Under the radar ... Stevan Ridley

[JJDChE]

It's only a matter of time. All due respect to BJGE, but the only thing he has going for him is that he hasn't fumbled the ball. He's a dime a dozen back, talent-wise. Pretty much any RB can manage 4 ypc in this offense. Ridley has shown he's head and shoulders above BJGE as a runner. If he can show that his pass protection is good and avoid fumbling early on, he'll be eating the majority of Benji's carries by midseason.

In 379 carries as a Pat, BJGE's longest run is 33 yds and best as I can tell he has had 5 runs over 20 yds. Ridley has 18 carries and he already has a 33 yd run and 3 runs over 20 yds.

If he isn't getting the lion's share of the carries soon, I don't know what to say. BJGE will be a nice little backup though.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I think BJGE is the starter and clock killer.

Ridley comes in when the defense focuses on stopping the pass and our offense struggles/we fall behind. I like BJGE but he can't make exploit those defenses like I believe Ridley will. If utilized correctly, and that is a big if given our tendencies to stray from the run game, Ridley can solve alot of this offenses problems that tend to occur in big games.

But I still think BJGE is more efficient when it comes to getting the tough yards.

 

[DarrylS]

BJGE is not flashy, but the more I watch him the more I like him, watch his legs on short yardage.. most of the time he just hits the hole, and when he is hit he keeps churning and usually gets positive yards... he always comes up smiling, wanting more.

He also is a pretty good blocker, and his pass receiving ability has improved as well.

His ability not to fumble is as impressive, he is the definition of steady, blue collar the type of guy the patriots in the early 2000's were built around.

Like Ridley also, but there is no reason to like both of them..

 

[xmarkd400x]

I think BJGE and Ridley compliment each other well. I see BJGE as more of a power back and Ridley as more of a speed type. I want BJGE in when it's 4th and 1. I want Ridley (or Woodhead) in when it's 3rd and long.

I think both guys can have success in this system.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Re: Under the radar...

Ridley reminds me of Blount from Tampa

That's like comparing Woodhead to Shonn Greene.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Under the radar...

I'm hoping ocho can really shine eventually. I'm hoping anyway.

Yes, Bodden's injury was above his "waste" but isn't that unnecessarily graphic?

Hee hee...........

 

[Patspsycho]

It's only a matter of time. All due respect to BJGE, but the only thing he has going for him is that he hasn't fumbled the ball. He's a dime a dozen back, talent-wise. Pretty much any RB can manage 4 ypc in this offense. Ridley has shown he's head and shoulders above BJGE as a runner. If he can show that his pass protection is good and avoid fumbling early on, he'll be eating the majority of Benji's carries by midseason.

In 379 carries as a Pat, BJGE's longest run is 33 yds and best as I can tell he has had 5 runs over 20 yds. Ridley has 18 carries and he already has a 33 yd run and 3 runs over 20 yds.

If he isn't getting the lion's share of the carries soon, I don't know what to say. BJGE will be a nice little backup though.

BJGE is a true smashmouth, wear-them-down RB, he is a grinder; that's his bread and butter. Ridley has his own style. By asking the defense to account for both styles and to prepare for both of them is stressing them to the limits of their ability to adjust because they already have our monster pass offense to prepare for.

I really don't think (or rather, I hope) there will be a "backup" or a "workhorse." Rather we'll stick with the RBBC because I believe that's the best way to wear down a defense.

Also BJGE has 16 TDs in the last 20 RS game, that's hardly a dime a dozen RB.

 

[chicowalker]

I think some of you are making Ridley out to be more of a speed / finesse back than he is, just because he appears to be quicker and faster than Green-Ellis.

Still remains to be seen how it translates to the NFL, but in college he was the epitome of a smashmouth runner. He ran hard and guys usually didn't take him down without either additional help or yardage.

(edit: That doesn't mean I want him taking all the carries. He needs to continue to prove himself, both with the ball and without it. But hopefully we stay committed to the run and use both backs to keep them fresh, along with Woodhead for a variety of looks and Vereen when he's health / ready.)

 

[JJDChE]

BJGE is a true smashmouth, wear-them-down RB, he is a grinder; that's his bread and butter. Ridley has his own style. By asking the defense to account for both styles and to prepare for both of them is stressing them to the limits of their ability to adjust because they already have our monster pass offense to prepare for.

I really don't think (or rather, I hope) there will be a "backup" or a "workhorse." Rather we'll stick with the RBBC because I believe that's the best way to wear down a defense.

Also BJGE has 16 TDs in the last 20 RS game, that's hardly a dime a dozen RB.

I agree with chicowalker, Ridley doesn't really compliment BJGE, he's a better version of the type of runner BJGE is. His style is very similar, except he's just a better natural runner. I don't think we're going to see BJGE cut or anything, but it appears that Ridley is just a better player that plays the same role. If he can doing the other parts of the jjob reasonably well, he should be the one getting the PT.

EDIT: Also, Ridley isn't fast, BJGE is just really slow, which makes Ridley seem a lot faster.

 

[Patspsycho]

I agree with chicowalker, Ridley doesn't really compliment BJGE, he's a better version of the type of runner BJGE is. His style is very similar, except he's just a better natural runner. I don't think we're going to see BJGE cut or anything, but it appears that Ridley is just a better player that plays the same role. If he can doing the other parts of the jjob reasonably well, he should be the one getting the PT.

EDIT: Also, Ridley isn't fast, BJGE is just really slow, which makes Ridley seem a lot faster.

Their running styles are different from the small sample I saw on Sunday. Granted I did not see Ridley run in college, but from the NFL samples I saw- there is no similarities in their running. BJGE seeks holes and rams through them. Ridley is very slippery and shoots through the hole and skirts any defenders. Ridley also has not demonstrated that he can drag people with him, he goes down on first contact, as he did when he was tackled for losses in Oakland.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Ridley also has not demonstrated that he can drag people with him, he goes down on first contact, as he did when he was tackled for losses in Oakland.

This is simply not true.

 

[JJDChE]

Their running styles are different from the small sample I saw on Sunday. Granted I did not see Ridley run in college, but from the NFL samples I saw- there is no similarities in their running. BJGE seeks holes and rams through them. Ridley is very slippery and shoots through the hole and skirts any defenders. Ridley also has not demonstrated that he can drag people with him, he goes down on first contact, as he did when he was tackled for losses in Oakland.

The big difference I see is Ridley has better vision, better acceleration and better lateral movement than BJGE. BJGE doesn't find holes, he goes where the play is designed and makes the most of it. Ridley actually looks for openings.

What I meant is that they are both workhorse, between the tackles type runners. Ridley just has better RB skills, which is why he's already broken off almost as many 20+ yard runs in less than a games worth of play time as BJGE has in his entire career.

 

[Patspsycho]

This is simply not true.

Please show me where in the Oakland game he was able to drag people with him for extra yards.

Granted we are only speaking of a small sample, and he will have more opportunities to prove himself capable of dragging people with him, I just did not see that this past Sunday.

And until then, I will be led to believe that he is more of a speedy, shifty runner, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[chicowalker]

Their running styles are different from the small sample I saw on Sunday. Granted I did not see Ridley run in college, but from the NFL samples I saw- there is no similarities in their running. BJGE seeks holes and rams through them. Ridley is very slippery and shoots through the hole and skirts any defenders. Ridley also has not demonstrated that he can drag people with him, he goes down on first contact, as he did when he was tackled for losses in Oakland.

The part I bolded hasn't been the case (generally), even in his limited carries thus far.

Did you also see the Bills game? BJGE wasn't dragging anybody, either.

As I acknowledged in my prior post, it remains to be seen whether Ridley can do what he did in college. But he's not only faster than BJGE, he's bigger than him, too.

 

[everlong]

Please show me where in the Oakland game he was able to drag people with him for extra yards.

While he didn't do it the 3 plays where he was stopped for no yardage or a loss I don't think 2004 Corey Dillon would have dragged anybody. Those of the plays the backfield penetration barely let him get the ball from Brady and the one on the goal line there was a wall waiting for him at the LOS.

 

[Patspsycho]

The big difference I see is Ridley has better vision, better acceleration and better lateral movement than BJGE. BJGE doesn't find holes, he goes where the play is designed and makes the most of it. Ridley actually looks for openings.

What I meant is that they are both workhorse, between the tackles type runners. Ridley just has better RB skills, which is why he's already broken off almost as many 20+ yard runs in less than a games worth of play time as BJGE has in his entire career.

BJGE is pretty good at finding holes, if there are any. It is true that he does not have the capability to improvise or create plays for himself, but that doesn't mean he isn't useful.

BJGE and Ridley, to me, have different styles of running. That in no way means one is better than the other. What I like the most is that together, they will wear down the defense far more than if one of them were to be the workhorse. Just like you follow a crunching hook with a lightning fast jab while the opponent is still recovering from the hook.

 

[JJDChE]

BJGE is pretty good at finding holes, if there are any. It is true that he does not have the capability to improvise or create plays for himself, but that doesn't mean he isn't useful.

BJGE and Ridley, to me, have different styles of running. That in no way means one is better than the other. What I like the most is that together, they will wear down the defense far more than if one of them were to be the workhorse. Just like you follow a crunching hook with a lightning fast jab while the opponent is still recovering from the hook.

If you group RBs into inside runners, outside runners and 3rd down/receiving backs, BJGE and SR would both fall into the inside runner category. That is the only way I was referring to them having the same style.

I didn't say BJGE was all of a sudden useless, it just appears that Ridley is a better player and I want the better player to get the majority of the playing time. As time passes I'd like to see Ridley eventually round into about 60% of the carries with BJGE and Woodhead seeing about an even split of the remaining 40%.

BTW, BJGE doesn't drag people with him, he falls forward. Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, Adrian Peterson, etc. carry guys with them. BJGE hits guys and falls forward.

Also, I don't see BJGE finding too many holes. He goes where he's told to go. Sometimes he makes a minor adjustment in his path, but he usually just runs into the line whether there is a hole or not. It's actually a good strategy for him because he doesn't have the athletic skill to improvise. He certainly makes the most out of the limited skills that he has.

 

[Rob0729]

The funny thing is Ridley has only really played two weeks this year (plus he had two carries against SD) and he is the back up yet he had 9 less yards (in 14 less carries) and the same number of TDs as Shonn Greene. Yet, the Jets fans think the Pats have no running game and they do.

 

[Off The Grid]

"Under the Radar"??

Stevan "Ready When You Are" Ridley hasn't been "under the radar" since his first exhibition game...or since we spent a 3rd Rounder on'm, for that matter.

Given good health, it's obviously just a matter of time before he and Shane "Mean Machine" Vereen get comfortable enough with our System ~ and good enough at Blocking ~ to engulf huge chunks of our BackField's Market Share.

 

[Patspsycho]

Also, I don't see BJGE finding too many holes. He goes where he's told to go. Sometimes he makes a minor adjustment in his path, but he usually just runs into the line whether there is a hole or not. It's actually a good strategy for him because he doesn't have the athletic skill to improvise. He certainly makes the most out of the limited skills that he has.

I don't see how you can possibly gain 1,000 yards in one season in the NFL if that was your actual strategy, never mind 13 TDs (or 16 in the last 20 games).