Dillon's effect on maroney - New England Patriots Forums

SVN · 08-14-2006, 08:31 AM

Everyone has been enamored with maroney after the first preseason game and rightfully so and some "reporters" predicting he will be the featured back in nov and december. I wanted to ask, how many of you think that the runs maroney had were somewhat related to the defense adjusting to a different back between plays when dillon was running the ball who is a totally different type of runner. In other words if maroney had been the featured back for all the plays , would the defensive players have adjusted easily than they did ?
i was just thinking dillon wasnt getting enough credit for his effect on the running game in total so wanted to throw this question out there.

desi-patsfan · 08-14-2006, 08:48 AM

new things are always more interesting than the things you already have. Dillion looked great but we have already seen Dillion play great. Maroney was a mystery and is very exciting. Maroney was definetly/and will definetly be helped by running in tandom with corey.

***shmessy*** · 08-14-2006, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVN

Everyone has been enamored with maroney after the first preseason game and rightfully so and some "reporters" predicting he will be the featured back in nov and december. I wanted to ask, how many of you think that the runs maroney had were somewhat related to the defense adjusting to a different back between plays when dillon was running the ball who is a totally different type of runner. In other words if maroney had been the featured back for all the plays , would the defensive players have adjusted easily than they did ?
i was just thinking dillon wasnt getting enough credit for his effect on the running game in total so wanted to throw this question out there.

Spot on. I think BB and McDaniels are probably loving the way the two different styles will screw up opposing D's. It's like having a killer fastball and knee buckling curveball.

My theme this PS has been that this year's Pats offense will be like nothing we've seen since the 1973-1975 Sam Bam-Mini Mack Herron edition. Add to that, the '73-75 edition had nothing like Kevin Faulk as a "3rd pitch". Russ Francis didn't arrive until '75 and that team never had the TE depth of this team either. We all loved Jimmy Plunkett, but he was no Tom Brady. The only thing that team had over this year's team is the OL -and not by that much - they had Hannah and Gray on one side, so Sam and Mack pretty much were facing D's that were keying in one direction. One could make the argument that this year's line is better because the 5 they put on the field will be more balanced (hence the D's don't know if the runners are going left or right) than the Hannah-Gray line.

This is going to be a POWER offense. The TV shots of Brady Friday night were interesting. He was smiling like the cat that ate the canary.

jimmyjames · 08-14-2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmessy

Spot on. I think BB and McDaniels are probably loving the way the two different styles will screw up opposing D's. It's like having a killer fastball and knee buckling curveball.

My theme this PS has been that this year's Pats offense will be like nothing we've seen since the 1973-1975 Sam Bam-Mini Mack Herron edition. Add to that, the '73-75 edition had nothing like Kevin Faulk as a "3rd pitch". Russ Francis didn't arrive until '75 and that team never had the TE depth of this team either. We all loved Jimmy Plunkett, but he was no Tom Brady. The only thing that team had over this year's team is the OL -and not by that much - they had Hannah and Gray on one side, so Sam and Mack pretty much were facing D's that were keying in one direction. One could make the argument that this year's line is better because the 5 they put on the field will be more balanced (hence the D's don't know if the runners are going left or right) than the Hannah-Gray line.

This is going to be a POWER offense. The TV shots of Brady Friday night were interesting. He was smiling like the cat that ate the canary.

Do you think we are going to see some looks with Dillon and Maroney lining up in the backfield at the same time? I wouldn't be opposed to Corey playing a little fullback once in a while and getting the opportunity to deliver some punishing blocks for the kid. Not sure his ego could take it for too long, but the chance to run right at the LB's for a change might be enticing, especially on some short screens where he coudl get a full head of steam.

***shmessy*** · 08-14-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyjames

Do you think we are going to see some looks with Dillon and Maroney lining up in the backfield at the same time? I wouldn't be opposed to Corey playing a little fullback once in a while and getting the opportunity to deliver some punishing blocks for the kid. Not sure his ego could take it for too long, but the chance to run right at the LB's for a change might be enticing, especially on some short screens where he coudl get a full head of steam.

I don't know. The only place I really see it is on the goalline. The LB's won't know whether to cheat on the leap or the plow or the pitchout.

dryheat44 · 08-14-2006, 12:14 PM

I don't see a difference in their running style. Maroney looks an awful lot like a 22-year-old Dillon out there. He has the top gear that Corey lost, but it's not like the defenses are planning for Dillon and getting Faulk instead.

5 Rings for Brady!! · 08-14-2006, 12:31 PM

I was just logging on to say what Dryheat said. But he beat me to the draw. Maroney looks like a young Dillon.

Even my wife made an interesting comment. Between Dillon, Maroney, and Faulk, you have the spectrum covered. The Bull Rusher punishes you, then the young stud tears by you, and then a little razzle dazzle third down play action and Faulk runs a screen play.

Defenses have trouble shifting gears, which is why third down backs always look good until they have to carry the load full time for a while, and you realize quickly why they are just a third down back.

Any defense will be challenged to keep up with three effective and different styles.

***shmessy*** · 08-14-2006, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dryheat44

I don't see a difference in their running style. Maroney looks an awful lot like a 22-year-old Dillon out there. He has the top gear that Corey lost, but it's not like the defenses are planning for Dillon and getting Faulk instead.

Since the 22 year old Dillon is not on our roster, their running styles are NOT similar. Maroney's running style is very different from that of the Corey Dillon who is on the 2006 team.

dryheat44 · 08-14-2006, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmessy

Since the 22 year old Dillon is not on our roster, their running styles are NOT similar. Maroney's running style is very different from that of the Corey Dillon who is on the 2006 team.

I just don't see it. Maroney's definitely quicker, but I wouldn't call that a different style. Semantics, I guess.

zippo59 · 08-14-2006, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVN

Everyone has been enamored with maroney after the first preseason game and rightfully so and some "reporters" predicting he will be the featured back in nov and december.

I'm not sure that will happen because rookies often wear out a little bit near the end of the season due to the greater physicality of the NFL and the longer schedule. Of course this might not be as much of a factor because it appears now that Maroney will not be forced to carry a large part of the load because the presence of two other competent vets (unless injury of course.) However there is also the possibility that Maroney might be fored to take on a larger role near the end of the reg season because Dillon might not last as long due to his age. All I know is I loved both of them on Friday.