Are you making a big deal about the Ridley fumble?

Stevan Ridley: 'Sick feeling' with fumble - espnBoston

Ridley's final play in Friday's preseason victory over the Philadelphia Eagles was ruled a fumble. The Patriots recovered, but Ridley didn't play again, which was a déjà vu of sorts to last December when he was a healthy scratch for a game against the Houston Texans after multiple fumbles.

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I think this has been overblown. Most RB's fumble. And I think BB bench's/benched all RB's that had ball control issues. This is mostly a media, microscope, BS story. It now is in Ridley's head. And even worse, he has a target on his back as "The guy who can be easily be stripped of the ball".

Silver Blue&Red said:

I think this has been overblown. Most RB's fumble. And I think BB bench's/benched all RB's that had ball control issues. This is mostly a media, microscope, BS story. It now is in Ridley's head. And even worse, he has a target on his back as "The guy who can be easily be stripped of the ball".

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When the media benches Ridley for fumbling, it'll be a meda issue. As long as it's BB doing the benching time and time again, it won't be "mostly a media microscope".

BB explained post practice what unacceptable fumbling is...lack of concentration. He explained that fumbles happen in the heat of combat and that a fact of life in the NFL but fumbling because a player isn't concentrating, or being lazy on a play is NOT what he wants to see. He practically ran an OJ defense for Ridley and stated that reading anything into Ridley leaving game two as anything other than his night was over was something you'd have to ask the press. In other words, he gave them nothing to chew on.

Deus Irae said:

When the media benches Ridley for fumbling, it'll be a meda issue. As long as it's BB doing the benching time and time again, it won't be "mostly a media microscope".

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I would venture to say that many RB's or any "player" for that matter, have been "benched" or left out of a series or two. I don't see being "benched" two times or so, as being " time and time again". My point is, is that media sometimes bring a "story" like this and beat it to death. Just my opinion, of course.

Silver Blue&Red said:

I would venture to say that many RB's or any "player" for that matter, have been "benched" or left out of a series or two. I don't see being "benched" two times or so, as being " time and time again". My point is, is that media sometimes bring a "story" like this and beat it to death. Just my opinion, of course.

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He's been benched multiple times, and not just for a series or two. Also,

Stevan Ridley began last season as the Patriots’ starting running back, but after a stretch in which he lost fumbles in three straight games, he was benched and didn’t start another game the rest of the year. Now he’s warning his teammates that fumbling has consequences.

“I told one of the young guys today, that’s the quickest way to get off the field,” Ridley said. “You can ask me first.”

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Stevan Ridley has learned: Fumbles are the quickest way off the field | ProFootballTalk

This isn't a media creation.

the only thing I am concerned about is if and when he fumbles in the regular season BB will bench him for the rest of the game and maybe even IA him for the next week and shane Vereen is not a every down back and the rest of the RB's on the roster are not good,

I don't think his fumbles are that bad he fumbled once every 60 att last years and blount fumbled every 50 att. Ridley had around the same fumble % as Jamaal Charles so I am hoping it wont be a big problem once the season starts

He was also benched for a playoff game.

I do wonder if BB has treated this issue correctly -- by benching him, the negative reinforcement might make things worse -- if Ridley is in constant fear of fumbling, it might lead to more fumbling -- or to worse performance. Different players react differently to various coaching methods. Maybe Ridley could've used a form of positive reinforcement.

BB says "I wouldn't read too much into that being his last play" but BB could have also instilled some confidence in Ridley by having him play one more series so his week didn't end on a fumble and the media wouldn't be asking about it.

Deus Irae said:

He's been benched multiple times, and not just for a series or two. Also,



profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/06/stevan-ridley-has-learned-fumbles-are-the-quickest-way-off-the-field/

This isn't a media creation.

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So your using media as a "not media creation"? The guy has issues with dropping the ball. Just not as bad as the media portrays. Or worse than the average RB, which I think he is. I'm not going to pretend I have the time or expertise to show otherwise, but if you can show stats to counter this, other than "not media creation", I will shut up and go away.

Deus Irae said:

He's been benched multiple times, and not just for a series or two. Also,



Stevan Ridley has learned: Fumbles are the quickest way off the field | ProFootballTalk

This isn't a media creation.

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Ridley only fumbled a total of four times last season. By your story above he was then benched after his third, and possibly benched for a second time again after #4. Now here is #3, or is it?

I don't think that two or three benchings constitutes "time after time', or the impression created by 'multiple times' But you are literally correct.

BB wanted him to improve his ball carrying technique, and it appears Ridley has done so. Ridley is coachable, conscientous, and is not repeating his erroneous ball carrying.

The Media sharks smell blood in the water.

AzPatsFan said:

Ridley only fumbled a total of four times last season. By your story above he was then benched after his third, and possibly benched for a second time again after #4. Now here is #3, or is it?

I don't think that two or three benchings constitutes "time after time', or the impression created by 'multiple times' But you are literally correct.

BB wanted him to improve his ball carrying technique, and it appears Ridley has done so. Ridley is coachable, conscientous, and is not repeating his erroneous ball carrying.

The Media sharks smell blood in the water.

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Mine isn't a 'story'. it's what's actually happened, corroborated by Ridley himself.

Ridley doesn't need people to white knight for him, and those white knights trying to blame the media, when he's admittedly getting benched for fumbling, is pathetic.

Silver Blue&Red said:

So your using media as a "not media creation"? The guy has issues with dropping the ball. Just not as bad as the media portrays. Or worse than the average RB, which I think he is. I'm not going to pretend I have the time or expertise to show otherwise, but if you can show stats to counter this, other than "not media creation", I will shut up and go away.

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Yes, I'm using the "media", otherwise known as "Ridley's own words".

And whether anything is average, or not, is irrelevant. All that matters is that what's been reported as happening was actually happening. Since it has been actually happening, and a player being benched by his coach for his play is legitimate news, it's not a media creation.

AzPatsFan said:

Ridley only fumbled a total of four times last season. By your story above he was then benched after his third, and possibly benched for a second time again after #4. Now here is #3, or is it?

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I think it was more of the fact that he fumbled 3 games in a row. After that, what else are you going to do but bench him; especially after past issues in other seasons?

There's also the fact that 2 of his 4 fumbles allowed us to see 14 point swings, as we were driving down the field only to have his fumbles (twice) returned by the defense for touchdowns. Not only putting the ball on the ground, but also allowing the opposition to score TDs is definitely going to get you benched.

Personally, I don't believe that Ridley's season will be over when he fumbles, but if it happens twice in a month-long stretch, or has some poor circumstances to it---look out. I would imagine that Belichick takes the context of the situation into account. That said, Ridley is not creating a positive reputation for himself, and that could add to putting Belichick in a corner as well.

supafly said:

I think it was more of the fact that he fumbled 3 games in a row. After that, what else are you going to do but bench him; especially after past issues in other seasons?

There's also the fact that 2 of his 4 fumbles allowed us to see 14 point swings, as we were driving down the field only to have his fumbles (twice) returned by the defense for touchdowns. Not only putting the ball on the ground, but also allowing the opposition to score TDs is definitely going to get you benched.

Personally, I don't believe that Ridley's season will be over when he fumbles, but if it happens twice in a month-long stretch, or has some poor circumstances to it---look out. I would imagine that Belichick takes the context of the situation into account. That said, Ridley is not creating a positive reputation for himself, and that could add to putting Belichick in a corner as well.

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I think Belichick had already moved on. He saw a problem. He coached. The player accepted the coaching, and changed. Next Problem.

BB wouldn't even confirm he benched Ridley, this time, since Ridley was carrying the ball correctly, as he was coached.

But BB, ever the Coach, could not condone putting the Ball on the carpet, ever. What coach would?

Meanwhile the Mediot jackals howled.

I think playing to an 'obvious whistle' would be BB's interpretation of 'ball security'. If you can control the ball to pretty much everyone on both sidelines has heard the whistle then he would feel comfortable with the ball coming out after that. Anything before that time he would have issue with....

PATS16N0 said:

I don't think any fan trusts Ridley right now.

Anyone who claim to trust him would have to be able to say "Him fumbling doesn't even cross my mind when he's taking hand offs in a big game that's expected to be close."

Very talented ball runner and likable member of the Patriots squad but he's going to need a consistent season before I stop keeping my fingers crossed. I breath a little sigh of relief every time the officials whistle him down.

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I trust Ridley absolutely fine. I just accept that RBs will fumble. I trust Brady...even though I know heis going to throw the odd INT. I trust Gronkowski even though he will run a wrong route every now and then and he will drop a football. No player is perfect.

A Running Back is going to fumble at least a couple of times. Ridley WILL fumble at some point this season, as will every starting RB in the league. Whilst we would all love to live in a fantasy world where our RB never fumbles, that's not going to happen.

Ridley had issues with his technique and I was always critical of him from the day he arrived here. I said there would be problems and he began to have those problems. It looks to me from pre-season that he has gotten some of those habits out of his play. We will find out as the season goes on whether or not that becomes the case.

He doesn't have fumble problems to the point you would need to trade or cut him though. The suggestion is absolutely ridiculous. He is our best RB. It is that simple.

voluntarysaftey said:

He was also benched for a playoff game.

I do wonder if BB has treated this issue correctly -- by benching him, the negative reinforcement might make things worse -- if Ridley is in constant fear of fumbling, it might lead to more fumbling -- or to worse performance. Different players react differently to various coaching methods. Maybe Ridley could've used a form of positive reinforcement.

BB says "I wouldn't read too much into that being his last play" but BB could have also instilled some confidence in Ridley by having him play one more series so his week didn't end on a fumble and the media wouldn't be asking about it.

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You'd reward Ridley with another series after he puts the ball on the field?

These guys are professional football players. Ridley should be terrified of turning over the ball. It kills drives, gives the other team good field position, puts greater pressure on the defense, and makes everybody's hard work pointless.

Tiki Barber was a turnover machine until Tom Coughlin got to NY and hounded him every waking second of every day about holding on to the damn football.

If this continues, he's gone.

Lets put it like this fumbler or Ridley's leash is so short with BB it's like dog collar. Every running back fumbles most of Ridley's fumble or of the careless variety not securing the ball well in traffic. There is only one fumble that was trully legit and that was when Pollard knocked him out the others were pretty pathetic.

UK_Pat37 said:

I trust Ridley absolutely fine. I just accept that RBs will fumble. I trust Brady...even though I know heis going to throw the odd INT. I trust Gronkowski even though he will run a wrong route every now and then and he will drop a football. No player is perfect.

A Running Back is going to fumble at least a couple of times. Ridley WILL fumble at some point this season, as will every starting RB in the league. Whilst we would all love to live in a fantasy world where our RB never fumbles, that's not going to happen.

Ridley had issues with his technique and I was always critical of him from the day he arrived here. I said there would be problems and he began to have those problems. It looks to me from pre-season that he has gotten some of those habits out of his play. We will find out as the season goes on whether or not that becomes the case.

He doesn't have fumble problems to the point you would need to trade or cut him though. The suggestion is absolutely ridiculous. He is our best RB. It is that simple.

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It's different with Brady throwing the occasional interceptions. Ridley had a fumble problem. That's why Belichick benched him more than once last year despite him being arguably the most talented RB on the team. He's had a fumble problem since he's gotten here. That isn't say to people don't like him, aren't rooting for him, or see him as a potential top 5 back. It is what it is.

When we play big time games this season, against teams that will make us pay for mistakes, I'll be nervous about Ridley fumbles until he proves I don't have to be.