Why the emphasis on fullbacks?

[MetalBleachers]

I'd actually like to take a look-see at Jason Snelling, rookie cut by Atlanta this week. He's an all-around fullback, meaning he can catch the ball well and give you 5-8 carries a game, as well as block....kind of what Zack Crockett did for Oakland or Cory Schlesinger for Detroit. I don't think anybody's picked him up yet. I'd be thrilled if the Patriots picked him up and were able to stash him on IR or the Practice Squad.

Seconded. had a productive preseason, FWIW: http://www.nfl.com/players/jasonsnelling/gamelogs?id=SNE717004

I liked Snelling coming out of UVA. Right now, it's Evans, but I think that, with some development, Snelling could become an all-around (rushing, blocking, pass-catching) FB for the Pats, maybe in two seasons' time.

 

[GoWhalers]

I think the re-emergence of the fullback for the Patriots just reflects Belichick's approach of staying one step ahead of the coaching herd. I think most NFL defenses don't or can't properly handle a versatile fullback.

If you recall the Saints-Cowboys game of last year, Saints coach Sean Payton used a seldom-heard-from fullback named John Karney (sp?) to score something like 4 touchdowns in that game. I think those 4 touchdowns were more than Karney had ever scored in his career.

The point? Payton was Parcell's former assistant, and he knew that a weakness of Parcell's defense was that it (apparently) didn't account for a fullback catching passes out of the backfield. Belichick must see the same thing elsewhere around the league.

Will it last? Of course not -- teams will adapt to the versatile FB, and hopefully by then Belichick is onto the next gee-whiz idea, like a speedy TE who can cause mismatches (Watson), or an athletic guard who can paste defenders at the next level (Neal), or a WR with incredible leaping ability who can go over the top of a corner (Moss). Obviously the leaping WR isn't a new idea, but like fashion, sometimes what's old becomes new again!

 

[AzPatsFan]

The Patriots like to have versatile FB's like Centers.

Evans is good but I bet they think they can get better.

Me personally? I think Evans has earned a spot on this team.

That's why BB invested a fourth in a guy, Garret Mills, without a definable position; its why he was so upset with the Viking's Childress. Mills needed another year of grooming, to learn the duties required of a Larry Centers II.

The Vikes don't have the kind of team that will use his talents, nor do they have the time to develop them, so I predict that he'll be back on the FA lists before long.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The Vikes don't have the kind of team that will use his talents, nor do they have the time to develop them, so I predict that he'll be back on the FA lists before long.

I dunno; if you think of Mills not as a TE or a FB, but as a "receiver" the Vikings' roster seems to create an opportunity for him as a slot receiver/H-back guy who can work in traffic. With a young West Coast Offense QB, a player like Mills could be a life saver - literally - consider him a smaller, less expensive version of Wiggins, or a replacement for Tony Richardson.

FB/TE/WRs listed on Vikings roster:

83	Dugan, Jeff	       FB	6'4"	258	4/8/1981	4	Maryland
38	Tahi, Naufahu	       FB	6'0"	254	10/30/1981	2	Brigham Young
49	Richardson, Tony	FB	6'1"	238	12/17/1971	13	Auburn
45	Mills, Garrett	TE	6'1"	235	10/12/1983	2	Tulsa
40	Kleinsasser, Jimmy	TE	6'3"	272	1/31/1977	9	North Dakota
81	Shiancoe, Visanthe	TE	6'4"	250	6/18/1980	5	Morgan State
82	Williamson, Troy	WR	6'1"	203	4/30/1982	3	South Carolina
89	Ferguson, Robert	WR	6'1"	219	12/17/1979	7	Texas A&M
19	Wade, Bobby	       WR	5'10"	186	2/25/1981	5	Arizona
14	Allison, Aundrae	WR	6'0"	198	4/29/1986	0	East Carolina
18	Rice, Sidney	       WR	6'4"	202	9/1/1986	0	South Carolina

 

[unoriginal]

Here's a wham block, lightly illustrated:

This play calls for a wham block from Watson on the 1-tech tackle, Rien Long. This frees up Koppen to get the Sam linebacker.

Here's the blocking scheme illustrated. As often happens with the Pats, Light is asked to get the Mike linebacker, while Mankins blocks the end. Having an ex-LT as your LG is handy.

The wham block is supposed to go outside-in, i.e. Watson should catch Long's left shoulder and drive him up the screen. What ends up happening is Long detects the trap and hugs Neal's side, Watson passes him and ends up blocking Long inside out, towards the camera. Needless to say the play is stopped for a loss.