Riddley

[fumbrunner]

Wow, one bad game from a guy with over 1000 yds last year, 13 TDs, and has NEVER fumbled and everyone is ready to throw him in the trash heap. Keep it classy Pats fans.

I think there is plenty of room for BJGE and Ridley, with Woodhead playing a more traditional 3rd down role. But WE NEED TO RUN THE BALL. That does not seem to be a priority at the moment.

 

[JackBauer]

Wow, one bad game from a guy with over 1000 yds last year, 13 TDs, and has NEVER fumbled and everyone is ready to throw him in the trash heap. Keep it classy Pats fans.

I think there is plenty of room for BJGE and Ridley, with Woodhead playing a more traditional 3rd down role. But WE NEED TO RUN THE BALL. That does not seem to be a priority at the moment.

Who's talking about throwing him in the trash heap? BJGE is a decent back, but he hasn't looked particularly good so far this year and the team is unquestionably better off with a more talented option at RB1.

 

[fumbrunner]

Who's talking about throwing him in the trash heap? BJGE is a decent back, but he hasn't looked particularly good so far this year and the team is unquestionably better off with a more talented option at RB1.

Take a look at some of the posts in this thread. There are plenty of people making that argument.

 

[satz]

Did it occur to you that passing THAT much might actually be part of the problem?

NO - lol. I am pissed i like to see 60/40

 

[tasmlab]

Crazy arm

The way Ridley crazily waves his arm that's not holding the ball looks like he is running across a balance beam. Or like Steve Martin in the Jerk (I think) where he is running back and forth into the burning building.

Looks like a good way to fumble IMO.

 

[chicowalker]

Wow, one bad game from a guy with over 1000 yds last year, 13 TDs, and has NEVER fumbled and everyone is ready to throw him in the trash heap. Keep it classy Pats fans.

I think there is plenty of room for BJGE and Ridley, with Woodhead playing a more traditional 3rd down role. But WE NEED TO RUN THE BALL. That does not seem to be a priority at the moment.

I agree with all of this.

I think the choice b/t Ridley and BJGE should partly be game by game, depending on how the team and RB are performing. Yesterday the line didn't seem to be opening holes or pushing the D-line back, and BJGE looked slow compared to Ridley. I don't pretend to know if this is exactly what was happening, but in a game like yesterday's, it seemed that Ridley would be the better option b/c of his relative quickness.

On a different day I would expect BJGE to be the better option, at least until Ridley becomes the clear #1 back (which I think he could).

All that said, I agree with your all caps. If they can do it effectively, it will make both the offense and defense better.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I don't have issues with BJGE despite his poor performance yesterday. You have to wonder though if his limitations are what causes the coaching staff to get away from running the ball. It seems whenever we're trailing or in a shootout he's taken out of games and they go with Woodhead, someone a little more explosive. If that's the case they need to utilize Ridley more. I really don't care as long as they run the freaking ball, but of the 3 Ridley is looking like the best pure runner right now.

 

[mgteich]

So, yesterday's 63% was waaaaaaay to much passing and 60% is just right?????

OK, I agree. I also believe that when Vollmer is starting and Solder is able to play blocking TE, then we might reduce the number to 60%.

NO - lol. I am pissed i like to see 60/40

 

[PlainOldEd]

Green Ellis is worse than maroney right now. They should of drafted fricken ingram.

Ridley should freaking start.

BJGE can never get going, he doesn't get enough carries. I wouldn't classify him with Kool-Aid just yet.

Having said that I think there is a good chance that Ridley will lead the team in rushing yards by the end of the year.

 

[Lansdowne]

The Talented Mr. Ridley deserves his chance to get the lion's share of carries. But I'm skeptic of it happening on the sooner side.

 

[mgteich]

Ridley got a reasonable number of reps yesterday. He wasn't an afterthought. Perhaps if Green-Ellis is ineffective again next week, Ridley will get more reps. But, for now, he is one of three getting significant reps, which is fine by me. I don't want to have only one back on first and second and another on third down, as we had last year.

The Talented Mr. Ridley deserves his chance to get the lion's share of carries. But I'm skeptic of it happening on the sooner side.

 

[sbpatfan]

I'm more worried about Vereen. He's either still nursing an injury or not as good as advertised.

 

[JackBauer]

I'm more worried about Vereen. He's either still nursing an injury or not as good as advertised.

Do you expect Vereen to be better than Woodhead or Ridley at this juncture?

I tend to think it has a bit to do with him missing most of camp with the hammy. He's got catching up to do, methinks.

 

[chicowalker]

Do you expect Vereen to be better than Woodhead or Ridley at this juncture?

I tend to think it has a bit to do with him missing most of camp with the hammy. He's got catching up to do, methinks.

Your mention of Vereen also reminds me that both he andd ridley might not be where they need to be on blocking and picking up blitzes, limiting their use to running plays (and therefore limiting their use).

If that's the case, I'm perfectly fine with them coming along slowly, since it could mean keeping Brady alive.

edit: btw, could a mod or the threadstarter fix the spelling of the guy'sname in the thread title?

 

[Snake Eyes]

The problem is the defense.
===================
I agree that Ridley was a fine addition to Green-Ellis and Woodhead. However, this team has been a passing team for many years, under Brady and Bledsoe before him. No team's offense has done any better. No team has won more games in this time period. No team had won more Super Bowls in this time period.

Check out the teams with the best running games over time, and the best running backs. See how they compare.

What we lack is a cohesive defense. As was the case last year, we expect it to get better as the year progresses.

Are we able to win when it counts? Lately we haven’t been able to, I have 0 desire to reinvent the Colts offense, it’s great for stats but doesn’t get the job done post-season.

The defense HAS been horrible but that’s not a completely separate issue from the running game. I want to SUSTAIN drives, make things easier for TFB because the Defense has to respect the run, and let my defense rest.

Late game defensive meltdowns often coincide with not being able to sustain drives, and the opponent KEEPING your defense on the field.

 

[A.C Vegas]

One thing that no one here as mentioned that needs to be we have a 40% new Oline and pass blocking it Stand in your spot and keep people away from the Qb as best as you can for as long as you can.

run blocking is moving around, covering for other people that have moved, get to the next level and take out LBs, Help double team big run stoppers and, open up lanes nad run down feild to help if you can

it takes more time to gel in run blocking the pass blocking plan and simple

 

[iapatsfan]

Ridley got a reasonable number of reps yesterday. He wasn't an afterthought. Perhaps if Green-Ellis is ineffective again next week, Ridley will get more reps. But, for now, he is one of three getting significant reps, which is fine by me. I don't want to have only one back on first and second and another on third down, as we had last year.

I don't think 7 carries is reasonable. I don't care what back is playing on what down or in what order. I want the back that is running best running most. That is not what happened yesterday. Anybody watching that game could see Ridley was more explosive, more elusive and actually picked up the blitz very well. Why not at least give him a try on the goaline when it was obvious BJGE was getting nothing??

 

[Patspsycho]

One thing that no one here as mentioned that needs to be we have a 40% new Oline and pass blocking it Stand in your spot and keep people away from the Qb as best as you can for as long as you can.

run blocking is moving around, covering for other people that have moved, get to the next level and take out LBs, Help double team big run stoppers and, open up lanes nad run down feild to help if you can

it takes more time to gel in run blocking the pass blocking plan and simple

That's a good point to make- not only is the OL featuring two, sometimes 3 "new" players, but the most effective pull-blocker on our line (e.g., fast/athletic), Connolly, is now the center. Mankins and Waters are solid and stout on the line but they don't have Connolly's speed and athleticism to get to the 2nd level to do effective damage.

 

[Snake Eyes]

That's a good point to make- not only is the OL featuring two, sometimes 3 "new" players, but the most effective pull-blocker on our line (e.g., fast/athletic), Connolly, is now the center. Mankins and Waters are solid and stout on the line but they don't have Connolly's speed and athleticism to get to the 2nd level to do effective damage.

Getting to the 2nd level is nice but not necessary in order to be effective, if the RB can consistently pick up 5yds/carry that's just fine.

 

[hovis]

Yea, but yesterday they didn't clear enough to get much more than 3 yards most of the time.