Ok... I haven't been blasted much lately. We need a kick returner...

[pencilneckgeek]

LoMo definitely had a bad game last week, although that's on the entire kick return team, too. Prior to the Ravens games, LoMo had a 27.2 yards per return average - good enough for third best in the league. He may have been sheepish last week coming off a week where he got hurt and therefore not run as hard as he could when there wasn't a hole there. He hits holes plenty hard. He's less good about hitting walls. The latter shouldn't be a problem if the rest of the return team does even an average job (although it can be a problem coming out of the backfield).

I've got no problem with running kicks out of the endzone. The periodic start inside the 20 is offset by the possibility of a big return. It just didn't happen this week. Assuming he's past the bumps and bruises enough to get his head right, he's easily the best kickoff returner the Pats have. Edelman and Faulk and Welker don't have the top flight speed and Slater isn't as nifty or good at breaking tackles (message board hyperbole notwithstanding).

 

[Bostonian1962]

dude, are you watching the same games as the rest of us??

look at the tape
- on kickoffs, maroney rarely makes it back to the 20. usually because he slows down at the 12 and starts dancing.
- on runs, he cant find the hole.

he's fast in space, but has poor vision. and he hasnt broken a tackle in his entire career. keep watching and tell me the first time you see him break a tackle.

I don't like taking sides, but BlitzFritz is exactly right. Just watch the game. That coming to a complete stop crap on kickoff returns, and "oh, I'm going to go right, no wait left, no right", as he gets swarm tackled. I watched the game for the second time last night. We love our team/players, but it is what it is. Watch the tape.

P.S. - The thing is Maroney HAS talent, and can return kicks. When he's good, he's good. But, this not finding/hitting the hole thing may not be fixable with Maroney. I use to say give him time, but at some point..................

 

[RayClay]

Nah. Maroney is good enough and we still have Edelman and Slater if anything happens. We're good.

Slater has been horrible, Maroney looks bad and 19.5 avg for edelman is not good.

I'm not big on bad character guys, but to say we're covered at kick returns would be wrong. Our best returner so far is Faulk and that's not good.

Try some guys out or acquire someone. Maroney looks like a post traumatic stress victim, Slater is about as cool as Don Knotts and it would be nice if Edelman was a panacea for all problems, but I don't think he's an explosive kick returner.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think there's still a decent chance Brandon Tate gets activated in a few weeks and becomes our returner. I'm ok with Maroney for now.

 

[RayClay]

And you don't stop on kick returns, ever. Maroney needs to turn it around and quick. If kick returns is the place, I'm fine with it.

 

[Jimke]

I think there's still a decent chance Brandon Tate gets activated in a few weeks and becomes our returner. I'm ok with Maroney for now.

Forum members have been looking at Tate as the third wide receiver

but actually his greatest benefit to the Patriots for the present will

be as a kick returner. He was the best in the business in college.

 

[MassPats38]

I don't think Maroney is awful, he just isn't as big a threat as Hobbs was returning and looks lumbering in comparison. You want a return man who can break a return for a TD. Maroney just doesn't have that as his strength.

On the other hand, I do not think you want an explosive returner who coughs the ball up either. As the Pats offense is capable of moving the ball from wherever it starts on the field, losing the ball on the special teams would be bad. Maroney doesn't cough up the ball frequently, so you take a bit worse field position in exchange for knowing the offense gets the ball when the play is over.

 

[old 55]

LM just isn't running as hard when he is returning kicks. He can't see the holes or decide quickly which direction run. He looks like he is waiting for the other team to tackle him.
I'd try someone else back there who wants to run.

 

[Patspsycho]

I guess the thing I've learned here is that the longer a thread goes, the more it will veer towards bashing Maroney.

 

[condon84]

dude, are you watching the same games as the rest of us??

look at the tape
- on kickoffs, maroney rarely makes it back to the 20. usually because he slows down at the 12 and starts dancing.
- on runs, he cant find the hole.

he's fast in space, but has poor vision. and he hasnt broken a tackle in his entire career. keep watching and tell me the first time you see him break a tackle.

I think this guy didn't watch the last game. I'm a Maroney backer, but his KO performance last week was THE WORST kickoff performance I have ever seen. Maybe he's scared? He looks like he's lacking confidence out there and not trusting his instincts. I know his rookie year, he was pretty good returning KOs.

Stick someone else back there. Try Wheatley or Butler.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I guess the thing I've learned here is that the longer a thread goes, the more it will veer towards bashing Maroney.

One reason being few here can read any better than they reason. They seldom let the facts get in the way of what they believe they just saw. If anyone paid any attention to the lot of them half this team would have been cut in preseason and we'd be in cap hell and devoid of draft picks and playing the PS and every JAG someone else dumps.

 

[PATSNUTme]

OK, Maroney had a bad game in the returning kicks last week. I too was downn on him for that last one.

However, I will wait a couple of more game to decide if he needs to be replaced. He has had some good returns this year.

 

[Jimke]

I guess the thing I've learned here is that the longer a thread goes, the more it will veer towards bashing Maroney.

All bashing will cease just as soon as Maroney puts two

good games back to back.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

I guess the thing I've learned here is that the longer a thread goes, the more it will veer towards bashing Maroney.

It's almost an immutable law - like gravity.

The beauty is that if he were a 4th round draft choice, he'd be a cult hero, as if former draft status somehow affects an objective assessment of his performance on any given play.

That being said, he didn't have a good day Sunday.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

And Justin Miller has been cut by the Raiders. Disregarding the Seau deal, would you dump Lockett to get Miller here on ST's? I admit I'd think it over.

A decent kick returner and a PASS RUSH would be very nice indeed!

Not interested in Miller, can't Butler or Wheatley return kicks??????

 

[mgteich]

We could have trade a 4th for a top returner.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I heard Pac Man Jones is looking for work? silence,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[bradydaman29]

I don't think Maroney is awful, he just isn't as big a threat as Hobbs was returning and looks lumbering in comparison. You want a return man who can break a return for a TD. Maroney just doesn't have that as his strength.

On the other hand, I do not think you want an explosive returner who coughs the ball up either. As the Pats offense is capable of moving the ball from wherever it starts on the field, losing the ball on the special teams would be bad. Maroney doesn't cough up the ball frequently, so you take a bit worse field position in exchange for knowing the offense gets the ball when the play is over.

My thoughts exactly, 38. Although it usually looks like Maroney is running into traffic instead of away from it, a sure-handed ball carrier is valuable. A few extra yards on kickoffs is not that critical with this team. This offense can move the ball pretty efficiently no matter where it starts, it's inside the red "area" where things don't look good. You could actually make a case that having the offense start at the 18 instead of the 35 is beneficial - more plays for the offense, offense can get in a rhythm, opposing defense gets tired.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

...do you all think that Maroney is just afraid of playing football?

Pretty much... pretty much.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

We could have trade a 4th for a top returner.

I hear that some guy named Ellis Hobbs is OK at doing that...

jks