Three theories on why Ridley got all that work Sunday

[Fencer]

1. Its the talent, stupid!

2. With Gronk back -- and perhaps also Cannon replacing Vollmer -- there seemed to be more of a power-set opportunity.

3. He has 2 weeks off now. Who cares how hard he worked Sunday?

#1 and #2 are obvious, but I wanted to also add #3 to the mix.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm just happy they didn't hastily bench him when the ball got punched out on that pass play. The team had a bad habit of cutting their nose off to spite their face when it came to him fumbling. This time, they stuck with him and it paid off.

 

[manxman2601]

#4 Bill Belichick reads Patsfans

 

[Fencer]

I'm just happy they didn't hastily bench him when the ball got punched out on that pass play. The team had a bad habit of cutting their nose off to spite their face when it came to him fumbling. This time, they stuck with him and it paid off.

BB even gave him public cover for it.

Presumably, Ridley hasn't gotten NEARLY the same amount of coaching for ball security against great defense and questionable officiating while receiving as he has for ball security on running plays. So he's more easily forgiven. ray:

 

[Brady6]

Re: Re: Three theories on why Ridley got all that work Sunday

1. Its the talent, stupid!

2. With Gronk back -- and perhaps also Cannon replacing Vollmer -- there seemed to be more of a power-set opportunity.

3. He has 2 weeks off now. Who cares how hard he worked Sunday?

#1 and #2 are obvious, but I wanted to also add #3 to the mix.

Talent eventually wins out. We saw that with Thompkins/Dobson and Blount/Ridley.

I feel like something went down at half time last week in Miami since then things have been much different in terms of how we use personnel offensively and then pace at which they run their plays.

 

[Kontradiction]

Talent eventually wins out. We saw that with Thompkins/Dobson and Blount/Ridley.

I feel like something went down at half time last week in Miami since then things have been much different in terms of how we use personnel offensively and then pace at which they run their plays.

What happened was the OL and WR's pulled their heads out of their arses and starting making the plays they were capable of all year long, but were not excuting.

 

[Brady6]

Re: Re: Three theories on why Ridley got all that work Sunday

What happened was the OL and WR's pulled their heads out of their arses and starting making the plays they were capable of all year long, but were not excuting.

I think it was more than that I think Brady spoke up like he did last year on the Welker situation in Arizona. I have no proof to support it but it I feel like it was something along those lines.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think it was more than that I think Brady spoke up like he did last year on the Welker situation in Arizona. I have no proof to support it but it I feel like it was something along those lines.

He might have given the team an earful along with some other veterans at halftime of the Miami game, but I doubt it went any further than that.

The interior OL has been blocking better, Dobson is coming along and learning his route tree (thereby gaining Brady's trust), Amendola and Gronk are back, and Ridley is looking more like his 2012 self. The execution has been better, therefore the offense has been better.

 

[Marinlik]

I was really afraid that we would bench him when he fumbled on the pass. But I am really glad we didn't, because he is by far and away our best runner. He made some really imporant runs in the game, and did a great job in keeping the drives alive. I think my biggest problem with the Pats is that we bench the really important players too easily. I'm glad we kept him in and let Ridley show why he should start at RB.

 

[upstater1]

#3 They are being careful not to overuse this guy. He runs with such reckless abandon that they are limiting his carries. They needed him yesterday.

 

[IllegalContact]

in order to have confidence in at least 1 RB being able to carry the ball 20 times.

hybrid of primary back and RB by committee

 

[DarrylS]

It is a long season, best to pace guys like this as we need him for the championship run...

 

[bigballas]

3.1. They wanted to limit him in the first half of the season. RB's have this elusive 300 carries figure that there is a supposed drop off from. If he started season w 20 carries a game he may hit plateau by game 16...rather lets conserve his carries until later in the season and keep the legs fresh for game 17-20. That's when it counts. And hey, we're still 7-2

 

[Uncle Rico]

It is a long season, best to pace guys like this as we need him for the championship run...

Some of that, but here's my theory:

Belichick is the master at building toward peaking at the right time (Dec- ... Feb?). To get there, he's more than willing to experiment along the way. mad scientist Bill, as OTG might say.

I think this is why we saw Blount get a lot of carries to start games for a few weeks: let's see how this works (not particularly well). It's also why we've seen Blount come in late in games lately: let's see how this works (mmm, pretty well!)

So this week they give Ridley the early carries — the results of the change in the very early carries is debatable so far, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see it again after the bye.

All part of BB's season-long chemistry experiment.

 

[SVN]

I dont think they trust him pass protection so when he is in, its most of the time a running play so thats why he doesnt stay in more because they probably want to switch plays or give both run/pass looks to the defense.Just look at the bad blitz pickup he did on the Gronk TD. half a second more and brady wouldve been crushed.

 

[Patriot Missile]

3.2 cuz he's a badass.

 

[upstater1]

Some of that, but here's my theory:

Belichick is the master at building toward peaking at the right time (Dec- ... Feb?). To get there, he's more than willing to experiment along the way. mad scientist Bill, as OTG might say.

I think this is why we saw Blount get a lot of carries to start games for a few weeks: let's see how this works (not particularly well). It's also why we've seen Blount come in late in games lately: let's see how this works (mmm, pretty well!)

So this week they give Ridley the early carries — the results of the change in the very early carries is debatable so far, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see it again after the bye.

All part of BB's season-long chemistry experiment.

I agree. AND, when you're ahead in the 4th quarter and the D is tired, that's the best place to bring Blount in, because there are more gaps. Even then, Simms noticed that Blount for some reason hesitated in the middle of the line when there was absolutely no one around him. He is a guy who definitely likes to get cute in traffic. He also got to watch Ridley run with some wild abandon for 3/4s of the game. Maybe it rubbed off on him.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

Props to the coaches. This weekend was a PERFECT way to blend Ridley/Bolden/Blount.

Ridley gets the majority of the carries, as he is the best runner on the team. And gets them early in the game, where it is most important to establish the ground game, and where those 4-5 yard gains open up the playbook most.

Bolden gets carries in space situations and situations where the defense is playing pass, and doesn't need to think too much. He's at his worst when he has to wait for a hole to open, but give him a hole he recognizes and the physical talent takes over.

Blount gets carries at the end of the game, when the defense is exhausted, the holes are bigger, and the defense can't stop a fresh 250-lb human from falling forward.

The Steelers are not a very good run stopping team, so doing well on the ground was no surprise. But what is most encouraging is that the coaches are figuring out how to use the runners best.

 

[goheels22002]

I'm just happy they didn't hastily bench him when the ball got punched out on that pass play. The team had a bad habit of cutting their nose off to spite their face when it came to him fumbling. This time, they stuck with him and it paid off.

I didn't think that was so much a mistake by Ridley as much as it was an outstanding play by Polamalu. In real time, I was upset that he fumbled again, but the replays showed tremendous closiing quickness by Polamalu and perfect technique stripping it out as Ridley went down.

 

[goheels22002]

Some of that, but here's my theory:

Belichick is the master at building toward peaking at the right time (Dec- ... Feb?). To get there, he's more than willing to experiment along the way. mad scientist Bill, as OTG might say.

I think this is why we saw Blount get a lot of carries to start games for a few weeks: let's see how this works (not particularly well). It's also why we've seen Blount come in late in games lately: let's see how this works (mmm, pretty well!)

I agree with your premise but disagree about Blount - he's averaging more yards per carry than Ridley through nine games. Blount is doing a fine job.

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