Release the Hounds! Use an active Ridley in a 2 or 3 TE set

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I'm surprised there's no thread on his assertion that he will be active

(merge/ delete if I missed it)

Stevan Ridley says he’ll be active for the Super Bowl | ProFootballTalk

Ridley says he will be active for Super Bowl

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Two questions come to mind immediately:

1. HOW does he know he'll be active?

2. How will BB feel about him stating so?

 

[Brettlax3434]

I have been thinking he will have a big game all week. I just feel like he learned his lesson and now BB is going to unleash him. He could be the difference in the game. If he could give the Patriots 8-10 carries he could really impact the game with a few big ones.

 

[letekro]

This is the only guy on the team that can rip off a 20 yard run to make those Giant D-ends hesitate.

 

[captain stone]

I agree. Bill is going to have to cross his fingers & activate either Ridley or Vereen,
in order to generate some (i.e., any) explosiveness from the backfield.

Because of Gronk's - and Vollmer's, and Light's - health issues, I think that activating Polite
is a must. And to atone for the sin of not activating Troy Brown 4 years earlier, Kevin Faulk
must be activated. Therefore, I wouldn't mind seeing Woody deactivated in favor of
either of the 2 rookies.

 

[MSU]

I agree. Bill is going to have to cross his fingers & activate either Ridley or Vereen,
in order to generate some (i.e., any) explosiveness from the backfield.

Because of Gronk's - and Vollmer's, and Light's - health issues, I think that activating Polite
is a must. And to atone for the sin of not activating Troy Brown 4 years earlier, Kevin Faulk
must be activated. Therefore, I wouldn't mind seeing Woody deactivated in favor of
either of the 2 rookies.

If anyone deserves to get deactivated for a fumble it's Woodhead. His was exponentially more brutal than either of the two Ridley let go.

 

[Sciz]

Remember, we only see what happens in a game. Belichick has gotten to see all 100+ of the practices. Could very well be that Ridley was having fumbling issues in practice, while Woodhead's fumble on the KR was deemed more of an anomaly.

 

[patstd]

Remember, we only see what happens in a game. Belichick has gotten to see all 100+ of the practices. Could very well be that Ridley was having fumbling issues in practice, while Woodhead's fumble on the KR was deemed more of an anomaly.

Very good point it is easy to speculate with little knowledge. Harder to act with knowledge.

 

[oldskool138]

I'd take BJGE and his workmanlike, non-fumbling running style than Ridley's home run potential.

 

[PatsSox363804]

They ran Ridley with Solder in the game as a TE 3 times against the Giants in November and he gained 3, 1, and 6 yards. That was all in the second quarter, I think on the same drive.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

If anyone deserves to get deactivated for a fumble it's Woodhead. His was exponentially more brutal than either of the two Ridley let go.

Woodhead is a known commodity who made a big mistake, but who has only two fumbles in 189 carries. Even though he has technically fumbled just once in 87 carries, Ridley is still an "unkown." Beyond what's in the stat books, Pats fans held their collective breath until his fumble went OB vs. Denver. And, for the stats geeks out there, Ridley would have to carry the ball another 101 times before he fumbled again to match Woody's stats. (We also don't know what Ridley does or doesn't do in these regards in practice, which has a bearing on these decisions.)

That said, I have no worry if Ridley plays, but do have a problem that he mouthed off like that. I still just leave it to Belichick to decide whether the Pats have a better chance of winning with or without Stevan. "In BB I trust."

 

[Betterthanmost]

I had a dream last night and he fumbled at your 30yd. I think I broke my TV too.

 

[patstd]

Yeah, sounds good to me.

 

[groundgame]

I'd take BJGE and his workmanlike, non-fumbling running style than Ridley's home run potential.

I agree, shake n'bake has bigger upside, but LawFirm steady.

 

[BlueThunder]

My guess is Ridley is doing alot of two hands on the ball drills. His running style is breakaway and then fighting for every inch. Maybe the philosophy of get what you can and then protect and get down or go OOB is being worked on.

Ridley/BJGE need more carries to make Brady even more effective. A balanced offense will assure Giants can't just T off on him.

 

[groundgame]

My guess is Ridley is doing alot of two hands on the ball drills. His running style is breakaway and then fighting for every inch. Maybe the philosophy of get what you can and then protect and get down or go OOB is being worked on.

Ridley/BJGE need more carries to make Brady even more effective. A balanced offense will assure Giants can't just T off on him.

If you did not trust him against DEN and BALT, hard to see Ridley being trusted in SB.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

If you did not trust him against DEN and BALT, hard to see Ridley being trusted in SB.

As the guy sitting on the front porch in an old time movie, smoking a corn cob pipe and wearing a hunter's cap, would say: "Yup."

 

[Spiral]

Sorry, Kevin. It's been a nice ride, but I'd rather have Ridley and Woodhead active on Sunday.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

My guess is Ridley is doing alot of two hands on the ball drills. His running style is breakaway and then fighting for every inch. Maybe the philosophy of get what you can and then protect and get down or go OOB is being worked on.

Ridley/BJGE need more carries to make Brady even more effective. A balanced offense will assure Giants can't just T off on him.

And what better game to experiment and find out if Ridley can hold onto the ball than the Super Bowl! That's a great idea!

 

[seven]

Love to see Stevan in there.

Fumbles are terrifying.

What to do.
Go to love how the man runs, the extra demand on the G D.
I say put him in.