Are the Patriots relying too much on Tom Brady? Do we need a better running game?

Sunday's loss to the Broncos showed just how important the quick passing game is to the Patriots offense. But defenses can scheme to shut it down. And without a running game, our offense becomes virtually nonexistent.

The Broncos defense barely had to pay attention to the Patriots running backs, instead rushing only three or four and flooding the middle of the field with everyone else. With how ineffective the running game was, the Broncos didn't need to respect it and they could just attack Brady at will. A viable running threat could have forced the Broncos to dedicate more of his scheme to the run, instead of selling out to stop Brady.

(Note: Over the last four games the Patriots ran for 215 yards on 80 carries, an average of 2.69 yards per carry. By way of comparison, over the course of the season the Chargers had the fewest rushing yards per attempt in the league at 3.5 yards.)

It's kind of a paradox to me... an improved running game is dependent on an improved offensive line. But if the offensive line is improved, Tom Brady is probably able to move the ball MUCH better against the Broncos D. Never hurts to have the bullet in the gun, but I think the same problem has contributed to both deficits.

o-line o-line o-line, back isn't all that important. Lawfirm had quite a bid of success and he wasn't anything that special.

I dont think TB is at the point where he needs a running game b/c he can't make all the throws.

Fundamentally, the team needs to run the ball when it wants to. 4th and 1. vs 3 down linemen, bad weather, etc.

For a number of reasons they were plain ole bad at that last year.

robertweathers said:

Fundamentally, the team needs to run the ball when it wants to. 4th and 1. vs 3 down linemen, bad weather, etc.

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Exactly...be it improved offensive line play and/or an upgrade in backs--preferably both--the Pats need to be in a place where if they face a big 4th and 1, it's at least possible that they would choose to hand it off to a running back.

You can always use a better running game and that consists of two parts: An o-line that can run block and a running back or 2 who can carry the rock. Pats lacked that this season.

As for over-reliance on Brady, you go with what you got. It would be a valid point if the Patriots purposely eschewed developing a running game because they have Brady. You just know they wished they had a running game and did have it many years to a degree. This was just one of those years nothing seemed to work out.

with no running game, denver knew that brady was going to pass on every play. you need a solid running game to keep the D guessing.

you need an offensive line though. consider our offenive line from last year -

LT - solder IR

G - Connelly retired

C - Stork hurt and is only in his second year

G - Wendell IR

RT - Vollmer, but he was hurt and played LT for much of the year.

so you are missing 3 starters from your super bowl offensive line, another starter was hurt, and yet another starter played out of position and was hurt.

the replacements and backups were not adequate this year. belichick's biggest mistake was not bringing in a veteran guard or tackle. the end result is the disaster we saw on sunday.

A "better" running game? How about "any"?

We had a good enough run game and lost our top 3 players in Lewis .... Develin ... Blount. I think the run game was also impacted with the trade of Hooman ... we did get Hicks but he is defense. If I am belichick I try to swing a trade using Wbite to draft a 3 down back to go with Lewis and Blount and Develin.

Yes, we are relying too much on Brady.

Even when healthy, Blount looked nothing more than JAG. He can't catch out of the backfield, and truly only gets the yards blocked for him. It's time to upgrade.

Dion Lewis was a revelation, but I don't think he's a "3 down back" in the sense of the word. He probably needs to see 10-15 touches a game (passes and runs), but he is not someone you can (or want) to pound the rock with 25 times a game if needed.

Bottom line, keep Brady upright, get a RB that can make plays on his own in both the run and pass game, and our offense has that much more flexibility going forward.

It comes back to the OL. We couldn't run because it sucked. We couldn't pass because it sucked.

I said after the Miami game, on the heels of taking a knee with 2 minutes in the half, kicking off to start OT, that I was afraid the Miami gameplan was on purpose because BB was afraid to run a real offense with this OL.
Turns out that was correct.

McD hates the run Im convinced of it. I would love to see us get back to the days where we had a Dillon (even Antoine Smith to a degree) pounding it and every game wasnt 95% dependant on Bradys arm....

We HAVE a running game, we just don't have an o-line to block for that said running game...

I want the running game to improve.

We need SOME semblance of balance. It doesn't make any sense to become a run-first team, ever, since with TB12 passes will get us in the neighborhood of 8 yards per attempt, while rushes hope to average half that.

But of course they are not in isolation. If you are only capable of 2 ypc on the ground, it gets harder to get 8 ypa through the air. If you are capable of 4-5 ypc on the ground, it gets way easier to get 8 ypa through the air.

So we need to get better with regard to run blocking and running to be the dominant passing team that we can be.

I don't think it's fair to really evaluate the running game we do have based on the Broncos game. Considering our 1 and 2 RB were on IR

TommyBrady12 said:

with no running game, denver knew that brady was going to pass on every play. you need a solid running game to keep the D guessing.

you need an offensive line though. consider our offenive line from last year -

LT - solder IR

G - Connelly retired

C - Stork hurt and is only in his second year

G - Wendell IR

RT - Vollmer, but he was hurt and played LT for much of the year.

so you are missing 3 starters from your super bowl offensive line, another starter was hurt, and yet another starter played out of position and was hurt.

the replacements and backups were not adequate this year. belichick's biggest mistake was not bringing in a veteran guard or tackle. the end result is the disaster we saw on sunday.

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What stung was the Guard we should have brought in went to the team that beat us and saved their O line from being terrible.

dannydyn said:

We HAVE a running game, we just don't have an o-line to block for that said running game...

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A 32 year old Steven Jackson and a banged up reaching 30 Legarrette (however you spell it) Blount is not a running game.

Lewis is great at what he does, but he's also had a rough injury history, and even if he stays healthy can't be the lead guy.

Too many question marks in the backfield, IMO. I think we play a risky game if we rely on Lewis to stay healthy.

Jangles said:

I don't think it's fair to really evaluate the running game we do have based on the Broncos game. Considering our 1 and 2 RB were on IR

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Teams like KC have 4 RBs that could start for us and we pick up Steven Jackson...its obviously not a priority look at the fact neither Vereen or Ridley brought back as further evidence. Now I get Ridley had injury an Vereen wanted $ but still

Joey007 said:

A 32 year old Steven Jackson and a banged up reaching 30 Legarrette (however you spell it) Blount is not a running game.

Lewis is great at what he does, but he's also had a rough injury history, and even if he stays healthy can't be the lead guy.

Too many question marks in the backfield, IMO. I think we play a risky game if we rely on Lewis to stay healthy.

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You'd be amazed at how good those two could be if someone bothered to block for them.