Am I the only one that prefers Gray to Blount?

[Oswlek]

I mentioned this before but no one took the bait. There are some stories out there that there's more to the Gray thing than just being late to practice. Something about going how with a woman from a bar, having his car towed, trying and failing to get a police escort to the stadium. Anyone heard anything else on this?

No, but I'm getting some popcorn ready.....

 

[RobertWeathers]

I mentioned this before but no one took the bait. There are some stories out there that there's more to the Gray thing than just being late to practice. Something about going how with a woman from a bar, having his car towed, trying and failing to get a police escort to the stadium. Anyone heard anything else on this?

We know that his car was towed. The police escort and bringing a girl home is news to me. I could care less about the girl part. The police escort bit is interesting. Who does he think he is, Doug Mirabelli?

Seems like his head got waaay too big very quickly.

 

[rochrist]

We know that his car was towed. The police escort and bringing a girl home is news to me. I could care less about the girl part. The police escort bit is interesting. Who does he think he is, Doug Mirabelli?

Seems like his head got waaay too big very quickly.

Supposedly, the reason his car was towed was because he had gone off with the woman for the night. If the police bit is true, I'd guess panic had set in.

 

[Gronkowski123]

i prefer gray as well...faster hitting the hole. some of those 3rd and shorts blount cant even get to the line of scrimmage.
i do like blount as the closer though in the 4th quarter when the defense is gassed.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Supposedly, the reason his car was towed was because he had gone off with the woman for the night. If the police bit is true, I'd guess panic had set in.

Gawd...like Kramer from Seinfeld driving the Ford Bronco..."You know who I am d%#*!@t!"

 

[Canuck]

I like both. They each bring something different. Blount is a little slower to the hole but is a beast to tackle and bring to the ground. There was many times in the last game when the refs blew the whistle and he was still standing with multiple defenders hanging onto him. He is also deceptively fast once he gets into the open. Gray has played so few games that it's hard to envision what he would look like against different types of defenses. He looks like a good RB so far. Quick to the hole, seems to pick the right hole to go through, follows his blockers, makes one cut and goes, no dancing around. low pad level, always falls forward, good speed in the open. If I had a choice I probably do what Belichick did, go with the proven vet and not the rookie who had one very very good game.

 

[Oswlek]

If I had a choice I probably do what Belichick did, go with the proven vet and not the rookie who had one very very good game.

I'd go with both, personally.

 

[Jlaff]

I want to hear more info on this Gray thing...

So the escort was the following morning, where the impression I'm feeling is being implied by posters is that he felt some sort of entitlement to police resources to get his hung over ass to work on time?

Also, it seems like some people think we can attribute Gray's 200 yard/4 touchdown game (!) to the extra lineman and TE. I feel like I'm stating the obvious, but - if all it took for a back to score 4 touchdowns and run 200 yards was an extra lineman and TE (and the Colt's D) the whole league would be doing it. Heck, on our own team, while a nice player, Vereen sure as **** would not be getting even 50 yards between the tackles if he was featured the entire game.

Apples to apples, Blount was a beast against the Colts last year, but Gray was even better this year. The theories for why he isn't playing appear for me to be a separate issue from the comparison's with Blount; Blount doesn't have to be the better of the two to be getting the playing time.

It's frustrating that I'm actually getting disappointed to see Blount lineup behind the line when I like him as a player but want to see more Gray. Still, I trust Belichick is probably making the right decision, whatever the reasons and circumstances may be.

 

[oldrover]

 

[shmessy]

Is it? Gray is in the BB doghouse not for what he did in practice. Fears I'm sure was involved in the decision but not the judge, jury and executor.

I'm happy with Blount but part of me wonders if BB needs to lighten up a little...

BB did this with Ridley. Yes, Ridley fumbled (btw, no more than Kevin Faulk did early on), but BB does tend to publicly flog young RB's. Who knows? Maybe it works. I think they can use Gray as a good one-two punch for Blount.

 

[shmessy]

I mentioned this before but no one took the bait. There are some stories out there that there's more to the Gray thing than just being late to practice. Something about going how with a woman from a bar, having his car towed, trying and failing to get a police escort to the stadium. Anyone heard anything else on this?

Where did you hear this? Attribution?

 

[Froob]

Odd timing, Blount has been terrific since he's been back. Gray has really only played two games so I don't think there's enough of a sample to say much about him. Blount has made something out of nothing so many times already and we've only had him a few weeks.

 

[Brewskies]

I think it is too soon to evaluate Gray. Lets get some yardage under him through a few games before he is God. Blount is proven. I am wishing for the best for Gray but it's too early for me.

 

[Tom meets Kaepernick]

I also prefer Grey Goose to blunts....wait

 

[rochrist]

Where did you hear this? Attribution?

It came up with Bedard, Felger and Mazz. They all seemed to know about it.

There was also a caller who claimed (FWIW) some connection to Gray who was talking about it.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I like Gray's grind out 4 yards style, while Blount is more of a threat and is more punishing. BUT, Give Brady a 2nd and 6 or a 3rd and 3, and I have confidence he will convert and keep the drive alive.

With Blount and his dancing behind the line, you end up in frequent 2nd and 11s. Those kill drives.

The plus side is that Blount's 2nd and 1 also give you a chance to go downfield, and that opens up the game.

So, Blount gives the offense more dimensions, but I like what Gray gives them better, and that's the consistency that Brady can capitalize on.

I felt the same about Blount last year as well.

The one caveat to this is that I like to see the Patriots ride Blunt in the mid to late 3rd qtr. when the D wears down all the way until game's end.

While I partly agree, I think there's a third option which is better than the two that you outlined: get Blount back to where he was last year, when he became a punishing, straight-forward runner with some breakaway speed and the ability to make overpursuing defenses pay with a single cut.

He was never that guy in Tampa, and so far this year he hasn't consistently been that guy, but the Pats got him there last year. They've already shown that they can do it, and if he adapts his ceiling is just much, much higher than Gray's.

Also, I think that this past game said more about the OL (and San Diego's DL) than Blount. Some of the negative carries might have been on him, but definitely not all of them.

 

[saspack]

I trust the coaches. They start the better backs.

 

[Gameoverluke]

Start giving Gray more carries, the bloke is a gun back and needs to see we have confidence in him!

 

[letekro]

I think it is too soon to evaluate Gray. Lets get some yardage under him through a few games before he is God. Blount is proven. I am wishing for the best for Gray but it's too early for me.

Gray has 72 carries for 345 yds (4.8 ypc). Do you need to see 300 or 400 carries to determine whether he is a decent back who should at least be sharing time with Blount?

 

[letekro]

I trust the coaches. They start the better backs.

Agree, unless there is some disciplinary aspect going on, which is certainly a possibility in this case.

Also, just because Blount is "starting" doesn't mean Gray shouldn't get any carries.