LeGarrette Blount as the Patriots kick returner (KR)

[Fencer]

Along with the slow returner that is Blount, is it me or is the blocking on the kick return not good? I realize Blount isn't too swift but he got hit on that first kickoff against BUF at like the 13. Perhaps the blocking is playing a part in the below average kickoff returns but I don't have access to film to analyze such things. Just a thought.

Being hit 18 yards from the start of the return isn't crazy is you first bobble the kick. But yeah, it also isn't stellar.

 

[PATRlOT]

I really hope Washington is good to go next Sunday. Setting up potential good field position (at least something beyond the 30 yard line) combined with a likely return for GRONK should be big.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I find it hard to believe there are no better options. Heck, putting nobody back there and starting at the 20 each time might be an upgrade to what is going on now.

Hopefully we are waiting to unveil a new returner for the tough 3 game stretch upcoming.

 

[Kdo5]

Anyone faster and more elusive would be way better than Blount. It's an unbelievable coaching decision to have your biggest, slowest, least elusive running back as your returner. It makes no sense at all.

 

[BradyBranch39]

in today's NFL, starting anywhere better than the 20 is winning.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

So the pats are basically giving up trying to get a TD on KRs now with him back there....and why is this?

 

[dannydyn]

LB the way he seems to me on PR....

 

[Mack Herron]

BB has complained that the NFL is trying to take the kick return out of the game. BB is just sticking it to the man: if you make it harder to return, we aren't even going to try. So there.

 

[varjao]

When LB returns I see a fumble coming every time.

They are barely getting back to the 20 yard line, why don't just take a knee and start safe at 20? We have Tom Brady, although he's not playing like the GOAT this season, it's a good field position. Starting at 10 or 13 on the other hand is terrible.

 

[IndianPat]

What bothers me is this - why does Blount even bother to return the kickoff?
He must be a legend in his own mind if he thinks he can go past the 25 yd line (I think the 23 yard line was his longest all season). He can try all season and I can guarantee you he is not getting past the 25 yd line on even one of those runs.

 

[chasa]

blount returning kickoffs is the least of our problems as a team

 

[Canuck]

I must say I have wondered why you must have a different PR and KR. Edelman is our PR and I really don't understand why he can't also return Kickoffs.

 

[PATRlOT]

blount returning kickoffs is the least of our problems as a team

True, but better field position (potentially) could help with our offensive struggles.

 

[supafly]

True, but better field position (potentially) could help with our offensive struggles.

The problem is...."who" do you use instead?

McCourty is just too big of a gamble due to his obvious importance on the field, not to mention the other key defensive players that have already gone down.

L.Washington is still inactive and supposedly hurt. Josh Boyce can't see the field and is inactive, not to mention a very green and unproven rookie.

Not too many guys left, are there?

In the beginning I was quite upset that Blount was being used on KOR's, but now I don't think it matters all that much. We saw him return a couple/few kicks today past the 20 yd line, which is more than a lot of our other options have done. He's going to be active, may as well use him I guess. On top of that, there have been plenty of times where it hasn't mattered anyway due to a lot of KO's being nonreturnable.

 

[supafly]

I must say I have wondered why you must have a different PR and KR. Edelman is our PR and I really don't understand why he can't also return Kickoffs.

We see his obvious importance and success on punt returns, where you have the ability to use your shiftiness and moves in space more. On top of that, returning punts is much less dangerous. It's more of a glorified receiving role where you have the ability to make the other players miss in space.

Returning kicks on the other hand is a whole different animal. It's much more dangerous and has often been referred to as "the most violent play in all of sports." There are many more injuries that occur on kick returns than punt returns.

On top of that, kick returns rely more on straight line bursts of speed, as opposed to the slower shiftiness that you see on kickoff returns.

Edelman hasn't looked nearly as effective on kickoff returns as he has on punt returns, and I don't see the use in exposing a needed offensive player to an increased injury risk right now. Having an average starting field position of the 22, 23, 24 as we seem to have with Blount is good enough until Washington or Vereen return in my opinion.

 

[JMC00]

I wonder why they don't put Edelman back there sometimes. It's not like he has never returned kickoffs before, i'd say he's at least returned 20-30 in his career.

Blount or Edelman. And the question is who do you think has a better chance at breaking off a decent return.

 

[supafly]

I wonder why they don't put Edelman back there sometimes. It's not like he has never returned kickoffs before, i'd say he's at least returned 20-30 in his career.

Blount or Edelman. And the question is who do you think has a better chance at breaking off a decent return.

2 reasons:

1. Blount has a better YPR average, with 22.5 compared to Edelman's 21.7. It's really not making any difference, and kick off returns are so different than punt returns anyway.

2. Why would we want to risk such an obviously important weapon to injury? Edelman currently leads the team with 46 catches.

Even though it would seem that Edelman should be better on kickoff returns, his longest returns in all 3 years have been

32

37

32

It just doesn't seem to make much sense when we can utilize his talent on both punt returns and in the receiving game, where he's on pace for an 100+ catch season.

 

[UK_Pat37]

Why are we so bothered? Our return game sucked anyway on kickoffs. We couldn't block so, easy logic, put someone out there who can run over them.

I mentioned it earlier on this thread; my old team used to have two guys back...a DL and returner...and the returner would catch, hand it off, and we would just watch with laughter as he mowed down anyone who couldn't get low enough!

Keep doing it.