Running Back and Fullback - Help From Other Teams

Obviously, can't tell from a few snaps in preseason, but i don't mind being the one to go out on that Dion Lewis limb, so check back and see.

Ivan said:

Lewis has looked really good, RB isn't a need but the interior OL is going to have to really step it up come regular season.

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Stork is the key to the interior OL When he and Wendell start, it should come together.

Hoohah must have a Develin voodoo doll, because he was the biggest beneficiary of Develin's broken leg.

I would love to have a FB like James Casey, but I find it unlikely that the Donkey-faces will release him.

If the Patriots were a run first team like the Bills and Jets, they would be putting a lot of
effort into improving their situation at running back. Instead, they have a HOF quarterback
and they emphasize the short to medium passing game.

Running back we should be set. Blocking is the problem not the RBs. For fullback I'm not sure. Who man maybe? Not ideal but....he can play it.

Froob said:

Running back we should be set. Blocking is the problem not the RBs. For fullback I'm not sure. Who man maybe? Not ideal but....he can play it.

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I don't know if I want Hooman to remain on the roster, just for that role. Plus, he had to leave the game last night for some unknown injury. We'll need to wait and see what it was.

Chiuba E. Obele said:

I don't know if I want Hooman to remain on the roster, just for that role. Plus, he had to leave the game last night for some unknown injury. We'll need to wait and see what it was.

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I actually like who man as a 3rd TE/backup FB. I wouldn't be surprised if Bolden played FB tbh. He's a decent blocker isn't he? We had law firm play fullback in 09 I think it was. He's a similarish size.

Froob said:

I actually like who man as a 3rd TE/backup FB. I wouldn't be surprised if Bolden played FB tbh. He's a decent blocker isn't he? We had law firm play fullback in 09 I think it was. He's a similarish size.

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Hooman's blocking success has declined with each year. I really think he shouldn't take up a roster spot

flasox27 said:

Stork is the key to the interior OL When he and Wendell start, it should come together.

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Has Stork been seen in the Locker room or working out on the other filed during practice? If so, did he appear as if he is close to returning?

My thesis is that Andrews is compounding the problem on the interior Offensive line. I agree that the rookie Gs are raw, but Andrews is contributing little. I recall when Wendell was playing Center he seldom had problems and excelled at getting to the second level and cutting off the offside pursuit. IMO that is an Andrews failing.

In the later stages of the games when Groy and Kline are inserted, the O line looked better. How much was due to their experience and talent or to lack of talent of the opposition's third stringers I hesitate to say.

Devlin's injury helps insure the roster spots for WilliamsTE and Hoomanawanui HB/TE. Or perhaps Archer.

Jimke said:

If the Patriots were a run first team like the Bills and Jets, they would be putting a lot of
effort into improving their situation at running back. Instead, they have a HOF quarterback
and they emphasize the short to medium passing game.

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So, two days ago Develin was a lock and an integral part of the offense. Now, since we are not a run first team, we don't need any improvement running the ball. OK

I don't know why Groy wasn't given much more playing time instead of Andrews. Perhaps, Groy was simply insurance.

AzPatsFan said:

Has Stork been seen in the Locker room or working out on the other filed during practice? If so, did he appear as if he is close to returning?

My thesis is that Andrews is compounding the problem on the interior Offensive line. I agree that the rookie Gs are raw, but Andrews is contributing little. I recall when Wendell was playing Center he seldom had problems and excelled at getting to the second level and cutting off the offside pursuit. IMO that is an Andrews failing.

In the later stages of the games when Groy and Kline are inserted, the O line looked better. How much was due to their experience and talent or to lack of talent of the opposition's third stringers I hesitate to say.

Devlin's injury helps insure the roster spots for WilliamsTE and Hoomanawanui HB/TE. Or perhaps Archer.

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RayClay said:

Specifically at RBs? I doubt it. OL, CB, maybe blocking TE now, WR. He'll look at RB and 3rd down backs too. Maybe QB. He'll look at DE and DT too.

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With Hoomanawanui, Cleveland and Williams already in Pats uniforms, not sure we'll see a blocking TE. I highly doubt we'll see a WR..

Corners and Interior O-line would be my guess..

AzPatsFan said:

Has Stork been seen in the Locker room or working out on the other filed during practice? If so, did he appear as if he is close to returning?

My thesis is that Andrews is compounding the problem on the interior Offensive line. I agree that the rookie Gs are raw, but Andrews is contributing little. I recall when Wendell was playing Center he seldom had problems and excelled at getting to the second level and cutting off the offside pursuit. IMO that is an Andrews failing.

In the later stages of the games when Groy and Kline are inserted, the O line looked better. How much was due to their experience and talent or to lack of talent of the opposition's third stringers I hesitate to say.

Devlin's injury helps insure the roster spots for WilliamsTE and Hoomanawanui HB/TE. Or perhaps Archer.

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Wendell, like Koppen can't diagnose a delayed blitz to save his life.. On more than a couple of occasions, he's nearly gotten Brady killed.. Stork and Connolly showed they could pick it up.

Andrews is a rookie and is thrust into an extremely complex scheme. He needs strength and conditioning as well as reps. He should be a decent 3rd center behind Wendell. The problem is that they have the scenario where Wendell and Stork are both out..

With 3 blocking TEs already on the roster (Hoomanawanui, Asante Cleveland, TE/OT Michael Williams) we're probably going to get a look at how well those guys line up in the backfield in the 4th preseason game.

This remains an offense where the 3rd TE (Wright, 31% of snaps) is more important than the FB (22% of snaps).

IMO with Devlin out we will see,

Blount
Boldin
Gray
Lewis
White

Cadet will be odd man out.

As of now, this would likely be a consensus.

Are those who think that we should carry 4 RB's and 0 FB's?

patsfan13 said:

IMO with Devlin out we will see,

Blount
Boldin
Gray
Lewis
White
Cadet will be odd man out.

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mgteich said:

As of now, this would likely be a consensus.

Are those who think that we should carry 4 RB's and 0 FB's?

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I wouldn't get nervous if that's the choice they make (4/0), with White the odd man out. If he gets hurt, Boldin can fill in until another guy is pulled from the street. I suspect if cut, White would be hanging around town just in case, anyway.

Why not use the newly traded for TE/OT Michael Williams in the Develin spot ? We've used offensive linemen as lead blockers before, and Develin is a hybrid FB/TE, we are using Williams as a 310 pound TE anyway. Might be a good fit.

Zuma said:

IMO I don't think BB will look to get a RB or FB. Develin was used just 19% of total plays last year at FB. I think BB may try to use Hooman or an O-lineman until he is back.

- I think our 3rd down starting back will be either Lewis or White and Bolden will be backup
- Gray has been ok this preseason. No need for a change there.
- Blount was injured and I think he is just a little slow getting back to form. Plus the O-line issues havent helped. I think he had 3.9 ypc last night....not terrible.
- I think we keep only 4 RB's

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I agree that I do not believe a FB will be brought on board. Now, I obviously could be wrong, but we run so much out of the single back formation and the big, unbalanced line set. It's effective enough. Blount and Gray are both bigger backs that can fight off the first defender in most cases as well.

I, too, also believe our answer to the 3rd down back position is in house. They have all shown that they can handle it and I expect it'll be somewhat 3rd down back by committee until maybe one of them establishes himself as THEE guy.

It'll be interesting to see what BB does on the defensive side of the ball. He has some presumably tough decisions in that front seven. How many bodies do we keep there when so many guys have played well. This and what he does along the O-Line could very well create a domino effect on other positions, including RB. I would like to see both Lewis and White stay, and Lewis is making a very very strong case for himself. I said that he'd probably be the one to go earlier in the week, but I have back way off of that position. If I was forced to decide today, then he'd be on the final roster.

betterthanthealternative said:

I wouldn't get nervous if that's the choice they make (4/0), with White the odd man out. If he gets hurt, Boldin can fill in until another guy is pulled from the street. I suspect if cut, White would be hanging around town just in case, anyway.

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I slightly disagree here. I think White is talented enough that he would catch on with another team. I think the assumption is always if the Pats don't want player x, then nobody else will want player x. And while it does seem that that has happened a bit in the past, there are also quite a few guys who caught on elsewhere. I feel White would be one of them.

All of this may be moot, however, because I also believe that he will make the team. He's a decent enough investment at this point to give him an opportunity in the regular season, whether some of us feel he's done enough or not. The coaches often see and consider things that the average fan cannot and doesn't.