Damien Harris: Power & Speed

[RobertWeathers]

And what I noticed is that the hit on Harris was with the helmet. If the refs are going to call "lowering the head to initiate contact" at all, that should have been it.

Yes. Harris could have been lower but you are spot on

 

[TheRainMaker]

Horrible vision. Horrible fundamentals.

While the blocking wasn't exactly stellar during his time there, he had plenty of opportunities for big gains using his speed to bounce it to the outside when the defense sold out/trapped inside, but he flat out didn't want to do it. It was beyond bizarre. Sammy Morris seemed to run fine and was an underrated loss in 2007.

 

[RobertWeathers]

While the blocking wasn't exactly stellar during his time there, he had plenty of opportunities for big gains using his speed to bounce it to the outside when the defense sold out/trapped inside, but he flat out didn't want to do it. It was beyond bizarre. Sammy Morris seemed to run fine and was an underrated loss in 2007.

The entire offense changed when Morris got hurt vs DAL. He was on a pace for a 1000yd season and more importantly would have stayed balanced and physical

 

[Mike the Brit]

Rainmaker's post is interesting.

I'm much more of a Maroney fan than the rest of you. I think that in 06 and 07 he was really good but then he never recovered from his injury. That's the NFL. Re-watch the games against the Jaguars and the Chargers from the 07 playoffs. Without LM they wouldn't have made it to the Super Bowl.

But the point about not running outside resonates.

I think that Maroney was a much better back when he followed his instincts, but my diagnosis is that the Patriots wanted him to be an inside bruiser: "don't dance, hit the hole". (Patsfans who complained about Maroney complained about him dancing -- you can complain about that or you can complain about not going outside, but not both.) I think that something similar was true of Blount in his first stint with the Pats. After his stop in Pittsburgh he ran outside more and was all the more threatening for it. But the kind of back that they seemed to want was BJGE, the good old Lawfirm, powerful, determined, ball-secure but not so good at changing the point of attack.

So I blame Ivan Fearsome -- but don't tell him. He doesn't strike me as the sort of guy who wants fans to tell him his job!

 

[Uptown]

Speaking of Law Firm, does any player who wasn’t considered a pro-bowl/elite level player have more TDs (43) than BJGE in such an abridged period of time?

 

[PatsFanInVa]

So I blame Ivan Fearsome -- but don't tell him. He doesn't strike me as the sort of guy who wants fans to tell him his job!

Doesn't that name just scream Darth Vader mask?

 

[TheRainMaker]

I think that in 06 and 07 he was really good but then he never recovered from his injury.

2006 showed a ton of promise. 2007 as a whole was a massive disappointment as I explained previously. 2008 seemed to be the same before the injury.

Re-watch the games against the Jaguars and the Chargers from the 07 playoffs. Without LM they wouldn't have made it to the Super Bowl.

I think they would’ve handled the Jags regardless, but he was more important against the Chargers. Pats were in control the entire game, but they were really cutting it close. He also had some tough runs in the Super Bowl smacking the Giants in the mouth on their first drive scoring a TD before going insane and throwing all game.

but my diagnosis is that the Patriots wanted him to be an inside bruiser:

I agree and they are making the same mistake with Michel.

Is it just me or did Maroney look slower each year? His only memorable break away run was st home against the Dolphins in 2007.

Patsfans who complained about Maroney complained about him dancing -- you can complain about that or you can complain about not going outside, but not both.)

You can argue both. Maroney being a dancer was warranted as he was very indecisive when he got the ball, shuffled his feet and just eventually put his head down and try to bully his way through a pile. His main concern coming out of college was that he ran through Grand Canyon size holes and how he’d handle running through the trash in the NFL. He had his moments, but he ran like a blind man most of the time.

Speaking of Law Firm, does any player who wasn’t considered a pro-bowl/elite level player have more TDs (43) than BJGE in such an abridged period of time?

Probably not. He benefited from an offense that was constantly moving the ball giving him a ton of opportunities. If he was on many other teams, his production is not even close to that. In addition, their O-line started to improve their run blocking compared to some pedestrian years between 2005-2010. The Brian Waters singing in 2011 was a massive steal.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

The running upright is only an issue if it affects his durability and taking rough hits. It certainly doesn't affect his vision or speed or power, 5 ypc is elite. Adrian Peterson was also criticized for running upright. If Harris can be durable then he's a top5 RB in the league.

.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Worth noting Harris basically got a redshirt year - just a few touches. Same with White and Vereen. Wonder if Stevenson will prove the exception? I guess if they use Stevenson only for the one tough yard then he doesn't have to be stellar at pass protection.

 

[jimnance]

Worth noting Harris basically got a redshirt year - just a few touches. Same with White and Vereen. Wonder if Stevenson will prove the exception? I guess if they use Stevenson only for the one tough yard then he doesn't have to be stellar at pass protection.

I think Stevenson will absolutely be the exception because he brings something
different to the table.
Will be interesting to see what happens with Sony. He played strong when he came back last year. But he's behind Harris; and White ,Stevenson and Taylor( dont forget about him) all will get touches. If I had to cut or trade one of the 5, it would be Sony.

 

[captain stone]

iono why we overlook white here. Dude won us a sb, and I’m just as excited to see what he can do this season too. He deserves Faulk-level respect. Want Stevenson to be like a mix of him with a little Blount.

I'm always down for a little Blunt...

 

[captain stone]

It is kind of fun to wake up and realize you might be the league's biggest run-all-the-time throwback team.

We get some good toys for not spending at that position.

If you mean cash against the cap, then agreed...

4th, 3rd & 1st-round picks were however spent at that position, a not-insignificant investment of draft capital.

 

[captain stone]

Led, groomed and coached by the least appreciated coach in the NFL.

Ivan Fears? Absolutely.

 

[captain stone]

what I noticed in the video is:

Ref: "Holding! Offense #16..."
Harry: "Whaaaaaattttt?"

Took a couple of extra looks at it...Yeah that was a hold.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

If you mean cash against the cap, then agreed...

4th, 3rd & 1st-round picks were however spent at that position, a not-insignificant investment of draft capital.

It'll be interesting to see, in the post-Brady era, whether we continue to re-infuse youth at RB once they succeed and become expensive. To date, they've been treated as worth the pick but not the cap. It's conceivable, though I don't think likely, that the model will change and we'll actually identify and spend on a "star" RB. I just think the model is, draft good ones, kick 'em out when they cost too much, repeat.

 

[scott99]

I hope Stevenson makes it. But I can definitely see him getting the Foxboro Flu and being redshirted. Then in 2022, He takes Sony’s place. Harris has been excellent since he got here. Just a beast. If this line stays healthy (and he stays healthy), I can see him easily getting 1,000+ yards. Then probably Sony gets 500, Taylor & White each get 250+. Definitely a run heavy offense, which I love.

 

[Zuma]

I hope Stevenson makes it. But I can definitely see him getting the Foxboro Flu and being redshirted. Then in 2022, He takes Sony’s place. Harris has been excellent since he got here. Just a beast. If this line stays healthy (and he stays healthy), I can see him easily getting 1,000+ yards. Then probably Sony gets 500, Taylor & White each get 250+. Definitely a run heavy offense, which I love.

It may have been mentioned In this thread quoting the media ...it’s been observed he’s quite a bit behind the curve. He’s going to be IR’d or PS’d. But it’s early...a while to go before the start of the season.

 

[scott99]

It may have been mentioned In this thread quoting the media ...it’s been observed he’s quite a bit behind the curve. He’s going to be IR’d or PS’d. But it’s early...a while to go before the start of the season.

He won’t be PS’d, some team would snatch him up really quickly.

 

[Ollie]

Injuries are going to dictate everything for this group obviously regarding playing time. Sony is unlikely to stay fit all year and Harris missed significant time last year too so i think this will give all the backs decent playing time

 

[BTTA]

IIRC someone wrote a convincing post recently about how the Foxborough Flu is not only untrue, but also not possible in today's NFL. Something like this:

• It requires a team going to a player and telling them they are injured and going on IR as a way of redshirting them.
• The alternative is the player is cut and gets a chance to sign on with another team.
• The vast majority of rookies who go on IR don't ever make it back to have a regular NFL career, so it stacks the odds against them before they even get started.
• The player, the team, all of the team mates, all of the front office personnel people, the player's agent, and the player's friends/family all have to be on board with the lie.
• The penalty the NFL would impose for this practice would be very painful...
• ...especially if it were the Pats.
• The idea that this could be a regular thing and not a single player or agent would have outed it by now simply isn't possible.
• When pressed, the proponents of this theory have a difficult time naming players that had fake injuries and were brought back to play a significant role the following year. That pattern would have to be established as a successful pathway in order to get other all these stakeholders to align with it.