Logan Mankins and the run game

[Kontradiction]

Look at how we ran off the left side of the line against the teeth of the Steelers defense tonight. How can anyone say that Logan Mankins is not worth paying? Light, who had an excellent game tonight, is most likely gone after this season. Koppen hasn't had a good year and we're probably drafting for center after this season. Neal is long in the tooth and has been injury prone for the last few seasons. That's three guys who are probably not going to be with the team next season. Mankins is our best run blocker and helps, in a big way, to provide a pocket for Brady to step into. Pay him and have him and Vollmer pave the way for the new look Patriots offensive line. It makes too much sense not to happen.

 

[andrewgarrr]

7 mil to a guard is not necessarily out of the question.

I think Hutchinson gets that kind of pay.

We are definitely better with him than without him. I would be extremely happy if he signed the deal that was previously offered to him. We would certainly be a better team for it.

Why do we need the huge cap space? Who else do we have to sign in free agency? The new CBA will probably cut rookie salaries. We got Wilfork and Brady done. Lets get Mankins done and win another three super bowls.

 

[spacecrime]

Sorry, Space, but you're way off on this. If you go back and look at the stat breakdowns, you'll find that the Pats had much of their success running left or running outside right with Mankins as the pulling guard.

Well, I don't really get into stats to that level. I do see the run game was better the the games this year before Mankins returned, and better that it has been for years with Mankins. You can select stats to prove most anything, I suppose, but I still hope they do not give Mankins a huge contract. I hear people say he makes the team better, but the team did fine without him and is ran the ball better while he was holding out. He is a good OG, but he doesn't make a $7 mil a year difference in team play.

Pats did well tonight against a Steelers team that was way off tonight, so I'll give the OLine (including Mankins props) for that. I hope they do as well next week. But I'm fine with playing Mankins this year and letting him walk.

Mostly tonight I liked that Brady went back to Gronk after his rough outing last week, and that he went deep to Tate after Tate dropped the earlier pass.

 

[Patspsycho]

We had a decent run game for years until we drafted Mankins. Then we were mediocre, right down the the last forgettable game Mankins played in last year.

Then, with him gone, our run game got better, without Taylor, without Faulk, without Maroney or Morris. With a pair of UDFAs.

So Mankins comes back and his first game our running game disappears.

I don't expect much against the Steelers but we should run all over the Colts.

I'm glad Mankins is back. He is good depth, especially with Neal hurt, but unless our run game returns to it's sans-Mankins level, I sure hope the Pats don't put out mega-bucks to sign him to a long term deal. Forget the Git-Along-Little-Dogies guy. Take the third round comp pick and get an OG who can make DTs git outta the way.

1) We abandoned the run game in Cleveland because we went into a hole pretty fast.

2) We got 103 yards tonight against the Pittsburgh D.

3) We are going to rip the Colts apart with our run game.