Reiss doesn't consider Ridley a roster lock

[primetime]

You misunderstand my point. Forget Ridley. Blount does not consistently make good gains, he makes great ones when he breaks into the open field with a head of steam.

For example, say he gets a 20 yard gain, then gets stuffed three times in a row. That's a five yard average. I like Blount, he's a beast when he gets going, but Ridley more consistently gets the 3-8 yard carries. They both have 1,000 yard seasons, so I see no point in knocking either. For that matter, they've both had ball security issues too.

Actually, on an average carry, both were about equally likely to gain 4 or more yards (and both were among the league leaders in that category), though Ridley carried the ball more so the sample size is larger. Blount was more likely to fumble, as well as more likely to break a large gain.

 

[RayClay]

Actually, on an average carry, both were about equally likely to gain 4 or more yards (and both were among the league leaders in that category), though Ridley carried the ball more so the sample size is larger. Blount was more likely to fumble, as well as more likely to break a large gain.

What is an average carry? Do you have some statistics?

 

[joepatsfan]

I don't really need stats to prove anything... You don't have to believe this but....

From what I saw this season, if the hole at the line wasn't gaping, Blount would pull a Maroney and dance around getting stuffed. Outside of garbage time of games or the Bills game, Blount really didn't pound away a defense.

Ridley finds a way to make a positive gain most of the time. Ridley pounded away for a 4 week span looking like his '12 self vs. NO, MIA, NYJ and PITT this last season. When Bill trusts in him and gives him the 17-25 carries, Ridley WILL produce.

No doubt, Blount out in the open vs. a secondary is more explosive, but I want a guy like Ridley who can go 5, 4, 3, 10, 2, 5, 3, 4, 7. etc.... not 22,1,2,1,5,2......


Anyway, like a said many times before, I'm a huge Ridley advocate and believe that he IS going to bounce back with a HUGE season. He certainly needs to fix his carry style and also needs to stop that spin move at the LOS and he should be good. He has very good running instincts and can wear away at a D

 

[supafly]

I don't really need stats to prove anything... You don't have to believe this but....

From what I saw this season, if the hole at the line wasn't gaping, Blount would pull a Maroney and dance around getting stuffed. Outside of garbage time of games or the Bills game, Blount really didn't pound away a defense.

Ridley finds a way to make a positive gain most of the time. Ridley pounded away for a 4 week span looking like his '12 self vs. NO, MIA, NYJ and PITT this last season. When Bill trusts in him and gives him the 17-25 carries, Ridley WILL produce.

No doubt, Blount out in the open vs. a secondary is more explosive, but I want a guy like Ridley who can go 5, 4, 3, 10, 2, 5, 3, 4, 7. etc.... not 22,1,2,1,5,2......


Anyway, like a said many times before, I'm a huge Ridley advocate and believe that he IS going to bounce back with a HUGE season. He certainly needs to fix his carry style and also needs to stop that spin move at the LOS and he should be good. He has very good running instincts and can wear away at a D

Agreed, it really all comes down to his ability to work through this challenge and improve on his past mistakes in fumbling. If he is able to do that, there's no reason why he shouldn't be our lead RB1 again.

 

[RayClay]

I don't really need stats to prove anything... You don't have to believe this but....

From what I saw this season, if the hole at the line wasn't gaping, Blount would pull a Maroney and dance around getting stuffed. Outside of garbage time of games or the Bills game, Blount really didn't pound away a defense.

Ridley finds a way to make a positive gain most of the time. Ridley pounded away for a 4 week span looking like his '12 self vs. NO, MIA, NYJ and PITT this last season. When Bill trusts in him and gives him the 17-25 carries, Ridley WILL produce.

No doubt, Blount out in the open vs. a secondary is more explosive, but I want a guy like Ridley who can go 5, 4, 3, 10, 2, 5, 3, 4, 7. etc.... not 22,1,2,1,5,2......


Anyway, like a said many times before, I'm a huge Ridley advocate and believe that he IS going to bounce back with a HUGE season. He certainly needs to fix his carry style and also needs to stop that spin move at the LOS and he should be good. He has very good running instincts and can wear away at a D

It was well known that Blount didn't deliver in short yardage at Tampa, like you'd expect a 250 pounder to. He actually improved last year (got lower etc.) but still, he takes a while to get going most times. Ridley seems to burst through small gaps.

I would have kept both and i don't think Blount was dancing, he's just a freight train that needs to build up, rather than explosive off the snap. I couldn't have illustrated the difference better. Consistent runs over 3 without many stops keep the chains moving and that's Ridley.

 

[RayClay]

I'd love Ridley in the first, Blount in the second half, when the D gets arm weary. It's an amazing fact, that all RBs value has plummeted like a penny stock in recent years.

 

[joepatsfan]

It was well known that Blount didn't deliver in short yardage at Tampa, like you'd expect a 250 pounder to. He actually improved last year (got lower etc.) but still, he takes a while to get going most times. Ridley seems to burst through small gaps.

I would have kept both and i don't think Blount was dancing, he's just a freight train that needs to build up, rather than explosive off the snap. I couldn't have illustrated the difference better. Consistent runs over 3 without many stops keep the chains moving and that's Ridley.

Yeah I guess Blount wasnt dancing around. But I have this image on him like almost chugging toward the edge or hole which looks like him shuffling his feet or whatever.

You hit it right on when you said it takes alot to get Blount going. That's what bothers me. He just can't hit a hole. It has to be gaping.

Don't get me wrong, for what we paid Blount I loved what he did, but Ridley is the kind of back I love. Finds something outta nothing. Always gets positive yards. And can wear down a D given the carries

 

[Triumph]

I don't think Ridley and Bolden belong in the same category. If one of last year's RBs gets cut, it's Bolden IMO.

Not if Ridley keeps fumbling.

 

[Triumph]

I like Bolden as a backup but..........If any of the other RB's show more in camp and PS, and Bolden can't stay healthy, replacing him would be a good move for the Patriots....

They are strong at RB right now...improving that position isn't a bad thing.

Bolden is my favorite player.

I like the skill set he brings and he usually busts off a nice run or two when he gets an opportunity. Its do or die time for Bolden to crack the game day roster on a consistent basis or pack his bags.

 

[Nunchucks]

Blount rushed 54 times for 322 yards, 6.0 average, and 5 touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Most of these runs were in decided games. In the other 3 quarters of the games, he rushed 99 times for 450 yards, 4.5 average, and 2 touchdowns.

In addition, this belief that he broke these long runs is ridiculous; Blount had 4 runs of 20+ yards last season –
- 47 against Atlanta
- 36 against Buffalo
- 23 against Pittsburg
- 23 against Tampa

All 3 of these 4 long runs occurred in the fourth quarter and the other occurred in the Bills game in week 17.

So you are saying that most of Blount's runs came when defenses were expecting run and the Patriots were trying to put the game away?

5 runs of 20+ yards.

 

[primetime]

What is an average carry? Do you have some statistics?

Here you go. I put this together using play-by-play data since 2000. A "typical carry" or average carry is any (qualifying) carry regardless of down, distance, and so on - this shows the odds that a carry would result in X measure of success. It's "typical" in the statistical sense.

 

[BTTA]

Actually, on an average carry, ...Blount was more likely to fumble, as well as more likely to break a large gain.

Not if Ridley keeps fumbling.

 

[Brady6]

So you are saying that most of Blount's runs came when defenses were expecting run and the Patriots were trying to put the game away?

5 runs of 20+ yards.

It really does not matter if they know you are going to run, in the fourth quarter a defense is worn down more than in the first 3 quarters. Blount’s production came primarily in the fourth quarter of the following games –

- Tampa
- Atlanta
- Pittsburg
- Baltimore
- Buffalo

In 4 of 5 of these games we held leads of 10+ points entering the fourth quarter.

 

[Nunchucks]

It really does not matter if they know you are going to run, in the fourth quarter a defense is worn down more than in the first 3 quarters. Blount’s production came primarily in the fourth quarter of the following games –

- Tampa
- Atlanta
- Pittsburg
- Baltimore
- Buffalo

In 4 of 5 of these games we held leads of 10+ points entering the fourth quarter.

Actually, it does matter...a lot. When the the other team desperately needed a stop, Blount kept the chains moving.

 

[Brady6]

What is an average carry? Do you have some statistics?

Blount has 579 carries and 23 receptions in the regular season in his career; he has fumbled 12 times and lost 8 of those fumbles. Ridley has 555 carries and 19 receptions in the regular season in his career; he has fumbled 9 times and lost 5 of those fumbles.

 

[Brady6]

Actually, it does matter...a lot. When the the other team desperately needed a stop, Blount kept the chains moving.

I do not think they desperately needed a stop long before Blount entered the game and gain all of his yards. They did not get that stop and by that point it was over and the team was worn down. It is called garbage time yardage.

 

[JackBauer]

Bolden is my favorite player.

This explains so much.

 

[Kontradiction]

Blount, as was known, really needed 2-3 steps before he really got going. If the OL couldn't provide him that, he was usually getting stopped for a loss. If they could provide him those 2-3 steps, he could easily break a 30+ yard run or take it the distance for a TD. Ridley doesn't need that same amount of time to get going. He's also capable of breaking those runs, if given a chance. There's no questioning his talent as a pure runner. He just has to get the fumbles under control or he won't get that chance.

 

[BelichickFan]

Blount, as was known, really needed 2-3 steps before he really got going. If the OL couldn't provide him that, he was usually getting stopped for a loss. If they could provide him those 2-3 steps, he could easily break a 30+ yard run or take it the distance for a TD. Ridley doesn't need that same amount of time to get going. He's also capable of breaking those runs, if given a chance.

The weird thing about Ridley is his long run last year was 29 yards. He looked like he was a big run waiting to happen and yet it never did. But Blount had several. Even Bolden had a 46 yard run.

I'm a "Ridley guy" but the lack of any long run was weird.

 

[RayClay]

The weird thing about Ridley is his long run last year was 29 yards. He looked like he was a big run waiting to happen and yet it never did. But Blount had several. Even Bolden had a 46 yard run.

I'm a "Ridley guy" but the lack of any long run was weird.

That's why they pass the ball. Give me a move the chains guy anytime.