very clever and coy way of swiping back at Ryan, along with Jets players who were dogging teammate Tom Brady with pointed barbs and unprintable name-calling, Welker now sees an error in judgment.

When asked specifically if he felt any regret for taking on the Jets in that manner, Welker responded: "Yeah, sure I do.

"Sitting at the airport in San Francisco, awaiting the second leg of his flight to Hawaii where he's about to make his third Pro Bowl appearance, Welker took it from there."