2018 Goal Line Back

Chuck Walden · Jul 9, 2018

So I was reading that Burkhead was going to get the first shot at the goal line job, and I wondering what everyone thought about that. He's never really been that guy before, and we have two guys on the roster who have had success in that position before (Gillislee, Hill). Thoughts?

signbabybrady · Jul 9, 2018

My thinking is Gillislee and Hill have a battle to make this team. White & Sony are locks Rex and Bolden are highly likely so that leaves maybe 1 spot for Gillislee and Hill. Having 1 of them to fill the power back role makes sense but if one of the other guys can do it then all the better and more versatile.

luuked · Jul 9, 2018

Training camp is about 3 weeks away and then about a month later we will see. At least give it until after the first preseason game before trying to discuss those things. Otherwise it is totally pointless speculation based on what we saw half a year ago.

Mark Morse · Jul 9, 2018

IMO Burkhead, White and Michel are locks. Bolden is a special teams ace and you know how BB loves those guys. Neither Hill nor Gillislee play special teams. I believe they stay with only 4 RBs.

Actual Pats Fan · Jul 9, 2018

luuked said:
Training camp is about 3 weeks away and then about a month later we will see. At least give it until after the first preseason game before trying to discuss those things. Otherwise it is totally pointless speculation based on what we saw half a year ago.

I do NOT want it to be Tom Brady

Chuck Walden · Jul 9, 2018

signbabybrady said:
My thinking is Gillislee and Hill have a battle to make this team. White & Sony are locks Rex and Bolden are highly likely so that leaves maybe 1 spot for Gillislee and Hill. Having 1 of them to fill the power back role makes sense but if one of the other guys can do it then all the better and more versatile.

I'd put Rex down as a full lock. You don't give a guy a three-year contract for over 3 million per year and have him miss the Week One roster

mgteich · Jul 9, 2018

I'm fine with Bolden taking a few reps if someone is injured in a game, or in garbage time. However, I'd want to have another back available the next week, while the injured player recovers.

I would expect us to have only four backs active, at least in some games. So, yes, if Gillislie or Hill would be inactive, then we need to be testing others for the role of short yardage back.

Mark Morse said:
IMO Burkhead, White and Michel are locks. Bolden is a special teams ace and you know how BB loves those guys. Neither Hill nor Gillislee play special teams. I believe they stay with only 4 RBs.

TheRainMaker · Jul 9, 2018

This might be the most laughable and incompetent "article" I've read.

First of all, why is the media and people like this so obsessed with who will be the "goal line/power back"? Why does there need to be a "goal line/power back"? They tried this with Gillislee last year and failed miserably. Gillislee was actually doing fine Week 1 until the Pats thought he was Brandon Jacobs and lined him up in obvious goal line formations in the middle of field which resulted in him getting stuffed.

The Pats had more success running the football when they stuck to one to two backs running and catching the football. Giving RB's a particular role like "goal line/power back" will just makes things obvious for a defense to stop. Lewis was a dual threat so defenses had to respect the pass even when they looked like they may run on 3rd and short. With Gillislee in there, they knew it was run the whole way.

And does the author not realize that Burkhead was buried on the depth chart in Cincinnati because of Jeremy Hill and Bernard? Hill was the better back then and will be now if he's healthy. Michel will get a lot of touches and could be a threat in the redzone. Burkhead and White will keep their same roles. Gillislee gets cut only because the Pats are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

I predict Hill will be the opening day "starter". It's bizarre people are sleeping on a guy who can run and catch the ball. In every season he's played before he finally shut it down in 2017, he was averaging almost 10 TD's a season. And he said he's been fighting an injury since 2015. But his fumbling in odd times does bother me like what Ridley did during his time with the Pats.

PATSYLICIOUS · Jul 9, 2018

Burkhead was good last year in short yardage, I’m fine with it

Uptown · Jul 9, 2018

Chuck Walden said:
I'd put Rex down as a full lock. You don't give a guy a three-year contract for over 3 million per year and have him miss the Week One roster

Finally, somebody respecting Da Burkmeister for a change...

Chuck Walden · Jul 9, 2018

TheRainMaker said:
This might be the most laughable and incompetent "article" I've read.

First of all, why is the media and people like this so obsessed with who will be the "goal line/power back"? Why does there need to be a "goal line/power back"? They tried this with Gillislee last year and failed miserably. Gillislee was actually doing fine Week 1 until the Pats thought he was Brandon Jacobs and lined him up in obvious goal line formations in the middle of field which resulted in him getting stuffed.

The Pats had more success running the football when they stuck to one to two backs running and catching the football. Giving RB's a particular role like "goal line/power back" will just makes things obvious for a defense to stop. Lewis was a dual threat so defenses had to respect the pass even when they looked like they may run on 3rd and short. With Gillislee in there, they knew it was run the whole way.

And does the author not realize that Burkhead was buried on the depth chart in Cincinnati because of Jeremy Hill and Bernard? Hill was the better back then and will be now if he's healthy. Michel will get a lot of touches and could be a threat in the redzone. Burkhead and White will keep their same roles. Gillislee gets cut only because the Pats are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

I predict Hill will be the opening day "starter". It's bizarre people are sleeping on a guy who can run and catch the ball. In every season he's played before he finally shut it down in 2017, he was averaging almost 10 TD's a season. And he said he's been fighting an injury since 2015. But his fumbling in odd times does bother me like what Ridley did during his time with the Pats.

Blount offered literally nothing in the passing game, yet he managed to be successful in short yardage situations. Same with Ridley and BJGE before him. Typically we carry one guy as the first and second down back, a pass catching guy, and a hybrid guy. Gillislee was supposed to be that guy last year, and he was good in a similar role with Buffalo. Only reason we used D-Lew as much as we did it because he was phenomenal at everything. We don’t know that’s going to be the case.
And I would be very surprised to find Hill as the week one starter. He could very well best out Gillislee, but I don’t think he’s better than Michel and Burkhead, especially in this offense. Plus, I have a hard time believing that an injury that’s bothered him since 2015 is 100% better until I see it on the field. If it hampered him for three years, are you really going to believe it’s completely fixed with no signs of damage just because he had surgery less than a year ago?

RayClay · Jul 9, 2018

Actual Pats Fan said:
I do NOT want it to be Tom Brady

I'm thinking Brady's niece, since the QB job is taken.

RayClay · Jul 9, 2018

If Michel is as advertised, I don't imagine they will take the ball out of his hands on the goal line. Maybe Hill as a "wear them down" back in the second half if he makes it. Since Gillislee did not prove to be a good short yardage back and Burk is the most versatile, I don't See Gillislee as more than cheap depth, if he is indeed affordable. Not powerful enough, not elusive.

supafly · Jul 10, 2018

I don’t see this as much of an issue. We typically use a RBBC approach, so just about any of the backs can act as a goal line rusher. The production will likely be spread around.

SHOWTIME15 · Jul 10, 2018

Michel is the main power back, so him...

Kontradiction · Jul 10, 2018

I don’t think Gilly makes the team, so I’m going with some combination of Hill and Michel.

fightingirish595 · Jul 10, 2018

Agility over power at the goal line. Always.

supafly · Jul 11, 2018

fightingirish595 said:
Agility over power at the goal line. Always.

White had 3 TDs in the regular season last year. Burkhead had 5.

I expect similar numbers with Michel thrown into the mix, although someone like Hill or Gilleslee could step up and prove their worth more in tougher yardage situations. I think they’re more concerned with not putting the ball on the ground, scheme versatility, and pass protection.

DarrylS · Jul 11, 2018

Do not hold out a lot of hope for Gillislee, given a chance last season he seldom played.. even in the Superbowl he was inactive.

Unless they held him back for some unknown reason..

sambam94 · Jul 11, 2018

don't need one..many times they rush to the line and hand off to whoever is in the game at that time.

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