Is Develin hurting the running game, and the offense overall?

[Brady6]

Is Develin hurting the running game, and the offense overall?

Let me start by saying I do not consider myself an expert on NFL offense and could be way off base with this assessment; however I believe this commitment to using Develin at fullback is limiting the offense.

This is my reasoning for this belief:

• Other than in short yardage or goal line situations Ridley has never ran behind a fullback in his NFL career, he has always been able to determine the hole on his own and explode through it. When I watch him play in the first few weeks he appears to be making a conscious effort to run behind Develin and by doing this he is letting Develin determine the hole, in addition Develin is not an explosive player so it limits the speed at which Ridley can accelerate.
• Last season Ridley and the other backs benefited from the hurry up offense, Brady would wear down the defense by spreading out and aligning in a running formation with the same personnel, with Develin in the game it limits Brady’s ability to spread out, so they cannot use the same personnel and wear down the defenders in a hurry up.
• Develin being out there is keeping a true receiving threat like Boyce off the field, so even when Brady spreads it out with the running personnel he is hindered by having Ridley who isn’t consider a huge threat and Develin who as a converted defensive end likely isn’t considered a threat at all, so even spread out the defense only has to key in on the 3 primary receivers.
• Develin being in the game is pulling a safety into the box, in the past the other teams would always remain back and protect against the pass, now with Develin in the game they can slide the safety up because he can just take coverage on Develin if it turns out to be a passing play.

One thing that stands out to me is how Shane Vereen was the most successful running back in the 2 games this season and he was also the only running back not to run behind Develin.

I am not saying it is Develin it could be the position itself, Develin seems like a nice hard working player, but I truly believe he is adversely affecting the offense.

 

[shmessy]

Brady6, thank you for bringing this point up.

I hurriedly posted several times live in the game thread something to the effect of "What the hell good is a FB who gets tossed around like a mop?".

I couldn't believe my eyes how ineffectual this FB was on Thursday. It was awful. He got no push whatsoever, and was continually tossed to the side as if he was not there. The Pats got blown up several times in the two-back formation runs.

In the limited times the Pats have used a FB in the past few years, they really haven't had a great experience with it. However, nothing was as bad as James develin was the other night.

Seriously, this is a wasted roster spot. Develin is the Jake Bequette of the Offense.

 

[Sciz]

Who do you propose they replace him with? Outside of running out of 3 WR formations every time, the alternative is another TE, and all of the TEs have been useless.

 

[Kontradiction]

To me, Develin should be used more in a pass catching role in the flats than as a blocker. He's show a pretty good weakness as a blocker, particuarly in the 28 snaps he played this past Thursday vs. the Jets. But he is a big bodied receiver that can help with short passes in the flats (as we saw in the preseason) or on the goal line until Gronk and Sudfeld come back.

 

[Brady6]

Who do you propose they replace him with? Outside of running out of 3 WR formations every time, the alternative is another TE, and all of the TEs have been useless.

I would go:

Brady – QB
Ridley – RB
WR X – Dobson
WR Z – Edelman (Amendola when he returns)
WR Y – Thompkins (Edelman when Amendola returns)
TE Y – Hooman/Sudfeld (Gronkowski when he returns)

On a team that is struggling to have players get open I see no reason why we should have a fullback who played defensive end in college on the field, it is not as if he is helping the running game Ridley is averaging 3.4 YPA and Blount is averaging 2.4 YPA compared to the only back to run without Develin in the game Vereen who averaged 7.2 YPA. I think we all agree Ridley is a better running back than Vereen in terms of carrying the football, so why does Ridley have 25 carries for 86 yards, and 20 of those yards came on 1 carry in which Develin was not on the field.

 

[shmessy]

He's show a pretty good weakness as a blocker......

That's a nice way to put it.

 

[Brady6]

To me, Develin should be used more in a pass catching role in the flats than as a blocker. He's show a pretty good weakness as a blocker, particuarly in the 28 snaps he played this past Thursday vs. the Jets. But he is a big bodied receiver that can help with short passes in the flats (as we saw in the preseason) or on the goal line until Gronk and Sudfeld come back.

Honestly I think I would rather use Solder as a tight end than Develin, he is more athletic and has more experience playing the position.

Solder
Height: 6082
Weight: 319
40 Yrd Dash: 4.96
20 Yrd Dash: 2.87
10 Yrd Dash: 1.72
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 21
Vertical Jump: 32
Broad Jump: 09'02"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.34
3-Cone Drill: 7.44

Develin
Height: 6031
Weight: 259
40 Yrd Dash: 5.03
20 Yrd Dash: 2.88
10 Yrd Dash: 1.75
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 39
Vertical Jump: 28 1/2
Broad Jump: 08'08"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.55
3-Cone Drill: 7.25

 

[shmessy]

On a team that is struggling to have players get open I see no reason why we should have a fullback who played defensive end in college on the field, it is not as if he is helping the running game Ridley is averaging 3.4 YPA and Blount is averaging 2.4 YPA compared to the only back to run without Develin in the game Vereen who averaged 7.2 YPA. I think we all agree Ridley is a better running back than Vereen in terms of carrying the football, so why does Ridley have 25 carries for 86 yards, and 20 of those yards came on 1 carry in which Develin was not on the field?

(Horshack voice)

"oooooh...oooooohhhhhh......I know the answer!!!!!!

Because he's lousy.

And you have given a great in-depth deposition on the subject. Well presented.

 

[Kontradiction]

Honestly I think I would rather use Solder as a tight end than Develin, he is more athletic and has more experience playing the position.

Solder
Height: 6082
Weight: 319
40 Yrd Dash: 4.96
20 Yrd Dash: 2.87
10 Yrd Dash: 1.72
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 21
Vertical Jump: 32
Broad Jump: 09'02"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.34
3-Cone Drill: 7.44

Develin
Height: 6031
Weight: 259
40 Yrd Dash: 5.03
20 Yrd Dash: 2.88
10 Yrd Dash: 1.75
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 39
Vertical Jump: 28 1/2
Broad Jump: 08'08"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.55
3-Cone Drill: 7.25

Outside of Solder and Vollmer (who I like as a RT), I really don't trust anybody else to protect Brady's blind side. It's not necessary to line Solder up as a TE and it would be a huge transition for him. Keep Solder where he is, beef him up, and pray for Gronk's quick and successful return.

 

[Brady6]

Outside of Solder and Vollmer (who I like as a RT), I really don't trust anybody else to protect Brady's blind side. It's not necessary to line Solder up as a TE and it would be a huge transition for him. Keep Solder where he is, beef him up, and pray for Gronk's quick and successful return.

Agreed, although they did it a decent amount in the Jets game, I am just saying if I had to pick I would rather have Cannon at RT, Vollmer at LT and use Solder at TE than have Develin on the field, he would provide far more in the running game and I would wager to say he could do more in the receiving game to.

 

[Brady6]

(Horshack voice)

"oooooh...oooooohhhhhh......I know the answer!!!!!!

Because he's lousy.

And you have given a great in-depth deposition on the subject. Well presented.

Thank you Shmessy I really appreciate that coming from you, I really enjoy your posts and knowledge of the game.

 

[Sicilian]

I'm just not a big fan of FB's in today's NFL period. I've always felt you could get along without one assuming you have a somewhat mobile TE who could line up there between the 20's, and a spare OL that could line up there on the goal line.

And that may be the problem at the moment. We don't really have the former.

 

[skspikex2]

Not just him, Hoo-man suck also.

 

[Avenger]

lets put Ninkovich on offense, play him at TE in the red zone

 

[PatsFan2]

Not just him, Hoo-man suck also.

I was just going to say the same thing regarding Hoo-dat.

 

[PatsFan2]

I'm just not a big fan of FB's in today's NFL period. I've always felt you could get along without one assuming you have a somewhat mobile TE who could line up there between the 20's, and a spare OL that could line up there on the goal line.

And that may be the problem at the moment. We don't really have the former.

They are some pretty good FB's in the game we just don't have one.

 

[mgteich]

What a fine balanced offense, three OT's on the field.

Obviously, it a MAJOR error on the part of the front office to have only ONE qualified blocker on the team: Gronkowski. That situation simply doesn't work in this year;s NFL.

Solder has played reps at TE (29 I think in the 2 days). That is not the issue. Perhaps we should play 3 WR, plus our best TE (Solder). Belichick is not ready for this.

I am amazed to think that we now consider Cannon so great a LT that we would Solder and play him at TE. Seriously, we reduce our running game efficiency by losing Solder at LT, and replace him with Cannon.

Cannon has moved from a backup, to our best starting OG (delusions of some) and now good enough to replace a healthy Solder at LT.

I'm just not buying.

You celebrate our consistent vanilla defense, with almost no substitutions, and you want to to take one of best LT's in the NFL and make him a TE? I'm confused.

Perhaps, we might find an acceptable blocking TE somewhere. I am absolutely appalled that we ahve ZERO acceptable blocking TE's.

Just BTW, when gronkowski comes back, he will need to be a blocker. He will have little bandwidth to be a top receiver.

 

[PatsFan2]

The Patriots have Four Players on their Active Roster right now that if they release them nobody would notice.

1) Blount

2) Hoo-Dat

3) Develin

4) Jake Bequette

What's sad all Three Offensive players were game day actives.

 

[shmessy]

The Patriots have Four Players on their Active Roster right now that if tthey release them noboy would notice.

1) Blount

2) Hoo-Dat

3) Develin

4) Jake Bequette

What's sad the Three Offensive players were game day actives.

Actually, Bequette was also a game day active - - for both games, believe it or not.

However, I can't blame you for not noticing. I didn't either.

 

[cstjohn17]

Develin looks pretty bad but Hooman is absolutely dreadful, just a god awful blocker.