Where did Dion Lewis come from?

[Triumph]

Thus far he is better than Faulk, Woodhead or Vereen.

Where Did Dion Lewis Come From?

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

The obvious answer is Mr & Mrs Lewis.

Outside of that, I'd say he had a good role model (for his style) in Shady McCoy. Much of it is his own mental toughness and being in a system that (A) takes what he is and (B) emphasizes it to maximum advantage.

I'm stoked for him and the Patriots. This is a FA homerun (so far and I don't see it changing). Defenses generally know what they are getting from him and they still can't cover him.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

He was great at Pittsburgh, I was all over the Pat's drafting him when he came out of college. But the NFL is a crap shoot. He went to bad organizations and got hurt.

Now that he is healthy and in a role that is perfectly suited to him, He is doing great.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

I wonder how many players never got a chance. Anyone see the football life on Tarell Davis? It was just a comedy of bad luck. If it wasn't for a huge special teams tackle in preseason the coach's probably wouldn't know his name and neither would we.

 

[NashuaPats]

I wonder how many players never got a chance. Anyone see the football life on Tarell Davis? It was just a comedy of bad luck. If it wasn't for a huge special teams tackle in preseason the coach's probably wouldn't know his name and neither would we.

Kurt Warner is another one. He was in the arena league and NFL Europe before getting the backup job in St.Louis. If it wasn't for a Trent Green injury, he may never have started an NFL game, nevermind become a two time MVP and potential Hall of Famer.

 

[JMC00]

Patriots are the best team at finding/developing 3rd down/receiving backs.

Faulk (Carroll pick but his 2nd year was BB's 1st)
Woodhead
Vereen
Lewis

 

[manxman2601]

Patriots are the best team at finding/developing 3rd down/receiving backs.

Faulk (Carroll pick but his 2nd year was BB's 1st)
Woodhead
Vereen
Lewis

 

[SHOWTIME15]

outside of brady, is it safe to say he's been our MVP so far? 570 yards receiving and rushing, 4 TDs.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Kurt Warner is another one. He was in the arena league and NFL Europe before getting the backup job in St.Louis. If it wasn't for a Trent Green injury, he may never have started an NFL game, nevermind become a two time MVP and potential Hall of Famer.

There's that and I once heard of a skinny kid drafted in the 6th round (199th pick) who turned into the best QB ever. Of course Bill Polian discovered him, but he already had the best regular season QB to play the game and locking up this guy (or keeping him from the rest of the league) wasn't worth a 5th round pick.

 

[upstater1]

It happens more than we care to admit.

What about Derek Wake?

He went to Canada, changed his name to Cameron, and then came back to dominate.

It's not like he was unheralded in college. He had a great career at Penn State. Scouts missed him. He was an athletic freak at PSU.

 

[patfanken]

That was a great article, but there is one thing I would have liked to have known more about, and that was the process the Pats used in deciding to sign him to a futures contract and Lewis' decision process in choosing the Pats to go to.

It was clear Brady was a big fan even while the rest of us figured that he was just camp fodder. It is hard not to like this kid even beyond his on field production. How can you hate someone who is a Harry Potter fan, and is smart enough to take a deal that works for both the team and himself. It seems he really understands that who he plays for really does effect how well he plays.

The kid has given the Pats over 100 yards of offense in every game he's played. He is a good enough runner that some day I wouldn't mind seeing in how he would do with a FB in the backfield. The kid pushes the pile most of the time. Something Jame White hasn't done once. And like all the 3rd down backs before him, he acts like a perfect Patriot, both on and off the field.

He and Blount are a perfect compliment to each other.

 

[patchick]

outside of brady, is it safe to say he's been our MVP so far? 570 yards receiving and rushing, 4 TDs.

Or perhaps it's safe to say that we're starting to take Gronk for granted?
646 yards receiving and 7 TDs, while also being a monster force as a blocker.

IMO Lewis and Gronk are also two of the most fun players to watch in the whole league. Every time they get the ball in their hands you brace for something special -- Lewis leaving a defender pirouetting behind him, or Gronk galloping down the seam wearing a linebacker like a kilt.

 

[Wheelman]

That was a great article, but there is one thing I would have liked to have known more about, and that was the process the Pats used in deciding to sign him to a futures contract and Lewis' decision process in choosing the Pats to go to.

It was clear Brady was a big fan even while the rest of us figured that he was just camp fodder. It is hard not to like this kid even beyond his on field production. How can you hate someone who is a Harry Potter fan, and is smart enough to take a deal that works for both the team and himself. It seems he really understands that who he plays for really does effect how well he plays.

The kid has given the Pats over 100 yards of offense in every game he's played. He is a good enough runner that some day I wouldn't mind seeing in how he would do with a FB in the backfield. The kid pushes the pile most of the time. Something Jame White hasn't done once. And like all the 3rd down backs before him, he acts like a perfect Patriot, both on and off the field.

He and Blount are a perfect compliment to each other.

Speak for yourself. I vaguely remembered his name when he was signed and remembered a good game or two. Of course the sample size was too small so I was thinking 3rd down back to replace Vereen.

 

[patfanken]

Speak for yourself. I vaguely remembered his name when he was signed and remembered a good game or two. Of course the sample size was too small so I was thinking 3rd down back to replace Vereen.

Well then pat yourself on the back, because my memory of what people were talking about early in TC didn't include anyone raving about Lewis. Remember that while his quickness was evident then, we rarely saw it in the context of real game speed. It was also clear he caught the ball well. But it seemed to me that ALL the RB's were catching the ball well that camp. And IIRC during the preseason, it was impossible to determine how ANY of the RB's were doing running the ball because of the OL issues we were having then.

No, Wheelman, if you knew that Lewis was going to be even close to the impact player he's turned out to be, back during the preseason, then you are among a very small group.

 

[Wheelman]

Well then pat yourself on the back, because my memory of what people were talking about early in TC didn't include anyone raving about Lewis. Remember that while his quickness was evident then, we rarely saw it in the context of real game speed. It was also clear he caught the ball well. But it seemed to me that ALL the RB's were catching the ball well that camp. And IIRC during the preseason, it was impossible to determine how ANY of the RB's were doing running the ball because of the OL issues we were having then.

No, Wheelman, if you knew that Lewis was going to be even close to the impact player he's turned out to be, back during the preseason, then you are among a very small group.

I didn't. I just figured he had a good shot at 3rd down duties and wasn't just camp fodder. He's been more than just a 3rd down back. He's exceeded my expectations.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

I like to think belichick traded his 2016 1st rounder for Lewis.

If you compare Lewis to this years loaded running back class, he would go second only to gurley.

It also keeps me from wanting to strangle the collective league office.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

outside of brady, is it safe to say he's been our MVP so far? 570 yards receiving and rushing, 4 TDs.

I wouldn't go that far...but he is a strong candidate for NFL Comeback Player of the Year

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

I like to think belichick traded his 2016 1st rounder for Lewis.

If you compare Lewis to this years loaded running back class, he would go second only to gurley.

It also keeps me from wanting to strangle the collective league office.

Well there's an interesting thought. You really think Lewis is a 1st round caliber player, eh?

That definitely compensates for losing next year's draft pick, or at least lessens the sting

 

[Concussion Protocol]

I'm almost ready to declare that Lewis is more than just "This year's Roy Finch"

 

[robbomango]