Interesting Stat Through Three Games

After three games, Shane Vereen and Danny Woodhead have almost identical numbers: 12 receptions out of 16 targets for 122 yards and no TDs for Vareen; 12 receptions out of 16 targets for 119 yards and no TDs for Woodhead. Dion Lewis? - 15 reception out of 19 targets for 179 yards and no TDs.

Not surprised at all. I've said all along that Lewis is better than both.

Watching Lewis, it seems like someone put Vereen out there and flipped on the "turbo" switch. Vereen was a great back - reliable, didn't fumble, etc. - but Lewis is so much more elusive and likely to break off a big play. It's amazing that no one wanted this guy.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Watching Lewis, it seems like someone put Vereen out there and flipped on the "turbo" switch. Vereen was a great back - reliable, didn't fumble, etc. - but Lewis is so much more elusive and likely to break off a big play. It's amazing that no one wanted this guy.

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Lewis has more wiggle than Vereen for sure. But he doesn't have his speed.

upstater1 said:

Lewis has more wiggle than Vereen for sure. But he doesn't have his speed.

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He sure seems to have more game speed. I don't recall many times Vereen broke free for a huge gain. Lewis might not have the same "straight line" speed running a forty yard dash, but he seems to get to spots faster, and he is fast enough to get past the first level of the defense.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

He sure seems to have more game speed. I don't recall many times Vereen broke free for a huge gain. Lewis might not have the same "straight line" speed running a forty yard dash, but he seems to get to spots faster, and he is fast enough to get past the first level of the defense.

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Anyone watching the two play and saying Vereen plays faster is blind. Lewis has a different gear on the field even if he might lost a track race. Vereen never played up to his 4.4 or w/e his combine time was.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

He sure seems to have more game speed. I don't recall many times Vereen broke free for a huge gain. Lewis might not have the same "straight line" speed running a forty yard dash, but he seems to get to spots faster, and he is fast enough to get past the first level of the defense.

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I vividly recall Vereen blowing by players with lightning speed. He's thicker so he doesn't have the wiggle and therefore has more trouble adjusting and cutting out of the backfield, but I'm talking football speed here. With pads on and on the field, Vereen was like a jet sometimes.

strngplyr said:

Anyone watching the two play and saying Vereen plays faster is blind. Lewis has a different gear on the field even if he might lost a track race. Vereen never played up to his 4.4 or w/e his combine time was.

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I must have second sight then because the guy turned on the turbo multiple times on the field. Look here where he outruns multiple DBs:

I'm a huge fan of Dion Lewis (even though I never heard of the guy before the Pats signed him), and it looks to me like he has more potential to break a big play han Verena had. He just seems more elusive with the ball.

That said though I'm a little concerned with the fumbles. I don't recall Vereen ever fumbling, and Lewis has already put it in the ground a couple of times.

Anyone else concerned that an untimely Lewis fumble could cost the Pats?

MitchKumstein said:

I'm a huge fan of Dion Lewis (even though I never heard of the guy before the Pats signed him), and it looks to me like he has more potential to break a big play han Verena had. He just seems more elusive with the ball.

That said though I'm a little concerned with the fumbles. I don't recall Vereen ever fumbling, and Lewis has already put it in the ground a couple of times.

Anyone else concerned that an untimely Lewis fumble could cost the Pats?

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Woodhead lost 2 fumbles over his 3 years with the Pats. Vareeen also lost 2 fumbles over his 3 years of active play.

As for who is faster. My eyes tell me that Lewis has far more acceleration than Vareen. I

NormZauchin said:

.......
Dion Lewis? - 15 reception out of 19 targets for 179 yards and no TDs.

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ops you're talking receiving TDs ... my bad

JR4 said:

Dion has had 2 TDs. Right?

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I think they are just counting receiving yards and receiving tds.

Rushing
Lewis 30 att/146 yds 4.9 ypc 2TD
Vereen 15/56 3.7 ypc 0 TD
Woodhead 24/89 3.7 2 TD

Straight line speed? Not sure, but Dion makes sharper jump cuts without losing speed. That makes tacklers miss way more than speed.

Pretty sure either of these guys would be doing as well with the Pats this year.

upstater1 said:

I must have second sight then because the guy turned on the turbo multiple times on the field. Look here where he outruns multiple DBs:

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He outran a couple of linebackers and a slow safety (Leonard?) there. In fact it looks like a DB comes out of nowhere and all but catches him before he scores.

Agreed. No question that Vereen has higher top end speed than Lewis. Rewatch any of the Vereen wheel routes that connected if you think otherwise. But Lewis is way more explosive and has better vision; resulting in better movement through traffic. He is definitely in the Faulk/Woodhead mold. Until the end of last year, Shane ran a bit soft between the tackles. Lewis is head and shoulders above him there. Hell, by year's end Lewis might prove himself to be the best inside running TDB we've had in the BB era.

MitchKumstein said:

Anyone else concerned that an untimely Lewis fumble could cost the Pats?

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Yes, very. Love this guys game but he's a small fish in a big pond.

wizwor said:

Pretty sure either of these guys would be doing as well with the Pats this year.

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Possibly. I think that's the point though--or at least it is to me. When Faulk left it was 'how do we replace Faulk?!?' Then Woodhead, then Vereen. In a few years it might be Lewis we're worried about replacing.

None of them are bad backs, but they're replaceable; Vereen only getting $4.25 guaranteed tells you a lot about what not just Belichick, but coaches league-wide, feel about third down backs. They're useful, and you sure as hell want one who can hold onto the ball and help block, but beyond that there's a lot of undersized guys with speed and agility kicking around the league that you can plug into a system like the Pats, with a QB like Brady, who can succeed.

Lewis is definitely better at making guys miss even though he probably doesn't have the top end of Vereen. Definitely a pleasant surprise. Jonas Gray, who??? I like our RB mix to this point.

I think all 3 are good players. Vereen saved our bacon in the SB so I will always love the guy. Glad to see Dion is a good replacement for Vereen.

Dion has 2 fumbles in 3 games. I'm shocked no one has insisted on him being traded on this forum.