Lets call a spade a spade Riddley's Fumble

[upstater1]

You can't bench the guy, that's for sure.

Look, 3rd and 1, 10 yard line late in the game, what do you do? Of Ridley is in the game, you run it. Chances are good he'll grind out a yard. But you risk a fumble there.

Put Blount in, who hasn't been as good in short yardage, and you risk getting stoned, so you think of passing instead.

It's a tough call, but at the end of the day, you need to take the risk that maximizes your chances to convert, and that is running Ridley despite the 1-2% chance that he's going to fumble.

This is why the Patriots need Ridley or better. Bolden and Blount are simply not as good.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Some folks are alluding to the fact that Ridley was benched on that 3rd and 1 in the red. He'd been back for a full quarter by then unless BB benched him again.

People's memories are also a bit blurry with Maroney. He was a fantastic dual threat RB in 2006 and 2007, and the Pats ran the ball down the Chargers throats with Maroney to kill that AFCCG. It became increasingly clear in 2008 and 2009 that he lacked the mental resolve to battle through the pain, wear, and tear of being an NFL RB.

 

[doesntmatter1]

Honestly, they need to bench ridley possibly for the rest of the season. I love his burst to the hole but I think the rest of his game is overrated and doesn't offset his fumbling. He doesn't catch the ball often and he isn't a homerun threat. He often breaks into the second level but often loses his one on one battle against a safety. I'm not the biggest bolden fan but it isn't that much of a drop off.

Ridley is our best goal line running back, but I feel that vereen is almost as good at that role. I honestly feel that vereen is our best runner period and just doesn't get many opportunities.

 

[upstater1]

Some folks are alluding to the fact that Ridley was benched on that 3rd and 1 in the red. He'd been back for a full quarter by then unless BB benched him again.

People's memories are also a bit blurry with Maroney. He was a fantastic dual threat RB in 2006 and 2007, and the Pats ran the ball down the Chargers throats with Maroney to kill that AFCCG. It became increasingly clear in 2008 and 2009 that he lacked the mental resolve to battle through the pain, wear, and tear of being an NFL RB.

I never said he was benched. I said he wasn't in there. Previous two games he carried the load and Blount watched.

Do I think he'd have been in there had he not fumbled? Yes.

That doesn't mean I think he was benched permanently.

 

[fnordcircle]

Ridley's awesome and really a spark as a runner but no amount of talent matters when you put the ball on the ground in FG range. That was 3 points that we could have, you know, used.

 

[condon84]

Ridley is just too good of a runner to not be utilized. You just hope that he's finally learned his lesson and will do whatever it takes to remedy the issue.

Kevin Faulk and Tiki Barber solved their fumblelitis issue. No reason why Ridley can't do the same.

 

[pazrul72]

I can not believe what I am reading in this thread. Ridley just a JAG? Trade him or cut him in the off season? The thing to remember is he is still very young and learning to be an NFL RB. Last year Ridley had the 2nd best year by a patriot RB ever on a team that holds the record for most rushing yards by a team ever. He is a beast and a 10 ten back in the league and the patriots are a TOTALLY different offense when he gets the ball 20 - 25 times a game. Yes he fumbles, some times at the most horrible times and last nights was particularly bad cuz it was at the LOS and was loosely held in one hand. All that said even the best backs still occasionally fumble and the way you work around that is to feed them the rock and get value to make up for it. Do you bench Brady cuz he throws a pick? How about when he throws more picks in the first 6 games then he did all of last year? Its the same concept you let your star players make mistakes cuz they make plays no one else can. Ridley is by far our best back and needs to be given the rock.

 

[eom]

DA's not here anymore. You don't have to call him the Riddler.

But seriously, the Pats are going to be in the market for a RB come the draft. His fumbling has reached epic proportions and the entire league knows to do everything in their power to slap at the ball when they tackle him.

yeah, I'd assume so -- ridley and vereen will both be in contract years next season.

 

[JackBauer]

I'm not the biggest bolden fan but it isn't that much of a drop off.

There's a considerable drop off. Let's not kid ourselves.

That said, crowell must be relieved something bad happened to the Pats so he has a reason to post here again.

 

[Kdo5]

If Ridley was a superior runner a case could possibly be made that his value to the team is greater than the harm his putting the ball on the ground does.

But he's nothing more than a JAG runner so his fumbling becomes a serious issue. Unfortunately (for the Pats), Ridley is the best they have at the RB spot so they almost have to play him.

Ridley is not a JAG runner. That's a ridiculous notion. Benjarvus Green-Ellis is an example of a JAG runner. His skill set is quite valuable.

If we want to crash and burn the rest of the way then yeah lets bench Ridley for the remainder of the season. The logic behind that idea sucks.

Evidently, Belichick seems to disagree as he put Ridley back in the same game for a tying TD.

 

[PP2]

There's a considerable drop off. Let's not kid ourselves.

Oh yes.. Ridley's 4.3 YPC and a long of 23 all season is a drop off to Bolden's 5.4 YPC, and a long of 46. One has 7 fumbles over the past 2 season, the other, zero.

 

[Kdo5]

Oh yes.. Ridley's 4.3 YPC and a long of 23 all season is a drop off to Bolden's 5.4 YPC, and a long of 46. One has 7 fumbles over the past 2 season, the other, zero.

Just stop right there. Ridley has the burst, ability to make guys miss, and break tackles.

No opponent will ever fear Bolden. A good blocker? Yes but that's about it.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

I am curious. What is it about Ridley's game that makes him anything more than an average RB?

 

[PP2]

Just stop right there. Ridley has the burst, ability to make guys miss, and break tackles.

No opponent will ever fear Bolden. A good blocker? Yes but that's about it.

Ridley may have the burst but it hasn't translated into consistent (or dependable) YPC. He doesn't break tackles as well or often as you think. He leads the team in no gains or negative yards.

He has the ability to be a serious weapon but seems to be resistant to ball discipline which begins with holding it high and tight. When he fumbled the ball away last night, he was holding it low and away.

 

[TonyTucker]

Riddddley's problem is that he fumbles in bunches. He'll go six games without a fumble, and then will fumble three times in twenty carries. I just get a little annoyed when he and Blount take a seat after fumbling, while literally every other position on the offense can stink out the joint for half a season. Does the 10 million dollar man get benched after giving up 3 sacks in a game? Or after he gets a holding or personal foul that he's good for once a game?

 

[coolguy]

I am curious. What is it about Ridley's game that makes him anything more than an average RB?

He's an above average running back....The lawfirm was average and ridley is better than him.

 

[37Harrison]

Oh yes.. Ridley's 4.3 YPC and a long of 23 all season is a drop off to Bolden's 5.4 YPC, and a long of 46. One has 7 fumbles over the past 2 season, the other, zero.

These are ridiculous stats and prove nothing. I'll cherry pick some stats as well: Ridley has almost 100 more carries than Bolden. One has 19 TD's over the past 2 season, the other, 2 TD's over the past two seasons. Last year Ridley had a long of 41 while Bolden had a long of 27.

With your logic Jamaal Charles isn't the same calibur RB to Bolden because he is only averaging 4.3 YPC, has 3 fumbles this year and a long of only 35 yards. Frank Gore is another one with similar stats as Ridley... he must stink too.

Stupid stats PP.

 

[PP2]

These are ridiculous stats and prove nothing. I'll cherry pick some stats as well: Ridley has almost 100 more carries than Bolden. One has 19 TD's over the past 2 season, the other, 2 TD's over the past two seasons. Last year Ridley had a long of 41 while Bolden had a long of 27.

With your logic Jamaal Charles isn't the same calibur RB to Bolden because he is only averaging 4.3 YPC, has 3 fumbles this year and a long of only 35 yards. Frank Gore is another one with similar stats as Ridley... he must stink too.

Stupid stats PP.

That's fine, you can call them stupid. I think they are an indication of consistency.. sometimes it's good to look at the numbers than get caught up in the flash and glitz of an explosive play that happens every now and then.

BJGE was much maligned while he was here for being dull and as fast as a concrete block, but he was consistent.

 

[Brady6]

Everytime Ridley takes a step forward he takes two step backwards with a careless fumble that cost us atleast 3. Some bad calls went against us but add that 3 points early on and all we would need is just a FG to win instead of a TD. you Cannot turn the football over and take take points away from the Offense in a close game and come out on the positive end. I think this is his last chance because if he loses another fumlbe like that again, I think BB will shut him down. No question about his talents but talent that turns the ball over is a detriment to their team. You gotta hold on to the football Riddler!

It is a maturity thing with Ridley, in college I think he could hold the football like a loaf of bread when making cuts or moves and defenders would jab at it but he would have superior strength to most of them so it did not matter. At the NFL level he is matching up at guys who can knock the ball out with ease and when he does not concentrate on holding on the football which he does commonly it appears when trying to hit a hole or cut a different direction he becomes lackadaisical and it is almost a surprise to him when the ball is swatted away.

The issue is fixable, he just needs to focus on being conscious of protecting the football at all times.

 

[Brady6]

I am curious. What is it about Ridley's game that makes him anything more than an average RB?

I guess that would be that in 2+ seasons he has carried the ball 508 times for 2,266 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. Or you could look at the fact that since the start of last season the leaders in the NFL rushing are:

1. Peterson
2. Lynch
3. Morris
4. Charles
5. Gore
6. Johnson
7. McCoy
8. Ridley

That’s pretty damn impressive when you consider how much more time those RB spend on the field than Ridley. As far as the fumbling goes Adrian Peterson had 19 fumbles and 12 were lost in his 3 NFL season.