What happened to Woodhead?

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

The guy produced over 900 yards of offense last year for us, now he barely gets on the field. Seems like we've gotten away from designed screens but I think we really need to get the ball to him in open field again.

 

[in 12 we trust]

I love Kevin Faulk...but Woodhead is a playmaker !

 

[RobAllan]

I'm not going to jump on the BB needs to stop being GM ship, however this bothers me:

We had 3 awesome RBs to utilize- Law Firm, Woodhead, Riddley. We actually cut a productive DB to make room for a 4th- Kevin Faulk.

Now maybe it's because I'm just a casual observer but it seems like
1. We don't run enough to justify 4 backs anyway and
2. It seems like it'd be hard to get rhythm when you're rotating 4 backs.

I think any of our backs would look better if they got left in more. I think a Law Firm as a featured back, with some 3rd down reps from either Woodhead or Faulk is all you need.

Just my 2cents. Obviously wortheless to the team...

 

[RodThePat]

I'm not going to jump on the BB needs to stop being GM ship, however this bothers me:

We had 3 awesome RBs to utilize- Law Firm, Woodhead, Riddley. We actually cut a productive DB to make room for a 4th- Kevin Faulk.

Now maybe it's because I'm just a casual observer but it seems like
1. We don't run enough to justify 4 backs anyway and
2. It seems like it'd be hard to get rhythm when you're rotating 4 backs.

I think any of our backs would look better if they got left in more. I think a Law Firm as a featured back, with some 3rd down reps from either Woodhead or Faulk is all you need.

Just my 2cents. Obviously wortheless to the team...

To be fair, the Bodden cut was probably Belichick getting rid of a guy he thought wasn't buying into the team's philosophy. I don't really think it had a lot to do with the position he played, or even the quality of his recent performance.

 

[RobAllan]

To be fair, the Bodden cut was probably Belichick getting rid of a guy he thought wasn't buying into the team's philosophy. I don't really think it had a lot to do with the position he played, or even the quality of his recent performance.

That could be the reason for the cut, but I still can't make sense of filling the spot with another RB. I just can't buy into the fact we need 4 of 'em. I love Faulk, but 4 RBs is just too much, IMHO.

 

[makoute]

That could be the reason for the cut, but I still can't make sense of filling the spot with another RB. I just can't buy into the fact we need 4 of 'em. I love Faulk, but 4 RBs is just too much, IMHO.

Especially when running the ball is not something the Pats want to do consistently.

 

[borg]

Woodheaf whiffed on some blocking assignments early on this season....and that was that.

BB/Brady have trust issues with Woodhead, Ocho, and apparently Ridley. The roster seems to be filling up with players the team doesn't trust. And when Brady's health is in jeopardy, the leash gets very short

 

[Triumph]

Especially when running the ball is not something the Pats want to do consistently.

NE ran the ball 12 times and Hernandez had one of the carries.

That play was a real head scratcher.

 

[Ian]

The guy produced over 900 yards of offense last year for us, now he barely gets on the field. Seems like we've gotten away from designed screens but I think we really need to get the ball to him in open field again.

He hasn't been the same since he suffered an injury earlier in the season. I think he rushed himself back after seeing the impact Ridley was making thanks to his absence, and I think he forced himself back onto the field before he was really ready. He clearly isn't quite as quick as he was before he got hurt, and I think they used him on kickoffs primarily to limit his play until he's fully healthy, much like they did with BJGE and the same reason they held out Ridley.

But I agree with the playcalling regarding the lack of screens. That's an area that the line has been great at, blocking downfield, etc., and I'm surprised with the amount of bliztzing they did (Brady said after the game the Steelers blitzed on more than 50% of the plays) we haven't seen more of that.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Blitz pickup is an important job for a RB and Faulk is the best on the roster at doing that. So just counting up the number of rushes in no way reflects the number of important plays by a running back. The TD to Branch was made possible by a Faulk blitz pickup.

I would have liked to have seen more screens to RBs and TEs, since it plays off the up-field agressiveness of the D, but it was what it was.

It's hard to run up the middle on this Steeler D, even with replacements at LB, but last year we ran outside on them a lot and delays from a spread shotgun set.

 

[mgteich]

1) We waived Bodden and put Darling on IR. Molden and Adams got the reps. The situation at defensive back is not related to Faulk. Obviously, we could have kept Bodden and cut Adams.

2) Faulk took reps from Woodhead because he is better at picking up the blitz. I'm sure that Brady was glad to see Faulk out there yesterday.

3) It is an overstatement to call Green-Ellis, Woodhead and Ridly "three awesome RB's".

4) In any case, the presence of Faulk does not prevent the team from running more.

I'm not going to jump on the BB needs to stop being GM ship, however this bothers me:

We had 3 awesome RBs to utilize- Law Firm, Woodhead, Riddley. We actually cut a productive DB to make room for a 4th- Kevin Faulk.

Now maybe it's because I'm just a casual observer but it seems like
1. We don't run enough to justify 4 backs anyway and
2. It seems like it'd be hard to get rhythm when you're rotating 4 backs.

I think any of our backs would look better if they got left in more. I think a Law Firm as a featured back, with some 3rd down reps from either Woodhead or Faulk is all you need.

Just my 2cents. Obviously wortheless to the team...

 

[NEPatriot]

While I understand BB's approach to having depth, I think this is a case where we have too much depth at a position. It's touch to get onto the field with so much depth. Faulk, 2 returning starters and 2 high rough draft choices. Maybe 1 draft choice would have made sense here.

 

[mikegibbons]

I have no problem with Faulk over Woodhead.

What was clearly the wrong call is Woodhead instead of Slater at KR. Woodhead's lack of linear speed was visible to the naked eye. He jogged into the holes.

Slater gives you a chance at a home-run; they could've used a momentum, field changing play yesterday.

 

[mr3putt]

I think the toe injury to the Lawfirm may be worse than disclosed
He seemed to tip toe through the holes rather than the hard cut seen before the boo boo
Hence the need to onboard Faulk quickly

BB and the PATS are the only team that can take a bye week and still lose multiple players

Where is Vereen these days?
Another 2nd round red shirt project?
Ron Brace says HI

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Yeah i wished we used him a lot more..but i also wish the pats had a pass rush and DB's that could cover..oh well

 

[Dutchmaster617]

The guy produced over 900 yards of offense last year for us, now he barely gets on the field. Seems like we've gotten away from designed screens but I think we really need to get the ball to him in open field again.

Woodhead was never a great player, or BenJ and all our RBs really. They were awesome because Brady was awesome going like 12 straight games without a pick, lightning sharp passing, and quick scoring leaving defenses helpless.

People expecting Woodhead to have that year again are like the people expecting 7 picks from McCourty, it just doesn't work like that, they are not Peterson and Reed, they are just good players who play great when Brady is on fire. This team feeds off Brady and that is why everyone has regressed when he has (even if his regression is really minor). I hate putting all this pressure on Tom, but the management asked for it.

 

[Modest]

While I understand BB's approach to having depth, I think this is a case where we have too much depth at a position. It's touch to get onto the field with so much depth. Faulk, 2 returning starters and 2 high rough draft choices. Maybe 1 draft choice would have made sense here.

His approach at having depth at safety and CB this year have been particularly interesting.

 

[Jackson 2]

Woodhead was never a great player, or BenJ and all our RBs really. They were awesome because Brady was awesome going like 12 straight games without a pick, lightning sharp passing, and quick scoring leaving defenses helpless.

People expecting Woodhead to have that year again are like the people expecting 7 picks from McCourty, it just doesn't work like that, they are not Peterson and Reed, they are just good players who play great when Brady is on fire. This team feeds off Brady and that is why everyone has regressed when he has (even if his regression is really minor). I hate putting all this pressure on Tom, but the management asked for it.

I don't think anyone ever considered Woodhead a genuinely "great player", but I do think he is a very good player. His ankle injury, the return of Faulk and Ridley's emergence have resulted in a reduction in Woodhead's snaps. He had 2 huge receptions 2 weeks ago against Dallas at the end of the game which many seem to have forgotten. I believe he will prove his value again before this season is over.

 

[NEPatriot]

His approach at having depth at safety and CB this year have been particularly interesting.

Agreed. That was supposed to be a deep position along with corner.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

I don't think anyone ever considered Woodhead a genuinely "great player", but I do think he is a very good player. His ankle injury, the return of Faulk and Ridley's emergence have resulted in a reduction in Woodhead's snaps. He had 2 huge receptions 2 weeks ago against Dallas at the end of the game which many seem to have forgotten. I believe he will prove his value again before this season is over.

I just saw someone mention 900 yds and thought you have to be kidding me. Last season we almost broke the 04 Colts/09 Saints/99 Rams scoring amount, that isn't the case so of course avg to good guys won't be having monster numbers. I think woodhead is doing fine for who he is, a backup RB who catches the occasional pass, no need to ask what happened to him, the entire team isn't as comfortable now. They are fighting for wins and can't afford to mix it up, now its a ton of passes to Welker and the TE because its the most proven option, no more huge leads and just toying around like last year.

Last year should be forgotten imo, we need a new strategy because the situations are not in our favor nearly as much. The overall offensive confidence has dropped a lot imo.