Rex Burkhead [UPDATE: ACL not believed to be torn!]

[HailHydra]

Anyone have any updates on his injury? Really, really hope it wasn't a torn ACL. He had that mixed type of play that was between Gillislee and Lewis. And definitely worked hard for the yards.

 

[Betterthanmost]

I hear he is not done for the season. Will be back in January. ACL is intact.

 

[RIpats88]

really strange we havent heard anything. if it was an acl I wouldve thought we wouldve heard right away like with wentz/edelman etc.

 

[Mack Herron]

Great news

 

[long distance]

feels almost better than the W.. and the W certainly feels better now

huge playoff tool

 

[RobertWeathers]

Great news

Fantastic news. Good for him and good for the team.

 

[RIpats88]

good news. time for Gillislee to prove his worth the next 2 weeks against the bills and dolphins

 

[farn]

G gets to play his old team after all?

 

[luuked]

Great news. Fingers crossed that this early diagnosis stays as positive through the week.

 

[r81m]

hoping for the best

 

[RIpats88]

lets give him some rest and let gillislee get a shot at his old team next week

 

[Keep Up With The Joneses]

Dion has been very good lately IMO and deserves the lead back role for now. I'm fine with Gillislie getting some reps but right now the job is Lewis' to lose until Burkhead returns.

 

[TBR]

good news. time for Gillislee to prove his worth the next 2 weeks against the bills and dolphins

He should be hungry his first game back. Especially against his former team.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

4 weeks till the first playoff game (barring us dropping them 3 seed). Gill can fill in and help us beat buff/nyj, big task

 

[fnordcircle]

huge playoff tool

 

[FCB02062]

For once it seems the 17 Patriots dodged an injury bullet

 

[PatsBoy12]

Reading that it isn't torn and he will return has me giddy. That guy has a nose for the end zone and we'll need that come playoff time.

 

[WhoaDirty]

Great news

Excellent news. But relax for a few weeks Rex, Mike will clean up the rest of the season for you.

 

[Joker]

Gillislee to be unleashed on his former team this Sunday...

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Dion has been very good lately IMO and deserves the lead back role for now. I'm fine with Gillislie getting some reps but right now the job is Lewis' to lose until Burkhead returns.

Lewis is the lead back, primarily running the ball/not catching passes (though any given Sunday he may see some bump in his targets especially like a Miami game where need for targets was desparate). Burk is the tweener back (more targets, less carries).
I think the averages (??) over the last couple months probably are Lewis around the 1 to 2 pass targets a game with 15 carries where Burk has been around 10 carries but closer to 4 pass targets.

Here's the problem: Gill can't fill the Burk role and we can't have Lewis taking 20+ carries and 4 or 5 pass targets. If Gill is going to be used then he'll be the 'takes handoffs' back role while Lewis will be the less carries but more pass targets role (I assume they won't change White's role).

Maybe I am missing something but I don't see how Lewis can be used the same way he has been used the last 2 months. Unless the plan is to run it 30 times against Buff, I'd expect to see Lewis getting less carries (hopefully the game is salted away mid 4th and we can give a steady diet of Gill at that point).