Maroney (sorry)

[DefenseRules]

Just an aside, but are we sure it was really a fumble? They didn't replay it during the game, and I've been unable to find a good replay which shows when the ball came lose and where Maroney was. Maroney was fighting to get into the end zone, and he was very close. The tip of the ball has to only get to the white line for it to be a touchdown. It would be nice to see a replay showing that the ball actually came loose before the end zone.

I'm not saying it wasn't a fumble. But I certainly had no idea from the video. The announcers on the replay were fooled and called the play a touchdown. It would be nice to have actually had a decent look at the fumble.

Mayo, I saw a replay of it. HE indeed fumbled. That ball was coming out before he hit the ground...drove me crazy.

 

[Rob0729]

Just an aside, but are we sure it was really a fumble? They didn't replay it during the game, and I've been unable to find a good replay which shows when the ball came lose and where Maroney was. Maroney was fighting to get into the end zone, and he was very close. The tip of the ball has to only get to the white line for it to be a touchdown. It would be nice to see a replay showing that the ball actually came loose before the end zone.

I'm not saying it wasn't a fumble. But I certainly had no idea from the video. The announcers on the replay were fooled and called the play a touchdown. It would be nice to have actually had a decent look at the fumble.

They did show the replay and it was clearly a fumble. Maroney protected the ball, but the defender just got a good hit on the ball.

 

[BrownNServe]

And of course you completely ignore the main point. Is Maroney a feature back in the NFL? Short answer no. He's nowhere in the league of guys like Michael Turner, AP, Steven Jackson, etc. He's a rotation back at best.

ummmm every team in the NFL wants a back like that. We're lucky enough to have a QB like brady, who most teams would die for. We cant have everything. I'm fine with Maroney, he did a good job of getting something when obviously nothing was there. I wonder sometimes if i'm watching the same game as others. Plus, thats his second career fumble. SECOND. In the 3+ years he's been playing. for a dose of reality, Turner has fumbled 7 times since last year. Petersen has fumbled 13 times. Given, they do take way more carries than Maroney, but how many lost games can somewhat be attributed to their fumbles? i guess it doesnt matter cause they are premier backs.

 

[ALP]

doesnt matter what BB trusted on O....when u only need 2 yards, u ran the ball, and ran it again

u dont pass unless u need 4 yards or more, anything less, u should run, even w/ brady and moss out there

that we didnt run it to end the game was ridiculous

 

[BrownNServe]

doesnt matter what BB trusted on O....when u only need 2 yards, u ran the ball, and ran it again

u dont pass unless u need 4 yards or more, anything less, u should run, even w/ brady and moss out there

that we didnt run it to end the game was ridiculous

I agree, all too often this year the pats have abandoned the run. This is prime example of boneheaded play-calling, for which we saw throughout much of the 3rd and 4th quarters. i dont believe it had anything to do with BB "not trusting maroney". it was obvious that our ol was starting to get beat off the pass, particularly Kaczur, by Mathis. Line-up and play power football, make them stop you. they got cute and pushed their luck too much with this call.

 

[VJCPatriot]

ummmm every team in the NFL wants a back like that. We're lucky enough to have a QB like brady, who most teams would die for. We cant have everything. I'm fine with Maroney, he did a good job of getting something when obviously nothing was there. I wonder sometimes if i'm watching the same game as others. Plus, thats his second career fumble. SECOND. In the 3+ years he's been playing. for a dose of reality, Turner has fumbled 7 times since last year. Petersen has fumbled 13 times. Given, they do take way more carries than Maroney, but how many lost games can somewhat be attributed to their fumbles? i guess it doesnt matter cause they are premier backs.

And again you completely miss the point. The issue is not fumble rate, the issue is that Maroney is a mediocre NFL RB that will never be a feature back. AP runs for 100-200 yards with 1-3 TDs on a typical day. Michael Turner also very productive and runs for nearly those numbers as well. Maroney? Not even in the same league sorry.

The point is that the Pats lack a 'go-to-guy' at RB to close out the 4th quarters of games like the one we JUST LOST. Maroney will never be that kind of guy. He's ok as a 3rd string RB, but we need to look elsewhere to find a feature back.

 

[BrownNServe]

And again you completely miss the point. The issue is not fumble rate, the issue is that Maroney is a mediocre NFL RB that will never be a feature back. AP runs for 100-200 yards with 1-3 TDs on a typical day. Michael Turner also very productive and runs for nearly those numbers as well. Maroney? Not even in the same league sorry.

The point is that the Pats lack a 'go-to-guy' at RB to close out the 4th quarters of games like the one we JUST LOST. Maroney will never be that kind of guy. He's ok as a 3rd string RB, but we need to look elsewhere to find a feature back.

Again? what are you talking about? that was my first post on the subject. I never compared Maroney in terms of productiveness to those backs, I was merely proving a point that he rarely fumbles. It happens. more so with those other backs. what we lack is a gameplan to run the ball when we're up by 17 points in the fourth quarter.

 

[reflexblue]

And again you completely miss the point. The issue is not fumble rate, the issue is that Maroney is a mediocre NFL RB that will never be a feature back. AP runs for 100-200 yards with 1-3 TDs on a typical day. Michael Turner also very productive and runs for nearly those numbers as well. Maroney? Not even in the same league sorry.

The point is that the Pats lack a 'go-to-guy' at RB to close out the 4th quarters of games like the one we JUST LOST. Maroney will never be that kind of guy. He's ok as a 3rd string RB, but we need to look elsewhere to find a feature back.

AHH you realize that AP is a once in a decade type back don't you? And your team has to suck pretty bad to be in a position to draft him.

 

[BlitzFritz]

you cant run to get 2 yards when your feature back crumples on contact.
the O-line needs to win the battle decisively which is really hard to when D stacks the line.

if you had sammy morris, fred taylor, or god forbid corey dillon, you run.
with KoolAid, no way do you run the ball.

 

[Triumph]

Maroney didn't cost them the game.

He sucks.

Cant wait for Taylor and Morris to get back.

 

[BrownNServe]

you cant run to get 2 yards when your feature back crumples on contact.
the O-line needs to win the battle decisively which is really hard to when D stacks the line.

if you had sammy morris, fred taylor, or god forbid corey dillon, you run.
with KoolAid, no way do you run the ball.

get over yourself, maroney was hit behind the line yesterday multiple times, due to the lack of blocking, and turned it into a positive play all but once, IIRC.

 

[Rob0729]

you cant run to get 2 yards when your feature back crumples on contact.
the O-line needs to win the battle decisively which is really hard to when D stacks the line.

if you had sammy morris, fred taylor, or god forbid corey dillon, you run.
with KoolAid, no way do you run the ball.

I agree, but who are you talking about? Obviously not Maroney since multiple times last night he turned losses into gains by either changing direction or driving through blockers.

 

[Triumph]

I agree, but who are you talking about? Obviously not Maroney since multiple times last night he turned losses into gains by either changing direction or driving through blockers.

He ran strong in the beginning but faded at the end.

 

[letekro]

I need to vent.

Is there someone out there on waivers that we should pick up?

I used to view Maroney as inexpensive, taking up snaps so that others could rest. He is a ballerina, with some explosion. But goes down on first contact. (unless there is a pile that gets pushed). A near total bust of a 1st rounder.

But that fumble cost us the game. Come on.

I could just as easily say that Faulk cost us the game by bobbling the 4th down pass, or that Kaczur cost us the game because he couldn't keep Mathis off TB, or that Mayo cost us the game because he missed a tackle on Addai that led to a score....I mean, really? I wish we could have "Fight Laurence Maroney On Your Front Yard Day" when Laurence would come and pummel all his detractors on their respective front lawns. I've never seen a player more unfairly criticized.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

I've been staying out of this because I've been a Maroney supported who viewed the guy as someone slowly finding himself. Instead, I have to admit, he's lost himself. The brash, probably foolishly confident rookie stiff arming his way off the tackle has virtually disappeared. Now what we have is something I can't remember seeing in anyone who lasted in the league past training camp - a running back that NEVER takes the ball and attacks the line WITHOUT breaking stride. On every single carry he gets the ball and breaks his running stride, every time, regardless of blocking, direction, style of play, etc. Certainly the run blocking last night was spotty at times, but LoMo also missed enormous holes other times by staring straight ahead while slowing down, ever so briefly, after receiving the ball. This behavior is the generally the kiss of death for a RB. Decisiveness, even if misdirected, is better than, gulp, I hate to say it, a dancer.

Watch him closely, he breaks his stride every single time he is handed the ball. The kid's head has been messed up. I believe, like I'm sure Lawrence does, that he's better than this. LoMo's been told so many times to just get the yards right in front of him that he reflexively fights his natural cutting ability to the point they negate one and other. He hasn't stepped into the open and cut back to daylight all year, Faulk does it a couple times a game. Unfortunately, that says it all...

 

[Deus Irae]

I've been staying out of this because I've been a Maroney supported who viewed the guy as someone slowly finding himself. Instead, I have to admit, he's lost himself. The brash, probably foolishly confident rookie stiff arming his way off the tackle has virtually disappeared. Now what we have is something I can't remember seeing in anyone who lasted in the league past training camp - a running back that NEVER takes the ball and attacks the line WITHOUT breaking stride. On every single carry he gets the ball and breaks his running stride, every time, regardless of blocking, direction, style of play, etc. Certainly the run blocking last night was spotty at times, but LoMo also missed enormous holes other times by staring straight ahead while slowing down, ever so briefly, after receiving the ball. This behavior is the generally the kiss of death for a RB. Decisiveness, even if misdirected, is better than, gulp, I hate to say it, a dancer.

Watch him closely, he breaks his stride every single time he is handed the ball. The kid's head has been messed up. I believe, like I'm sure Lawrence does, that he's better than this. LoMo's been told so many times to just get the yards right in front of him that he reflexively fights his natural cutting ability to the point they negate one and other. He hasn't stepped into the open and cut back to daylight all year, Faulk does it a couple times a game. Unfortunately, that says it all...

His best run last night was on a play that was supposed to go right, but was completely shut down. He read it, took the ball to the left, and picked up yardage.

 

[VJCPatriot]

AHH you realize that AP is a once in a decade type back don't you? And your team has to suck pretty bad to be in a position to draft him.

Steven Jackson was drafted #24 overall. Maroney #21 overall. Matt Forte was drafted in the seond round. Michael Turner was drafted in the 5th round. Curtis Martin was drafted in the 3rd round. The runningbacks are out there and good ones come out every year. We might not get AP but if we get even 85-90% of that, I'm cool with that. Maroney will never be in the league of those guys I just mentioned however.

The Pats also have something like 4-5 picks in the 1st 3 rounds of next year's draft as well as 2 1st rounders in 2011. I think they can move up to get a pretty good RB if their scouts find someone special.

Maroney has athleticism and speed sure, but he just doesn't have the vision and decisiveness to be anything more than a mediocre RB. He's probably suffering from severe confidence issues as well. Not sure what can be done about that either except maybe a sports shrink.

 

[TennesseePatriot]

I need to vent.

Is there someone out there on waivers that we should pick up?

I used to view Maroney as inexpensive, taking up snaps so that others could rest. He is a ballerina, with some explosion. But goes down on first contact. (unless there is a pile that gets pushed). A near total bust of a 1st rounder.

But that fumble cost us the game. Come on.

Maroney can be great...or awful. He is the epitome of an inconsistent rusher. The Patriots would benefit greatly if they picked up C.J. Spiller from Clemson in this year's Draft Class. He's explosive in space and would be a great candidate for the screen pass that BB loves to run.

 

[Garbanza]

What was Maroney's stat line? 13 carries for 31 yards? What was Faulks? ...behind the same line!!! Enough with the Maroney apologists! Fumbling at the goal line is inexcusable. If it were anyone else, he'd be getting crucified right now. C'mon people.

That said, that is not why we lost. Would have been nice to have those points as a damned cushion.....but that's not why the Pats lost. The Pats lost because the team let up in the fourth quarter. The defense was not looking good in the fourth after looking very, very good the first three. Momentum was clearly in Indy's favor and Belichick tried to put a dagger in it. Risky, risky business and he lost.

 

[DESERTPAT]

I need to vent.


But that fumble cost us the game. Come on.

I remember a guy named Kevin Faulk USE to fumble quite a bit and it cost us a game or two. Gee, imagine if the Pats had cut him then.