Article advocates using Gray more.

I originally titled this thread:

IS DIKEMBE WRITING FOR MASSLIVE? (but the mods changed the title for whatever reason)

IMHO this article could be titled: RESPECT THE CLOCK WITH JONES GRAY.

http://blog.masslive.com/patriots/2014/12/backfield_balance_patriots_nee.html

Of course, if Dikembe DID write it, he's obviously gotten a ghostwriter... and taken off his caps lock.

This is a no-brainer, and I'm surprised that Gray has remained in Belichick's doghouse for quite this long.

The telling statistics:

--Blount has been stopped for 1 yard or less on 16/42 situations since re-joining the Pats, for an insanely high 38% of his carries that are not including obvious short yardage situations (which he's never historically been great at anyway, although it seems as though he's improved this year).

--Gray, on the other hand, has only been stopped for 1 yard or less on 12/72 situations this year, for a much, much lower 16.6% rate. As the article points out, this means that Blount is putting the team in long yardage situations on more than 2 times the rate that Gray is.

I would give everything to see Dikembe (the pats fans poster, or the real guy too I s'pose that'd be funny) to join Felger and Mazz for a day.
Felger:"What is with this respecting of the clock?"
Mazz:"It's unacceptable Mike, the fans demand better. Bill Belichick has absolutely no regard to the clock. He's like Josh Beckett that no good beer drinking chicken wing eating phony."
Dikembe:JOSH BECKETT BEST PITCHER OF ALL TIME
Mazz:

oldrover said:

This article could be titled: RESPECT THE CLOCK WITH JONES GRAY

http://blog.masslive.com/patriots/2014/12/backfield_balance_patriots_nee.html

Obviously he's gotten a ghostwriter... and taken off the caps lock... but the message is clear.

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supafly said:

This is a no-brainer, and I'm surprised that Gray has remained in Belichick's doghouse for quite this long.

The telling statistics:

--Blount has been stopped for 1 yard or less on 16/42 situations since re-joining the Pats, for an insanely high 38% of his carries that are not including obvious short yardage situations (which he's never historically been great at anyway, although it seems as though he's improved this year).

--Gray, on the other hand, has only been stopped for 1 yard or less on 12/72 situations this year, for a much, much lower 16.6% rate. As the article points out, this means that Blount is putting the team in long yardage situations on more than 2 times the rate that Gray is.

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IMO Blount should not see more then 7 to 10 att per game unless he is hot if not Gray should be the guy getting the 15 plus touches

Excellent article Dikembe. Respect the clock 1st half, punish the enemy 2nd half..

patsfan-1982 said:

IMO Blount should not see more then 7 to 10 att per game unless he is hot if not Gray should be the guy getting the 15 plus touches

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Gray has literally played like 2 games. Once against the Bears (turrible defense) and then against the Colts. That's not enough evidence to say he's better than Blount. But, I do agree he should be getting more than 1 carry a game. Bolden didn't become a star after tearing up Denver and Buffalo his rookie season.

patsfan-1982 said:

IMO Blount should not see more then 7 to 10 att per game unless he is hot if not Gray should be the guy getting the 15 plus touches

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I think it may be dependent on the situation and opponent, so I wouldn't want to have pre-established "rules," for any number of touches.

That said, I definitely agree with you that I wouldn't mind seeing Gray as the guy who receives some lead back touches prior to the post-season. You never know when you may see an injury at the position, not to mention the fact that I'd really like to see more of Gray and what he may offer in the future as well. After all, a decision needs to be made with Stevan Ridley.

I like Gray and the Gray story (excluding him being in the doghouse), however, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Froob is precisely correct in that the sample size on Gray is too small to conclude his production is likely to remain high (Gray remains more of an unknown). On the other hand Blount's sample size is big enough to determine his 'likelihood of production'.
As my memory recalls, Blount also had some poor running performances in '13. Yet he would rip one off here and there, and have a monster game now and again.

One could argue the running game the last two weeks mostly has not been good all around. Some of it might be due to defense's 'playing up', some of it (I'm sure) was poor running by Blount (possible rust?), and some of it was OL blocking issues (several video replays revealed atrociously bad missed blocks). Let's see what Blount can do when the OL formations prior to GB return (meaning when Fleming is back). If Blount flounders in the next two games with Fleming back yet Gray's lesser amount of carries are fruitful, yea it's probably time to up Gray's carries and lessen Blount's carries. But for the time being 'the guy' should remain Blount (and for god's sake please no more with the Vereen runs up the middle)

TheBostonStraggler said:

(and for god's sake please no more with the Vereen runs up the middle)

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This deserves its own thread, futile though it might be.

I still could be convinced that Dikembe is Ron Borges in mufti. Or that Borges is channeling his inner Bob Marley.

supafly said:

This is a no-brainer, and I'm surprised that Gray has remained in Belichick's doghouse for quite this long.

The telling statistics:

--Blount has been stopped for 1 yard or less on 16/42 situations since re-joining the Pats, for an insanely high 38% of his carries that are not including obvious short yardage situations (which he's never historically been great at anyway, although it seems as though he's improved this year).

--Gray, on the other hand, has only been stopped for 1 yard or less on 12/72 situations this year, for a much, much lower 16.6% rate. As the article points out, this means that Blount is putting the team in long yardage situations on more than 2 times the rate that Gray is.

Click to expand...

Good post but I think we need to add a little context to the numbers....

The crux of the problem is that the Pats offensive line is not a physically dominant one to begin with and one of the worst short yardage teams in the league. Football Outsiders does a good job of calling this out.

I also think SD played a very good defensive game. They constantly had 7-8 guys in the box and plenty of players loaded in the middle of the field. On the other hand, I think the Pats run blocking vs SD was pretty bad.

Most of Gray's carries have come vs horrible defensive clubs (Indy and CHI) and vs DEN (a good run D) he went..3,3,1 no gain, no gain, no gain, 7, 13, 2, -1, 6, and -1. That is 50% of his carries going for 1 yard or less.

My point: Its not all on Blount "tap-dancing" behind the LoS or not seeing the hole properly. Some of it has to do with the line and the caliber of defense that they are facing.

robertweathers said:

Good post but I think we need to add a little context to the numbers....

The crux of the problem is that the Pats offensive line is not a physically dominant one to begin with and one of the worst short yardage teams in the league. Football Outsiders does a good job of calling this out.

I also think SD played a very good defensive game. They constantly had 7-8 guys in the box and plenty of players loaded in the middle of the field. On the other hand, I think the Pats run blocking vs SD was pretty bad.

Most of Gray's carries have come vs horrible defensive clubs (Indy and CHI) and vs DEN (a good run D) he went..3,3,1 no gain, no gain, no gain, 7, 13, 2, -1, 6, and -1. That is 50% of his carries going for 1 yard or less.

My point: Its not all on Blount "tap-dancing" behind the LoS or not seeing the hole properly. Some of it has to do with the line and the caliber of defense that they are facing.

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I think a lot of people can serve to jump off the gray clown car. That said, I would like to see him get more carries simply so we (fans) can see what we have in him. I don't think he is anything that special, maybe just a slightly more talented runner in the mold of Bolden, maybe a BJGE-type with a little upside?

You can't really tell right now. His snaps have been far too limited, with the huge majority coming against a garbage Indy run defense.

Changed the thread title. Fun is fun but we have had enough Dikembe titled threads.

PATSNUTme said:

Changed the thread title. Fun is fun but we have had enough Dikembe titled threads.

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Did you have to make it so blandly utilitarian? AHA!

Froob said:

Gray has literally played like 2 games. Once against the Bears (turrible defense) and then against the Colts. That's not enough evidence to say he's better than Blount. But, I do agree he should be getting more than 1 carry a game. Bolden didn't become a star after tearing up Denver and Buffalo his rookie season.

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And Denver, who has a fantastic rush defense.

I was expecting Bolden's name to be brought up - even wondered about it myself - but it isn't an apt comparison. Almost all of Brandon's carries against Buffalo came in the second half of a blowout and he only ran for 3.9 ypc against Denver. The other important factor is that Ridley could do everything Bolden could whereas Gray has a skill set unmatched by anyone else on the team.

There's a Jonas Gray sighting to open the 2nd half. Let's hope that he can provide a spark to the running game.

I really liked the vision that he provided in the other games, and I still believe that he's the better choice for more of a "lead back." (Understanding the obvious RBBC system)

Jonas has been our best, most consistent runner this season. And although other factors have contributed, I think it's more than just mere coincidence that our recent struggles on offense began around the time of his benching + promotion of a backup caliber RB [albeit quality backup but still a backup/complimentary] in Blount to get vast majority of carries over Gray, and seems to have ended once Bill finally stopped being stubborn and put him back in [seventeen points on three drives this half].

PATSYLICIOUS said:

Jonas has been our best, most consistent runner this season. And although other factors have contributed, I think it's more than just mere coincidence that our recent struggles on offense began around the time of his benching + promotion of a backup caliber RB [albeit quality backup but still a backup/complimentary] in Blount to get vast majority of carries over Gray, and seems to have ended once Bill finally stopped being stubborn and put him back in [seventeen points on three drives this half].

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Gray is very elusive. Looks like Jamal Charles without the extra gear. Turns losses into gains and can catch out of the backfield. His time is coming and that right soon. Yeah it's early but clearly there is something there to this guy.

Coaching staff really needs to pair Blount and gray more. they seem to be giving everything to one or the other