Heath Evans Injury

[miDeuce]

Haven't seen this discussed but I think if Evans can't go it could really limit our offense. Did anyone see him get hurt last weekend? Says it's a shin. I think he's had a great season and brought a lot as a lead blocker. And as it looks now we don't have any other fullbacks on the roster, forcing us to stick with single back sets. Not life or death, surely we can still win without him but I think his absence would definitely hurt. Anyone have any insight as to how to deal with this if he can't go?

 

[Pujo]

Haven't seen this discussed but I think if Evans can't go it could really limit our offense. Did anyone see him get hurt last weekend? Says it's a shin. I think he's had a great season and brought a lot as a lead blocker. And as it looks now we don't have any other fullbacks on the roster, forcing us to stick with single back sets. Not life or death, surely we can still win without him but I think his absence would definitely hurt. Anyone have any insight as to how to deal with this if he can't go?

We'll just use Seymour at fullback!

Actually, I wonder if Corey would make a good lead-blocker. It'd be interesting to see the Pats play out of a split-back formation.

 

[DefenseRules]

Look for Russ Hochstein, Ryan O'Callaghan, Wesley Britt to fill that lead blocker role. BB has used an extra O-lineman in that role before.

 

[Bargod]

We'll just use Seymour at fullback!

Actually, I wonder if Corey would make a good lead-blocker. It'd be interesting to see the Pats play out of a split-back formation.

I think that very same subject was brought up earlier in the season. I don't see it happening due to the fact that blocking a pass rush is alot different technique than leading a run block. Dillon is good helping out with the rush but I don't think they'd have him in that position.

 

[maverick4]

Our running game really isn't very good without Evans at fullback. Our games playing mostly single back and 2TE have't been productive.

 

[Brownfan80]

I'm fairly sure that this was an injury that occurred in practice. The first note of it that I heard of was in Reiss's blog where he mentioned that Heath had missed some practice on Tuesday I believe.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Haven't seen this discussed but I think if Evans can't go it could really limit our offense. Did anyone see him get hurt last weekend? Says it's a shin. I think he's had a great season and brought a lot as a lead blocker. And as it looks now we don't have any other fullbacks on the roster, forcing us to stick with single back sets. Not life or death, surely we can still win without him but I think his absence would definitely hurt. Anyone have any insight as to how to deal with this if he can't go?

OK, he's listed as questionable. I believe that indicates he has at least a 50% chance of playing. If it were indeed any worse, he'd be listed as doubtful.

While anything is possible (he is listed as having missed at least some playing time), I'm not overly concerned about this.

 

[PatsFan37]

OK, he's listed as questionable. I believe that indicates he has at least a 50% chance of playing. If it were indeed any worse, he'd be listed as doubtful.

While anything is possible (he is listed as having missed at least some playing time), I'm not overly concerned about this.

I believe he's been absent from the media portion of practice for 2 days in a row. In the past when that's happened, it's been a strong indicator that the guy doesn't play.

Hochstein is good as a lead blocker, as someone mentioned, and Thomas is also good.

 

[PatsDeb]

I believe he's been absent from the media portion of practice for 2 days in a row. In the past when that's happened, it's been a strong indicator that the guy doesn't play.

Hochstein is good as a lead blocker, as someone mentioned, and Thomas is also good.

Agreed on what missing practice means. At least it happened on Sunday or early this week so they can plan and practice for his absence. Bummer if he can't play as he is really important to our running game.

 

[pats1]

"Really limit our offense" is quite a stretch.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Evans not playing is not an insurmountable problem. All three Tight Ends are cross-trained as H-backs and can serve as lead blockers. Hochstein can lead block and in 3 TE/1 FB/1 RB sets he becomes the third TE and one of the TEs becomes the FB. If Britt is activated he can also serve as a TE.

Now, how about a real challenge?

 

[SVN]

i think with watson coming back david thomas has gone on the back burner ..if evans is unable to go then maybe they use thomas to be the extra TE/blocker which i like because he has much more sure hands than watson right now...

not sure if many agree but with watson in the game brady sometimes tries to force the ball to him and quite a few of his turnovers have come in such occasions. even last week the jets dropped the INT when the ball was thrown to watson ..so maybe thomas should get more playing time

 

[shakadave]

i think with watson coming back david thomas has gone on the back burner

Thomas gets a lot of action in our goal-line offense. He had a great block (of two Jets) on Dillon's TD last week.

 

[PatrioticDynasty]

Anyone have any insight as to how to deal with this if he can't go?

IMO I would love to see Mike Wright instead of Seymour, I realy don't want to see a repeat of last year against the chargers when seymore went out with a knee injury in that game, we need him on the line too much!
I think Mike can really blast a hole in the Chargers "D" and hold his own if he was able to get into the second level as a lead blocker.

Your thoughts...

 

[sieglo]

Evans is an unsung but integral part of the Pats offense. If he can't play, it definitely hurts.

 

[PatsDparty]

According to Reiss, he was present for the media portion of practice today.

 

[zippo59]

Evans was at th beginning of practice today, but if he doesn't play I think the most logical replacement would be Daniel Graham.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The running game was not consistent without a lead blocker. Teams were run blitizing the one back sets and five or six times a game getting a 3-4-5 yard loss. If your planning a running game plan, each such loss can destroy a drive; and they did.

The response of the Pats coaches was continuing to train Evans a big RB in college to become a competent lead FB. They had started this last year and had him beef up to around 250 pounds over the last off season. When they judged he was ready they put him in as a lead FB and he has done pretty well. The negative yardage runs caused by run blitzes dried up, and the runing game picked up.

Its critical to have Heath for the Chargers, IMHO; much more so than having Rodney.

 

[spacecrime]

Our running game really isn't very good without Evans at fullback. Our games playing mostly single back and 2TE have't been productive.

I don't believe this. If FB is so important, why isn't he used more? Against the Jets, a RB was on the field for 72 snaps. A FB was on the field only 19 of those 72 snaps.

Closing the book on the Patriots' win over the Jets by looking at the positional groupings the team used on offense:

2 WR/2 TE/1 RB -- 34 of 72 snaps
3 WR/1 TE/1 RB -- 16 of 72
3 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 12 of 72
1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 5 of 72
1 WR/3 TE/1 RB -- 3 of 72
2 WR/1 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 2 of 72

and I suspect that most of the nineteen snaps where a FB was used were goal line and short yardage situations, especially those 12 3TE/1 FB/1 RB formations. We;ve used Hochstein in those situations before.

 

[miDeuce]

I don't believe this. If FB is so important, why isn't he used more? Against the Jets, a RB was on the field for 72 snaps. A FB was on the field only 19 of those 72 snaps.

Closing the book on the Patriots' win over the Jets by looking at the positional groupings the team used on offense:

2 WR/2 TE/1 RB -- 34 of 72 snaps
3 WR/1 TE/1 RB -- 16 of 72
3 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 12 of 72
1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 5 of 72
1 WR/3 TE/1 RB -- 3 of 72
2 WR/1 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 2 of 72

and I suspect that most of the nineteen snaps where a FB was used were goal line and short yardage situations, especially those 12 3TE/1 FB/1 RB formations. We;ve used Hochstein in those situations before.

That means a FB was used in nearly a quarter of the plays (23.6%). I think that's a significant amount of the offense that would be lost or weakened if we had to go with a converted guard or TE. Regardless if Hochstein or Graham practice it they would be playing out of position and not bring what Evans or a true FB brings. Luckily he practiced today so I fully expect him to be ready to go.