Running Backs

[sbpatfan]

Every year it's a make or break season for Maroney - and every year he disappoints. He's a BUST. Just cut him already. I'd rather go into the season with my grandma in the backfield, than this dancing waste of everone's time. The Pats don't have much of a run game, with or without him, and regardless of the plethora of Tight Ends they have in the fold.

I'm with Troy Brown - Maroney could be the "suprise" cut....and I'll be cheering.

There is no way that anyone can logically argue Maroney is a bust. He's a disappointing pick, that it's. Cutting our most athletic running back because he wasn't the second coming of Barry Sanders is just stupid.

 

[jmt57]

Christopher Price of WEEI takes a brief look at two of the 'other' running backs in training camp.



It Is What It Is Rating the Roster, Training Camp Edition (Part 1)

77. Running back Thomas Clayton: Signed in June as an unrestricted free agent, the 5-foot-11, 222-pound Clayton has been unable to stay healthy over the course of his pro career. Ultimately, his fortunes could be tied to Chris Taylor, another fringe running back who managed to stick around Foxboro all last season on injured reserve despite suffering a shoulder injury and going on injured reserve in early September. (Taylor didn’t play a meaningful down all season but the Patriots kept him around all year, which should tell you a little something about what the organization thinks of him.)



It Is What It Is Rating the Roster, Training Camp Edition (Part 2)

69. Running back Chris Taylor: I touched on how the organization feels about the 6-foot, 224-pound Taylor yesterday — he’s an intriguing prospect in that the Patriots think so much of him they kept him around all year on injured reserve despite the fact that he suffered a shoulder injury last summer and never played a snap in the regular season. That being said, New England has a lot of running backs on the roster, and something would likely have to happen to BenJarvus Green-Ellis for Taylor to get a chance.

 

[jmt57]

Richard Hill of Pats Pulpit takes a look at Fred Taylor. He's predicting Taylor to get about 120 carries for 550 yards, with seven touchdowns as the number two running back on the roster.

Patriots Roster Prediction #32: RB Fred Taylor - Pats Pulpit

Predicted Role: Fragile Freddy will look to be healthy this upcoming season. If he can be healthy, he'll be the perfect compliment to Laurence Maroney and the running game will re-emerge as above average and as an actual threat that opposing defenses much may attention to. Taylor will spell Maroney at times to keep Maroney fresh late in the game. As stated earlier, the Patriots running game suffered as the game progressed due to the inability of Maroney to be a feature back. With Taylor in the line-up, Maroney should perform better and the Patriots should perform better.

Summary: Taylor will run along with Laurence Maroney and will make the running game respectable. He'll be the goal line threat as well as the muscle between the tackles. Taylor will make the most out of his last season with the Patriots and, most likely, the NFL, and go out with a great season.

 

[jmt57]

Bruce Allen of Patriots Daily on Sammy Morris:

Roster Watch – Sammy Morris | Patriots Daily

Morris has been a versatile, hard-running back who can also block and catch the ball out of the backfield. The biggest problem he’s had with the team is being able to stay on the field. With the Patriots carrying three running backs over the age of 33 this season (Fred Taylor and Kevin Faulk being the others) health will be a key for the Patriots running game this season.

But is it a sure thing that he will be on the roster this season? Could the team decide to use his roster spot on someone else?

 

[jmt57]

Allen takes a look at each of the eight running backs on the Pats' roster.

Positional Previews – Running Backs | Patriots Daily

With the age and health of this group a concern, it’s hard to label this position as a definite strength for the Patriots at this time. Like so many other positions, the talent and potential are there, but unless Maroney can leap up and grab the lead back role and remain healthy, it’s going to be another year of running back by committee.

 

[jmt57]

From Sunday's Boston Globe: Faulk a Patriots triple threat with luck, prayer and hard work by Shalise Manza Young.

“It can go in any different order,’’ Faulk said yesterday of his three keys to longevity. “Luck, I say that because any time you get drafted it’s all about the team, the system, the organization you go to; praying, that speaks for itself; and just hard work — the work that you put into it is what you’re going to get out of the game.’’

"They said, ‘Look, we’re looking for this type of running back, but we will need this. If you can do this, it would be great,’ ’’ Faulk said of the idea of becoming a third-down specialist. “And it happened that way. It doesn’t happen that way for everyone, but it happened.’’

It was tough at first. The consummate team player, Faulk wants to help in every aspect of the game, and when he was on the bench he felt he wasn’t helping the team.


Yet as the seasons passed, Faulk found ways to help the Patriots, becoming the sort of versatile, reliable performer his friend and mentor Troy Brown was in his years with New England.

 

[jmt57]

From Friday's Boston Globe, Christopher Gasper says This finally has to be Maroney's year.

Know this about No. 39: it's never been an effort issue. If anything it's the opposite. He tries too hard to please too many people and has too many voices in his head. Maroney is not a knucklehead who doesn't care. He cares too much.

Maroney sounded more mature and circumspect yesterday. He is, believe it or not, one of the veterans now on this team, even though he is just 25 years old. His goal for this make-or-break season in New England was right out of the Bill Belichick Media Playbook.

"Win, that's the only reason that we're here for," said Maroney. "We ain't here to get personal stats are we? We're here for one thing and that's to win, so whatever I can do to help us win that's what I'm going to do."

 

[jmt57]

Tom King of the Nashua Telegraph says Maroney Needs To Step Up and become a 1000-yard rusher.

“I can always get better. I know the offense, but learning more to run-read, the line, staying patient in the running game, and running more physical.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick last year told the media he would sit and discuss the philosophy of the running game often with Maroney.

“It was just basically seeing where his mind was at,” Maroney said.
“Seeing how he’d like for me to run and putting my own thing into it. At the end of the day, I have to run (the way it’s) more comfortable for me, but at the same time, knowing how he’d like for me to run is good to know so I could incorporate it into my game.”

Maroney said it’s been difficult trying to incorporate how the Patriots want to run the ball. But first and foremost, he’s not concerned about last year’s sudden fumble problem. “That’s four in four years, one a year in my book,” he said. “But no, that’s something I got away from. I usually don’t fumble and it’s something I’ve been thinking about and it made me upset about last year. But it’s one of the things that can easily be fixed. It would be me concentrating more on ball control.

“It’s a mental thing. Just hold the ball high and tight, never get comfortable when you fall on the ground. That was most of my fumbles, on the way to the ground. That was just me getting relaxed. It was me being lazy.”

He made sure he wasn’t lazy in the off-season, prepping for this season.

“Definitely,” he said. “I was making sure I’d come back in the best shape possible, not having injuries to deal with. Just coming out here and getting back to the basics of football, running hard, and doing what I did to get here.”

 

[jmt57]

Mike Reiss of espnBoston thinks that the Pats' Ground Game Has Room To Improve

For those who believe teams develop a physical attitude in training camp, as well as the mindset that they will steamroll through opponents near the goal line, the first nine days of camp suggest the Patriots have work to do in that area.

"It's real physical going against those guys," Maroney said. "I look at it as if I can make some moves and get into the end zone on the goal line against our defense, with how good they are, I feel comfortable I can do it on any team."

Of the top backs, Maroney is the young buck of the group at 25, even though he's entering his fifth NFL season and the final year of his contract. Taylor, Morris (33) and Faulk (34) are also entering the final year of their contracts.

"I have a lot of veterans in front of me, a lot of guys who have been in [the league] a lot of years and done a lot of great things that I can learn from," Maroney said. "I feel real comfortable coming into my fifth year, just getting everything I've learned and getting it to where I can put it in my game.

"We are definitely heading in the right direction. It's still early. We have to improve and still work on our patience and footsteps, just matching up with the line. It looks good. It looks like it's moving toward goodness.'"

 

[Ring 6]

Richard Hill of Pats Pulpit disagrees with Lombardi's assessment of the state of the Pats' running game. He sees the running game - whether it be talent or play calling - as a prime reason for the Pats losing leads and being outscored in the second half of games last year.

Both Halves of the Issue: Patriots Need Half Time Adjustments - Pats Pulpit

Check out some of the stats he uncovered:

1. The Patriots run on first down. They rarely run on second down. They definitely won't run on third down. They'll probably run on fourth down (hint: It will go to Sammy Morris).
2. Maroney becomes less productive as the game progresses (1Q: 5.2 y/c, 2Q: 3.3 y/c, 3Q: 3.5 y/c, 4Q: 3.0 y/c) and is not a workhorse back.
3. Once Tom Brady has thrown 10 passes, Maroney is really the only back who will run the ball- and since he gets worn down as the game progresses, this is horrible offensive scheming.
4. Seriously, once Brady had thrown 10 passes, Maroney ran 67 more times. Faulk, Morris and Taylor combined for 23 carries.
5. That also means that the Patriots lead backs only ran the ball 90 times after Brady had thrown 10 times. Brady hits that number, on average, in the middle of the 2nd quarter. That means 77.0% of the Patriots running attempts came before Brady had thrown 10 times. Which means early in the game. And not after the half.
6. Most of the late game running plays were hand-offs from Hoyer.
7. Morris and Maroney's yard/carry dropped by over a full yard from the first half to the second half.

His stats have to be wrong. Maroney had 87 2nd half carries. There is no way we only ran the ball as a team 90 times all season after Brady had 10 attempts.
Just in the 2nd half Maroney had 87, Faulk 28 Taylor 36 Morris 36
Thats 187 second half rushes. All together they had 392, so thats pretty close to half of the runs being after halftime.
Rich needs to recheck his numbers because those errors mess up his conclusion.

 

[Ring 6]

I understand your point - but I honestly don't think the running game would suffer THAT much with the release of Maroney. Honestly, I think it would send a great message: "we are not effing around this season!"

Just because fans don't like Maroney, doesnt mean he is effing around.
By all accounts he is a hard worker and takes his job seriously.
I don't think its a good message to send to the team that we cut players that fans who don't understand te game dont like.

 

[jmt57]

It Is What It Is Taylor still likes playing football ‘a hell of a lot’

The 34-year-old is entering his 13th season in the NFL, and second with the Patriots.

He believes he still has something to offer as a feature running back. And he has 12 seasons of experience to draw upon.

But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t thought about the day that must come for every pro athlete. But that’s when Taylor offered an interesting perspective on Thursday.

“I really like playing football,” Taylor said. “It’s really hard to use that word ‘love’ like some guys do because at some point, I have to divorce the game or it will divorce me, so I really can’t say I love it, but I like it a hell of a lot.

“And the camaraderie with the fellas and just competing, that’s what it’s all about.”

Taylor is coming off a season that was greatly limited by a right ankle injury that required surgery in early October. He never regained his form or had a chance to show what he could still do. But even at 34, coming off ankle surgery, Taylor still feels he can not only win a spot on the roster but he can be a lead back among a group that still includes Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Chris Taylor.

“I don’t focus on my age,” Taylor said. “I just go out there, compete and have fun. I definitely like to throw age out of that. I feel pretty good. I’m not going to say young but I feel very good. I’m ready to go, yeah.”

Whether 24, 34 or 44, anytime you make a mistake in practice when everyone is watching, your pride is hurt. Such was the case when Tom Brady looked over the middle on a third-down situation on Thursday morning and found an open Taylor. The veteran did something a lot of younger players do — he attempted to run without first securing the ball, dropping it to the ground for an incompletion.

“I’m pissed too,” Taylor said. “You want to be as close to perfect as you can. I hate dropping a pass but I work on it, I work at it and catching from the JUGS [ball-tossing machine] and doing what I need to do in that area. I always have. You want to be hard on yourself, not to the point where it carries over to the next play or the next practice but you do want to practice consistency in those areas that aren’t necessarily your strong points.”

 

[jmt57]

Patriots running back Fred Taylor discusses the art of the blitz pickup by Ian Rapoport for the Boston Herald

Kevin Faulk has always excelled at keeping Tom Brady out of harm’s way. Laurence Maroney has looked very good in this drill during this camp. Meanwhile, veteran Fred Taylor last week talked about the approach running backs take.

”It’s getting out there, knowing the type of person you’re going against, whether it’s a safety, a corner, a linebacker,” Taylor said. ”It’s knowing whether they’re shifty, whether they have spin moves . . . or whether they’re bull rushers. So you have to know their tendencies, study it, then go up there and give it the best you got.”


Who makes the first move?

”You want to start by minimizing their options,” Taylor said. ”Take one side to start initially, then play off that.”

 

[jmt57]

Laurence Maroney Hoping 'Rough' Hairstyle Translates Into Aggressive Running Game by Jeff Howe for NESN

"This is probably going to be my new style for the year -- rough," Maroney said. "It's my statement. Rough, that’s how I've got to be on the field, rough. I can't go out there being all pretty because then you're all going to say I'm dancing, tap shoes."

Anyway, the Patriots probably wouldn’t care if Maroney showed up looking like Carrot Top or Marge Simpson, so long as he improves upon last season's rushing output. Maroney totaled 757 yards and nine touchdowns, and he also had the best six-game stretch of his career, when he tallied 420 yards and eight touchdowns.

However, Maroney succumbed to a fumbling epidemic midway through the season that landed him on the bench. While he took a lot of steps in the right direction, he also found a way to move backward, and he enters 2010 with as many question marks as ever -- none of which truly involve his hair.

"I felt like I ran the ball harder than I ever ran it last year," said Maroney, who is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract. "I felt comfortable running the way I ran last year. I had some good success in games running the way I ran last year. It's basically taking what I did last year and taking it to this year and improving on it."

Laurence Maroney Hopes His Only Tapping Is Into Stronger Season by AP's Howard Ulman for SoutCoast Today

"I'm not trying to be on, what's that dance show they've got on TV? 'Dancing with the Stars?'" he said with his ever-present smile. "I'm physical. Downhill."

Maroney improved on that last year when, for the first time in his four seasons, he didn't miss any games because of injuries. He rushed for nine touchdowns but ran for only 757 yards and a 3.9 average carry in 15 games.

"I feel like I ran the ball harder than I ever ran," he said. "I felt comfortable running the way I ran last year, had some good successful games running. Now it's just basically taking what I did last year and bringing it to this year and improving on it."

If he had done that earlier — and avoided injury — the Patriots might not still be operating with a running back by committee.

 

[jmt57]

Pats Ground Game Has Room To Improve by Mike Reiss for espnBoston

Through this early stretch of camp, it has been challenging to get a clear read on how the Patriots plan to divide the carries among them. Like 2009, it will probably be a committee approach.

At times, Taylor has been the first running back in drills, although he isn't reading much into it at this point.

"Whether you're 1, 2 or 3, whenever they put me out there, an opportunity is an opportunity," said the 34-year-old Taylor, who was limited to seven games last season (including playoffs) because of a right ankle injury.

"It's great competition, very healthy. We're all friends," Taylor added of the running back corps. "We all still lean on each other. We all know we have to give it our all each and every day, and just trying to do the plays that we're given, the opportunity to run and try to make it look good."

For those who believe teams develop a physical attitude in training camp, as well as the mindset that they will steamroll through opponents near the goal line, the first nine days of camp suggest the Patriots have work to do in that area.

"It's real physical going against those guys," Maroney said. "I look at it as if I can make some moves and get into the end zone on the goal line against our defense, with how good they are, I feel comfortable I can do it on any team."

"I have a lot of veterans in front of me, a lot of guys who have been in [the league] a lot of years and done a lot of great things that I can learn from," Maroney said. "I feel real comfortable coming into my fifth year, just getting everything I've learned and getting it to where I can put it in my game.

"We are definitely heading in the right direction. It's still early. We have to improve and still work on our patience and footsteps, just matching up with the line. It looks good. It looks like it's moving toward goodness.'"

 

[LetsGoPats36]

No, no, no. Just go to any of the gameday threads last year and you'll see tons of posters that know beyond any form of argument that Maroney kicks ****ing *** and anybody that dares to calls him out doesn't know football.

Maroney sucks and the same knocks on him now were the same problems in college. Avoids contact like a Rams WR, inconsistent hands, poor vision, slow decision making, etc. There are several reasons why I stood up and booed at Radio City Music Hall when we drafted him. These faults aren't repeatedly raring their ugly heads because Maroney is a bad guy, not working hard or injured. He just sucks.

Wake the hell up. Maroney shouldn't be counted as a starting back in this league and its gross that he's still a feature part of our offense.

 

[patsfan-1982]

No, no, no. Just go to any of the gameday threads last year and you'll see tons of posters that know beyond any form of argument that Maroney kicks ****ing *** and anybody that dares to calls him out doesn't know football.

Maroney sucks and the same knocks on him now were the same problems in college. Avoids contact like a Rams WR, inconsistent hands, poor vision, slow decision making, etc. There are several reasons why I stood up and booed at Radio City Music Hall when we drafted him. These faults aren't repeatedly raring their ugly heads because Maroney is a bad guy, not working hard or injured. He just sucks.

Wake the hell up. Maroney shouldn't be counted as a starting back in this league and its gross that he's still a feature part of our offense.

he's the leading rusher on a team that has never gave him 200 att in a season... get over it the pats have not drafted or signed or will sign anyone who is better then him and when he walks as FA next year and the pats have Sammy Morris, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, as the best RB's team there will be people wanting maroney back

 

[jmt57]

Wife's Cooking Does The Trick For Kevin Faulk by Karen Guregian for the Boston Herald:


Kevin Faulk looks a lot leaner after dropping some weight during the offseason. How did the Patriots’ veteran running back go about slimming down?

The 34-year-old had a secret weapon, and he didn’t need any diet books, Jenny Craig or SlimFast. He had his wife Latisha cooking and monitoring his meals.

“My wife, she’s awesome,” Faulk said following yesterday’s morning walk-through. “She’s been working out for about two years now. Eating and working out is something she prides herself in. She cooked the meals, and they were healthy.”

Did she keep him away from beef, and stick with chicken and fish? Or did she have something else up her sleeve?

“I’m from Louisiana, so I’m all over the food chain,” said Faulk, who’s big on cajun-style barbecues, “but there was no fried foods, mostly grilled, a lot of seafood, and eating in small proportions.”

 

[jmt57]

Kevin Faulk, other 30-somethings wage war against diminishing returns; battling father time by Karen Guregian for the Boston Herald:


During the course of last season, Kevin Faulk wasn’t looked to in key situations anywhere near as much as he had been in previous seasons.

One of the league’s premier third-down backs didn’t log as many catches or touches as in years past. He wasn’t able to bail out quarterback Tom Brady like he once did.

So what was going on with Mr. Clutch? Was this a by-product of age?

During the offseason, Faulk took stock of the situation. Some members of the coaching staff had been suggesting he lose some weight, and that might help him regain a bit of quickness. After some reflection, Faulk, who turned 34 in June, agreed that was the best course of action.

“Once you get older, you do a little self-studying and self-scouting of yourself,” Faulk said yesterday. “You want to improve yourself as a football player.”

Basically, you want to be able to keep up with the kids. That’s the bottom line because, as fellow running back Fred Taylor so aptly stated the other day, football is “a young man’s game.”

 

[jmt57]

WEEI's Christopher Price has Benjarvus Green-Ellis as one of Five Patriots Who Might Be Feeling Bubblicious


Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis: Seems like we’ve been here before. Green-Ellis was considered someone who was on the bubble the last two preseasons, but in each case, ended up doing enough to merit a roster spot, thanks in large part to some impressive production in the preseason. (In his defense, he’s also managed to put up some good numbers when called upon in the regular season — he rushed for 50-plus yards on three occasions in 2008, including a 105-yard performance against the Bills.) With four running backs in front of him on the depth chart (Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor), his fate could be tied to how many wide receivers they decide to keep — if they go with an extra pass catcher, Green-Ellis could be on the outside looking in when cuts come down. He could also sneak in if the team feels Taylor isn’t durable enough for another 16-game season.