Randy Cross on Maroney Injury

There are a lot of shoer sighted myopic people here...who basically no nothing.. I say GTFOH!!

DaBruinz said:

I guess the Pats should fire Pioli and hire your sorry arse for talent evaluation.

Friggin people who think that you can judge whether a player is a bust after 1 season. I bet you were one of the morons who thought Daniel Graham was a bust. And that Ben Watson was a bust.. Same with Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork.

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I thought Daniel Graham was a bust. You don't trade up in round 1 to draft a blocking TE. How many seasons did he lead the league in drops among TEs? How's he doing in Denver?

We reached for him. Not a bad player. I liked him and his blocking. Not a good route runner and had marginal hands. He wasn't a bust. But he WAS a disappointment.

Maroney, OTOH, is a good RB and will be okay. He's not as good as I would have hoped, but he's not a bust.

danny88 said:

I guess there was better holes for Eckel and Evans? Nope. Addai ran all over us. Our d is better then the bills. Maroney cannot make things happen. Stop blaming the offensive line for Maroneys shortcomings.

I guess he has gotten no holes over 10 games? What has Maroney done since week 13 last year?

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If the running back gets the ball from the quarterback and the opposing team has players in the backfield already, it's tough to run the ball successfully. If the offensive line then improves the blocking so that problem isn't happening anymore, that's considered a good thing being done by the offensive line, and it's not on the running backs.

I hope that's not too difficult for you to understand.

Declaring Maroney a bust is a huge stretch at this point. I can accept the argument that he is disappointing, this season.

I however am going to withhold judgment. He had a major shoulder injury, as one who has had a shoulder reconstructed it is not an easy thing to rehab from. It took me 2 years to come close to the strength I had before the surfered the injury.
I doubt that Maroney started the season in optimal football shape because of the injury. This lack of conditioning probably contributed to his niggling injuries this year. I think he will be a strong performer in the playoffs and will be a stronger back next year.

All of this is conjecture of course, but so is everyone else's analysis. The only people who know for sure are on the Pat's payroll.

I wouldn't read too much into Maroney's sitting out the rest of the game. It probably had more to do with Faulk being injured and the Bills' run defense. Maroney got some pretty decent runs in there with a first down or 2, but was brought down in the backfield a couple of times. Last year, opposing defenses had to contend with Dillon's power running style, but this season, they've been game-planning for Maroney. I suspect that if the Pats offense increases the participation of Eckel and Evans as fullbacks, you'll see better production from Maroney. But then again, the Pats don't need to.

Could someone please show his running yards from the shotgun vs. his yardage in singeback formation?

I think the line is struggling with the zone blocking scheme.

I don't think those plays are designed to have a defender almost take the handoff on numerous plays.

I do think Maroney has been hitting the hole better running inside. what's everybody else looking at?

I can imagine other fans reading these threads. We hardly need to run since we scored TDS our first seven possessions.

Our biggest problem is our running back is only averaging 4.7 yards a carry (before last night) with a high of 19 (so the figure isn't padded).

Pats_AZ said:

Hey man, chillax!! I told you He was gonna score his 1st TD last night. what do you want from the guy?

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LOL! Yup. You nailed that one!

Prediction: Maroney to IR and we sign a veteran back to get us through the season.

Where is Terry Allen when you need him!?!?!?!

(Long distance call for Mr. Corey Dillon).

I'm not piling on the man, but did anybody else see what I saw last night? That is, the few times he ran the ball, there were what looked like explosive blocks in front of him, and he didn't use them. I remember two in particular where the lineman blasted the defender to Maroney's left. Rather than cut off that block and fire through what looked like a huge hole to the right, LM dance outside of those blocks and was tackled.

If you've TIVO'd the game, check that out. It'll frustrate the heck out of you. It really will.

RayClay said:

I think the line is struggling with the zone blocking scheme.

I don't think those plays are designed to have a defender almost take the handoff on numerous plays.

I do think Maroney has been hitting the hole better running inside. what's everybody else looking at?

I can imagine other fans reading these threads. We hardly need to run since we scored TDS our first seven possessions.

Our biggest problem is our running back is only averaging 4.7 yards a carry (before last night) with a high of 19 (so the figure isn't padded).

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Thank you! With Eckel and Evans last night we went with more of a power running game straight up the gut and that's where the holes came. Does anyone seriously think we plugged Eckel and Evans and used the same run plays we use with Maroney? Before this week Maroney had 4.7 ypc compared to Addai's 4.4 and had more than half of Addai's yardage with half the carries.(and only in 6 games, starting 3... while Addai has played in and started all 8 of the Colts games prior to this week).

Of course he only has one TD but how many times have we run it in the red zone with Brady throwing all these TDs?

Patdown93 said:

Thank you! With Eckel and Evans last night we went with more of a power running game straight up the gut and that's where the holes came. Does anyone seriously think we plugged Eckel and Evans and used the same run plays we use with Maroney? Before this week Maroney had 4.7 ypc compared to Addai's 4.4 and had more than half of Addai's yardage with half the carries.(and only in 6 games, starting 3... while Addai has played in and started all 8 of the Colts games prior to this week).

Of course he only has one TD but how many times have we run it in the red zone with Brady throwing all these TDs?

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Yeah but Addai has 192 rushes to 95 for Maroney. He also has 29 receptions to 2 for Maroney. In other words, he plays.

RayClay said:

I think the line is struggling with the zone blocking scheme.

I don't think those plays are designed to have a defender almost take the handoff on numerous plays.

I do think Maroney has been hitting the hole better running inside. what's everybody else looking at?

I can imagine other fans reading these threads. We hardly need to run since we scored TDS our first seven possessions.

Our biggest problem is our running back is only averaging 4.7 yards a carry (before last night) with a high of 19 (so the figure isn't padded).

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Seriously, do people want Maroney to run THROUGH a defender who is in the backfield as he gets the ball? It happens frequently, and it may be the case the line struggles at times with the zone blocking schemes. Maroney has been GOOD, the o-line has been inconsistent in the run game. But I guess some people NEED something to complain about.

MDPATSFAN said:

Right here:
http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/sp_fbn_pats16_11-16-07_667T0EB_v15.246a423.html


“A lot of folks want to talk about how somebody runs, but ask them if they ever ran the ball before,” he said “Everybody thinks it’s as easy as just getting the ball and go run. There’s more to it than that. I didn’t try to hide my running style (from the Patriots). They knew my running style before they drafted me. They drafted me because of my running style and what I’ve been able to do on the collegiate level so I feel like I shouldn’t have to change because one person feels like I dance too much…That (isn’t) what got me here. I’m going to continue doing what got me here"

Gotta wonder if BB experienced a blood pressure spike after reading that?

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Thanks for finding the quote. I was amazed when I first read it, as it is so "Unpatriot."

I thought that most draftees spend their first couple of years figuring out that "what got me here" isn't going to get them to the next level in the NFL in general (and certainly not with the Patriots) and then making the necessary adjustments.

it's too early to give up on him, but I also think the criticisms are fair (if not necessarily "nice"). Spending a first round pick on a running back is a big deal and it's reasonable to have high expectations, especially given Addai's impact in so short a time.

emoney_33 said:

Seriously, do people want Maroney to run THROUGH a defender who is in the backfield as he gets the ball? It happens frequently, and it may be the case the line struggles at times with the zone blocking schemes. Maroney has been GOOD, the o-line has been inconsistent in the run game. But I guess some people NEED something to complain about.

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So now the o-line has been inconsistent and Maroney has been good? Are you insane? So it's the o-line's fault that this guy has been average? Wow.

National Sports Advisors said:

So now the o-line has been inconsistent and Maroney has been good? Are you insane? So it's the o-line's fault that this guy has been average? Wow.

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The best O line in the nfl is to blame for glass not being able to run effectively. This stuff is classic nsa!

It definetly is too early to label him a bust. The only reason there are even all these threads concerning maroney is that there is nothing wrong with this team at all! We are 10-0 and have the best QB, WR, Slot WR, O-line in the league..the defense has been doing their job. So I think people need to realize not everyone can be putting up great stats. Your not going to see Maroney run for 120 and Brady still throwing for 400.

The passing game has been so off the charts that establishing the run is not necessary. I feel like if Maroney was having game of 30 carries/100 yds then it would be taking away from the passing game and there would be threads created worrying about that.

I believe that if some teams find a way to slow down the passing game or we get into a game with miserable weather conditions that we can trust Maroney to run the ball 25-30 times. I just dont think it is necessary to pound Maroney, who has nagging injuries, in a 56-10 game when the defense is going to be playing 9 in the box

IMO he danced to much and got yanked. On the few carries he had I shouted hit it up inside. To much jitterbug.

danny88 said:

The best O line in the nfl is to blame for glass not being able to run effectively. This stuff is classic nsa!

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I hear ya. I just can't believe the depths to which the Glass supporters will go in order to make excuses for this kid's dissapointing play. This o-line is, without question, the best o-line in football and have made the likes of Sammy Morris look above average. This o-line needs a RB that hits the hole hard like Corey Dillon used to and like Sammy Morris was. That's the type of runner we need. Maroney isn't doing the job that's why BB has him on the bench.

first off to compare Maroney's runs in the first half while the score was 0-0, 7-0, 14-7 with Evans and Eckle when it was 42-7, 49-7, etc. is a little bit of apples and oranges.

The bills by the time they came in were whipped. We were running the ball to kill the clock. The bills were just happy we werent jamming another 50 yd TD down their throats so they could let the night end mercifully.

Second; I think Maroney was running EXCEPTIONALLY well in the first quarter. I saw what another poster said. Numerous times he was hit 3 yards deep in the backfield by leakers who came through or around the OL. But I think on everyone of those plays he ended up getting positive yardage.
Yeah the hole was decent on the TD play; but it was not some mile wide freebie. He hit that hole with authority & he still ran through contact to get in there for the TD. They were inside the 20 for god's sake - there just isn't that far for the MLBs and safeties to go that they cant get back in the neighborhood to stop that.


THIRD point: Not entirely sure on this one - but didnt maroney go over the top of a defender on a play and come down upside down (& looked a little like he got hurt)? (or am i confusing that wiht the faulk play). But I was thinking that he was carrying the ball loose on that play and the ball came out when he hit the ground. (yeah officially would have been a no fumble as ground cant cause them). BUT you know BB's feelings about fumbles. Maybe he didnt get any more time cause BB thought he was getting a little careless with the ball and took him out as a teaching point - put in the big strong surehanded guys.

Anyway I think Maroney looked real good WHEN HE PLAYED.

criticism is just broken record. Besides who you gonna play if we keep losing RBs (Morris / Faulk).

National Sports Advisors said:

I hear ya. I just can't believe the depths to which the Glass supporters will go in order to make excuses for this kid's dissapointing play. This o-line is, without question, the best o-line in football and have made the likes of Sammy Morris look above average. This o-line needs a RB that hits the hole hard like Corey Dillon used to and like Sammy Morris was. That's the type of runner we need. Maroney isn't doing the job that's why BB has him on the bench.

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I Loved Morris. I wont call Maroney a bust yet... But he is well on his way.

danny88 said:

I Loved Morris. I wont call Maroney a bust yet... But he is well on his way.

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Me too. Morris was no nonsense straight ahead runner. A beast. A Corey Dillon type. That's what I think the coaches want from Maroney and feel he has the ability to do. For whatever reason, Maroney simply refuses to take the ball and jam it up the hole with conviction. Why he continues to hesitate and dance is befuddling to me and to the coaches, I'm sure.