LaMont Jordan vs. Sammy Morris

[Rob0729]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I think both will be kept. Morris is important as a backup to Maroney and Jordon was a steal. I don't think he is quite as good as Morris as a runner and not quite as good as Faulk in receiving, but he is close enought to both to be very usefull.

The Morris injury really hurt us last year. No need to cut one of them and possibly be right back in that situation again.

I don't know. I don't think Morris is nearly as good as a rusher as Jordan. Remember Jordan did have 1,000 yards his first year with the Raiders and with their offense in 2005, that is a miracle. He also had 159 yards rushing against Denver and 121 yards and a TD against Cleveland last year before getting injured.

Morris isn't as good of a receiver as Faulk, but they play different roles in the receiving game. Faulk is much more a YAC guy with short routes like screens where as Jordan is more of an intermediate route guy.

 

[BRiZ]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

i think Jordan is more than capable of filling the backup RB role. He is a legit #1 starting RB for crying out loud, Morris is a career backup. I have a hard time seeing them keep 5 rbs, Maroney, Jordan, Faulk is fine. That roster spot is gunna be needed badly for someone else in another position. Theres just not enough touches a game for Maroney, Morris, Jordan, Faulk, especially with our passing offense on steriods.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I don't know. I don't think Morris is nearly as good as a rusher as Jordan. Remember Jordan did have 1,000 yards his first year with the Raiders and with their offense in 2005, that is a miracle. He also had 159 yards rushing against Denver and 121 yards and a TD against Cleveland last year before getting injured.

I would have said the same thing before last year, but Morris really impressed me before he was injured.

Maybe you are right... I'd have to see them both play to get a better feel for it. Right now, based on what I saw of Morris last year, I like him better as the backup to Maroney.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

Jordan wouldn't have signed in New England as quickly as he did if he didn't have a very reasonable expectation of making the team.

Maroney is the team's #1 back.

Morris was an excellent #2 back last season prior to his injury.

Faulk is, perhaps, the best 3rd down back in the NFL.

Evans is as close to a fullback as the team has.


Given the injury history at rb in the past 3 seasons, I fully expect the team to keep 5 backs.

 

[n8wood]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

Eh, you still need A fullback. It's not easy running against a goal-line defense with no-lead blocker. Especially if there is no pure blocking tight end a la Daniel Graham. Ideally you want to run behind a lead blocker and a blocking TE. If you cut Evans, the Pats have neither. And these short-yardage situations occur every game.

If I remember correctly in 2004, our best rushing season of the BB era, the only FB on the roster was Patrick Pass. He was not used as a blocking FB. In goaline situations, it was either a single back or Seymour filled in to block.

Evans is not a lock.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I think the Lamont Jordan signing have alot to do with Laurence Maroney...i don't think he's the kind of RB BB really likes.

:wha:

If they didn't like Maroney, WTF did they draft him so high?

 

[Rob0729]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I would have said the same thing before last year, but Morris really impressed me before he was injured.

Maybe you are right... I'd have to see them both play to get a better feel for it. Right now, based on what I saw of Morris last year, I like him better as the backup to Maroney.

Even last year. Jordan was running better before they both got injured. And teams put 8 and even 9 in the box against the Raiders because they didn't fear their passing game at all. Morris benefitted from Brady, Moss, and Welker. Can you say the same thing about Jordan benefitting from Josh McCown/Daunte Culpepper, Jerry Porter, and Ronald Curry?

I appreciated what Morris did last year, but I think Jordan could have performed better if he was in the Pats' offense. That isn't a swipe at Morris, but Jordan is one of the best change of pace/3rd down RBs in the league when healthy.

 

[BPF]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I haven't heard the greatest things about LaMont in Oakland

"They'll find out Randy can't run consistently anymore. He'll drive [Tom] Brady and [Bill] Belichick crazy. This is just my personal opinion from what I saw: He's losing his legs. He's becoming an old man fast." -Art Shell

Wasn't the case for Moss as you point out on every one of your posts.

I like Morris he does a lot of things very well, he runs hard and breaks tackles for extra yards and he is adept at both running and blocking. He is a physical player with good vision and instincts and cuts well. He also does a nice job squaring up in pass pro. He has good balance and is a quick/nifty runner, although his speed is not great. The best thing about him is that he's a one-cut and gone runner, no dancing. He also has good hands. He is a solid core special teams player as well. He has value in the following areas: running, blocking, receiving and special teams. Simply put he is a solid football player but what he doesn't do well is stay healthy and he has proven that throughout his 8 yrs in the league and in college. Only 3x has he played a full 16 game schedule. Once he gets up to 80-100 carries for the season he wears down, it's been a pattern since his college days. As a redshirt frosh he rushed for 226 yds, ineligible as a soph and junior because of academics (did earn commissioner’s honor roll after his junior year), rushed for 562 yds as a senior, injured shoulder and missed 2 games.

So although I do like Morris it's a must to keep Jordan because inevidibly Morris will get hurt if he gets up there in carries. Not a question of if, only when. Jordan has proven that he can carry the load and stay healthy. The Pats should rush the ball 450-525 times as a team this season, in a perfect world I'd like to see Maroney with 250-285 of those carries, Jordan with 125-155 and Morris with 75-85 and Faulk running a few draws here or there on 3rd down.

 

[Kdo5]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I don't know. I don't think Morris is nearly as good as a rusher as Jordan. Remember Jordan did have 1,000 yards his first year with the Raiders and with their offense in 2005, that is a miracle. He also had 159 yards rushing against Denver and 121 yards and a TD against Cleveland last year before getting injured.

Morris isn't as good of a receiver as Faulk, but they play different roles in the receiving game. Faulk is much more a YAC guy with short routes like screens where as Jordan is more of an intermediate route guy.

Sammy Morris isn't a starter!!! Thats why he has never had a one thousand yard season like Jordan.

From what Raiders fans tell me, Jordan was the guy for Kerry Collins to dump the ball off to when in doubt. He only had 500 some yards out of those 70 catches? Also he apparently he had a knack for dropping the ball a lot. I wouldn't praise him by these stats. Say what ya want and that they are Raiders fans and want to act like we got a sucky player but I'm at least going to watch some preseason games and see what hes got.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

Sammy Morris isn't a starter!!! Thats why he has never had a one thousand yard season like Jordan.

From what Raiders fans tell me, Jordan was the guy for Kerry Collins to dump the ball off to when in doubt. He only had 500 some yards out of those 70 catches? Also he apparently he had a knack for dropping the ball a lot. I wouldn't praise him by these stats. Say what ya want and that they are Raiders fans and want to act like we got a sucky player but I'm at least going to watch some preseason games and see what hes got.

Jordan isn't a starter either. The Raiders just used him that way. What he is (at least when healthy), one of the best change of pace RBs in the league. As Jets fans how good he was as a change of pace back. Just because Al Davis is crazy and senile paid Jordan to be a starter when he was great as a change of pace back, doesn't mean he isn't a great change of pace back because he was miscast as a starter for the Raiders.

If you listen to Raiders fans, Moss wouldn't have even beat out Reche Caldwell for a roster spot last year. Sorry, but the Raiders' line has been attrocious since before Jordan got there. Their passing offense has been mediocre at best during that time and sometimes downright putrid.

I have seen Jordan enough in the role he will play with the Pats when he was with the Jets with my own eyes to know that if he is healthy, he will be an upgrade at the position. The fact he did anything with the Raiders is a huge positive for him.

 

[TB146]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I don't think there has to be a battle between Jordan and Morris. They might have similar running skills or at least similar roles with the Pats, but Jordan is the better pass-catching back and Morris is the better blocker.

Having 5 backs (4RB/1FB) helps in a lot of ways - depth and versatility in the backfield, a more formidable threat that defenses will have to take into account (and therefore can't just focus on Moss and Welker), perhaps an option to help out with the blocking and catching roles of the TEs if they can't stay healthy, help on defense because the more they can convert 3rd and short or 4th and 1, the less time the defense has to be on the field, etc.

 

[jeffbiologist]

The most important thing a RB can do in NE is BLOCK for Brady! For this reason alone having a year in the system would favor Morris. I can see keeping both of them at Eckel's expense, but can someone post Jordans cap number please! Lastly, I want the 2-3-4 RBs playing STs, and I think Evans is our surest footed RB in bad weather games(that we do have here in NE). And I think it likely one of these 3 will be at least a little dinged this year, with the bye week early I wouldnt be surprised with alot of movement at the bottom of the roster the first month.

 

[BPF]

The most important thing a RB can do in NE is BLOCK for Brady! For this reason alone having a year in the system would favor Morris. I can see keeping both of them at Eckel's expense, but can someone post Jordans cap number please! Lastly, I want the 2-3-4 RBs playing STs, and I think Evans is our surest footed RB in bad weather games(that we do have here in NE). And I think it likely one of these 3 will be at least a little dinged this year, with the bye week early I wouldnt be surprised with alot of movement at the bottom of the roster the first month.

http://www.patscap.com/capfootnotes.html#jordan

Lamont Jordan - According to the NFLPA.org website Jordan got an one-year deal that included a $850,000 salary.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

We need good backs.
Maroney and Morris need a Lamont for backup.
Lamont is more of a FB type back than Sammy but both are productive and SMART.

I think it's great to have both guys. LaMont was good for the NYJ and I was suprised when the Raiders snagged him. We need the extra security of another back that can carry the rock. It was exciting to hear we aquired him.

He'll be ready and he'll do well.
So won't Maroney and Morris....good vibes.

 

[friggs]

Re: LaMont Jordan vs Sammy Morris

I prefer Sammy to LaMont Jordan. I haven't heard the greatest things about LaMont in Oakland and I was impressed by Sammy from what I saw last season. He runs hard and at times was doing better than Maroney. I think Sammy is 100% anyways.

Remember we didn't hear the greatest things about Moss in Oakland either. Oakland has a way of doing that to people I think.

 

[RayClay]

I see no problem with 5 backs (including Heath).

A consistent running game is the best way to keep Brady's Jersey clean, ensure wide open routes at the right time and get that oline kicking ass again.

I see a de-emphasis on TE blocking in favor of Heath and Sammy Morris. That Jordan better do some blocking too.

We are talking only 1 spot here.