LoMo poll

[National Sports Advisors]

The flaw in this reasoning is that Addai and the Colts DO have a pass happy offense. With a QB like Peyton Manning and weapons like Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Dallas Clark, the Colts ARE the Original Pass Happy O. And Addai still PRODUCES in the framework of that offense.

The fact is that the Colts trust Addai more, therefore they include him more in his gameplans. If Addai was a scrub, he would not be given the ball over 200 times and trusted to pass protect for Manning. It's not simply more opportunity producing the numbers for Addai, to this point he has simply been BETTER than Maroney. He produced over 1,000 yards as a rookie and already has over 900 yards through 12 games in his second season. Even as a Patriot fan, if I take off the homer tinted lenses, I can see that he's better.

The reason Maroney has not been involved more in the Patriots gameplan is pretty easy to see with simple observation: he is not a good pass catcher out of the backfield, his pass protection needs work, and he is not a tough interior runner. Why does Maroney get less touches? Could it be that the Patriots coaching staff simply doesn't TRUST him to carry the load yet? It seems so obvious when somebody finally says it, doesn't it?

The fact that Maroney gets injured frequently has probably hampered his development, sure. But you can't "hang your hat" on the injury excuse as a universal excuse for ALL of Maroney's deficiencies. Right now he looks like a #2 RB at best. He did contribute some in the passing game vs the Ravens, so who knows, maybe he can improve that aspect of his game. But right now, Maroney has a LONG way to go before he can be compared with the likes of Joseph Addai or a back like Willis McGahee who showed us last night what a REAL #1 RB can do.

Exactly. Poeple act as if our offense still wouldn't be putting up all these points if we had a great running back on it that got the rock. The 2001 Rams say hello with Marshall Faulk. The 1998 Vikings say hello with Robert Smith. The Colts of the past 7 years say hello with Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai. People are living in la la land if they think a TRUE STUD running back couldn't be implementted into this offense and that the offense would not keep rolling.

 

[Ring 6]

He's listed at 239 so it's not like he's Donnie Edwards size, and I think you're putting way too much emphasis on pure size if you think Ryans wouldn't help.

Its not just size. Ryans plays in an entirely different system where his job is to run to the ball and avoid blockers. He is the leading tackler on a not so impressive defense. STATISTICALLY he has been an impressive pick. Lets see him be the leading tackler on a good defense before we take it further than statistically. After that, you would need to judge how a guy who makes his living avoiding blockers would adapt to a system where he makes his living shedding blockers. Not that he couldn't do it, but how he plays in the Texans system is a poor method to evaluate what he would do here.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

20 players have scored TD's this year on this team. We don't feature players and i doubt we ever will under Belichick. Maroney will never be a top 5 RB under Belichick especially with Brady as our QB.

Now we were okay with that when we drafted Maroney. Thinking he would average around 15 carries a game ... so when did the idea change on this? Except for his injuries ... he is doing just what he was drafted for. Somewhere around 10-15 carries a game and @3-5 catches a game.

Why? Dillon was a top 5 back in 2004. People said Brady would never put up BIG STATS under Belichick. This year wiped out that theory. People said Moss wouldn't put up BIG STATS because Brady spreads it around. That theory is out the window. Fellas, this offense would be even MORE explosive if it had a STUD running back. The 98 Vikings had Robert Smith and the 2001 Rams had Marshall Faulk and still winged it around too. Nuff' said.

 

[DaBruinz]

My beef with maroney comes more from injury issues and his lack of ability to get those tough yards.

My concern lies with the fact that when the weather gets terrible he will not be able to get it done.

In other words, your beefs are based on your ignorance and lack of understanding of the game

1) Maroney has had one injury that couldn't be considered catastrophic. The injury earlier this season. That is hardly being injury prone.

2) Maroney is NOT a POWER BACK in the mold of the 235-240 lbs Corey Dillon or Jerome Bettis. Maroney is a running back who uses his speed and is learning to run with LEAN and POWER. OH, and before someone pipes in, think about this. All Squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. If you understand that, you should understand the difference between being a power back and running with power.

3) How do you know Maroney will not be able to get it done? Because you don't understand the game? Because you have flawed expectations? Because you don't understand this offense. An offense that THREW the ball more than it ran it during the SNOW BOWL in 2001?

 

[Ring 6]

Exactly. Poeple act as if our offense still wouldn't be putting up all these points if we had a great running back on it that got the rock. The 2001 Rams say hello with Marshall Faulk. The 1998 Vikings say hello with Robert Smith. The Colts of the past 7 years say hello with Edgerrin James and Joseph Addai. People are living in la la land if they think a TRUE STUD running back couldn't be implementted into this offense and that the offense would not keep rolling.

I have no clue what you are talking about.
Other good offenses have run the ball more often that we do. OK. What does that have to do with the way BB and McDaniels have called plays?
We have the best offense in the history of the NFL.
In order to support your belittling of Maroney, you want to say we would be better if we took the ball OUIT OF BRADYS HANDS and ran it more?

 

[Ring 6]

Why? Dillon was a top 5 back in 2004. People said Brady would never put up BIG STATS under Belichick. This year wiped out that theory. People said Moss wouldn't put up BIG STATS because Brady spreads it around. That theory is out the window. Fellas, this offense would be even MORE explosive if it had a STUD running back. The 98 Vikings had Robert Smith and the 2001 Rams had Marshall Faulk and still winged it around too. Nuff' said.

Again, WTF is your point? Offenses that SCORED FEWER POINTS THAN US ran it more, so we should?
Oh, and you may want to check Wes Welkers #s to see if Brady still 'spreads it around'.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

Robert Smith had a 4.8 YPC in 98 and 1200 yards rushing. Faulk had a 5.3 YPC and almost 1400 yards rushing in 2001 . That is what TRUE STUDS do when they run behind the best passing offense in the league.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The Colts have not been even close to as productive in the passing game, or in scoring points as the Patriots.
The only difference in Maroney, Addai, and McGahee are the amount of rushes.
Its ludicrous to say the Patriots do not trust Maroney 'to carry the load'. If they trust him to be the #1 RB, they trust him to carry 'the load' if they gameplan to run the ball a lot.

I hope that you are feigning ignorance here. The Colts have been the NFL's elite passing offense over the past 5+ years. What that proves is that runningbacks can be VERY productive in the framework of an elite passing offense.

2007 is the FIRST year that the Patriots have eclipsed the Colts in offensive categories. Don't try to act like it's suddenly this NEW thing that the Colts have been an elite passing O, AND their RBs also produced elite numbers. The only reason Maroney can't PRODUCE is the result of his own abilities, what he has done on the FIELD, and how much the coaching staff trust in him to carry the load.

The idea that a RB in a great passing O can't produce elite numbers is what is ludicrous. I'm really tired of the excuses, so I'll just dig up the readily available counterexamples to this theory - Marshall Faulk & Rams Greatest show on Turf, Edgerrin James & Peyton Manning's record breaking 49 passing TDs, etc. etc.

It's a very REASONABLE inference to think that the Colts trust Addai more and the Pats don't trust Maroney to carry the load when Addai gets over 200+ carries and Maroney barely sees over 100 carries.

 

[DaBruinz]

Cedric Cobbs says hello. I forgot about Jr Redmond. It looks like with Maroney, Cobbs, and Redmond we definitely NEED WORK in accessing running back talent. Good lord what a trio of stinkers!

Cedric Cobbs was the 32nd pick of the 4th round during the 2003 draft. He was drafted after Guss Scott (3rd round) and Dexter Reid (4th round). I suggest you check your facts next time you decide to reply.

BTW, though I included Redmond, its not really fair to since BB did not have enough time to adequately evaluate the draft information provided by Bobby Grier. However, I didn't want to get accused my you or Danny that I was cherry picking stats the way you two do.

 

[Ring 6]

In other words, your beefs are based on your ignorance and lack of understanding of the game

1) Maroney has had one injury that couldn't be considered catastrophic. The injury earlier this season. That is hardly being injury prone.

2) Maroney is NOT a POWER BACK in the mold of the 235-240 lbs Corey Dillon or Jerome Bettis. Maroney is a running back who uses his speed and is learning to run with LEAN and POWER. OH, and before someone pipes in, think about this. All Squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. If you understand that, you should understand the difference between being a power back and running with power.

3) How do you know Maroney will not be able to get it done? Because you don't understand the game? Because you have flawed expectations? Because you don't understand this offense. An offense that THREW the ball more than it ran it during the SNOW BOWL in 2001?

I would add that the idea that RBs get 'tough yards' by bowling over DL and Lbs is moronic.
Remember Antowain Smith? He was a 'power back' but he was so slow that the hole was closed before he got to it. All the power in the world doesnt help the slow back who gets hit full on, compared to the quicker back who is through the hole and getting hit by a guy who has not yet filled it.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

I have no clue what you are talking about.
Other good offenses have run the ball more often that we do. OK. What does that have to do with the way BB and McDaniels have called plays?
We have the best offense in the history of the NFL.
In order to support your belittling of Maroney, you want to say we would be better if we took the ball OUIT OF BRADYS HANDS and ran it more?

The best offense in the history of the NFL? Based on what? Points scored? If everything is based on STATS, than are we to believe Manning is better than Brady? It seems like you pick and choose when you want to insert STATS into the discussion. It's not ok to compare Addai's stats to Maroney's because Maroney doesn't get tha ball as much(although there are reasons WHY he doesn't), but you can use a STAT(points scored) when I bring up the facts that other GREAT offenses also had strong running games?

 

[danny88]

The best offense in the history of the NFL? Based on what? Points scored? If everything is based on STATS, than are we to believe Manning is better than Brady? It seems like you pick and choose when you want to insert STATS into the discussion. It's not ok to compare Addai's stats to Maroney's because Maroney doesn't get tha ball as much(although there are reasons WHY he doesn't), but you can use a STAT(points scored) when I bring up the facts that other GREAT offenses also had strong running games?

I said the same thing to dabruinz. We could use stats to say Manning is better then Brady. Wonder how that would go over. I dont need stats to tell me Brady is better then Manning.

The stats are being cherry picked.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

I said the same thing to dabruinz. We could use stats to say Manning is better then Brady. Wonder how that would go over. I dont need stats to tell me Brady is better then Manning.

The stats are being cherry picked.

Exactly. And do these guys get emotional or what? Good lord. Some people are wound too tight. It's ok, fellas, it's not the end of the world that we have an average running back. We had average receivers last season and we fixed it in the offseason. Hopefully we do the same with the running back situation in this offseason. Goodness gracious.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I would add that the idea that RBs get 'tough yards' by bowling over DL and Lbs is moronic.
Remember Antowain Smith? He was a 'power back' but he was so slow that the hole was closed before he got to it. All the power in the world doesnt help the slow back who gets hit full on, compared to the quicker back who is through the hole and getting hit by a guy who has not yet filled it.

And yet this old, decrepit RB outproduced Maroney's numbers handily in 2001. What's the excuse now? Is our elite passing offense holding back Maroney? We already know that's a lie, when we examine history and see how Faulk, James, Addai, and R. Smith thrived in pass happy offenses.

 

[Truck]

If we could go back in time, anyone taking LoMo over Addai would be foolish.

 

[Seacoast Fan]

Again, WTF is your point? Offenses that SCORED FEWER POINTS THAN US ran it more, so we should? Oh, and you may want to check Wes Welkers #s to see if Brady still 'spreads it around'.

AJ, your mistake is thinking he has a point...lol...
You are right, lets start running the ball more, and maybe score less doig it ...hey, now we have a blueprint!!!

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

This is a ridiculous and unfair question because we know what every player has done now. I wanted Manny Lawson and would probably still take him (assuming he'd have not been hurt). But Maroney is performing just fine for a lowish #1 - to ask whether he was the best pick now, though, is not worthwhile. Did we get at least decent value for the pick ? Absolutely.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

Peyton Manning threw for over 4500 yards in 2004 and Edgerrin James ran for over 1500 yards. Is anyone going to tell me that Brady could not be putting up the same stats and still have a STUD running back eating up yards on the ground? Or are we suppossed to believe Edgerrin James circa 2004 would have been on the sideline like LoMo was in Buffalo while Brady and the boys winged it on the field? Don't you think oppossing defenses would be more concerned about our offense if Edgerrin James was on the field and Gaffney(the 4WR in 4 WR sets) was on the sideline? Seriously, the excuses for why Maroney doesn't touch the ball more are flat out silly. SILLY.

 

[VJCPatriot]

We have the best offense in the history of the NFL.
In order to support your belittling of Maroney, you want to say we would be better if we took the ball OUIT OF BRADYS HANDS and ran it more?

I love this BOGUS logic of how it would be taking the ball out of Brady's hands to give it to a GOOD RB.

Was Peyton Manning whining about how having to hand off the ball to Edgerrin James was "taking the ball out of his hands" en route to his 49 TD passes?
NO. You know why? Because he's actually a smart QB. Manning happened to understand that it made his job EASIER to have a stud RB to hand the ball off to, because defenses couldn't load up against the pass all day long!

Something by the way defenses like the Eagles and Ravens have tried to do recently with some success. And guess what, it is starting to work! Brady had only 1 TD pass against the Eagles and only 2 against the Ravens.
Hardly shoddy work by Brady, but the Patriots point production HAS gone down lately in TWO games that featured that pass heavy game plan that you seem to adore so much! What a shocker?? Pats scored vs Eagles 31, vs Ravens 27. Their average before those two games, 41 points ppg. Thats a DROP of about 10 PPG. Think we'd have this much of a problem scoring in those games if we had a real STUD RB to hand off to instead of Maroney??

I'm sure some of you will disagree. You are welcome to keep the blinders on, but I prefer to look at things realistically.

 

[National Sports Advisors]

I love this BOGUS logic of how it would be taking the ball out of Brady's hands to give it to a GOOD RB.

Was Peyton Manning whining about how having to hand off the ball to Edgerrin James was "taking the ball out of his hands" en route to his 49 TD passes?
NO. You know why? Because he's actually a smart QB. Manning happened to understand that it made his job EASIER to have a stud RB to hand the ball off to, because defenses couldn't load up against the pass all day long!

Something by the way defenses like the Eagles and Ravens have tried to do recently with some success. And guess what, it is starting to work! Brady had only 1 TD pass against the Eagles and only 2 against the Ravens.
Hardly shoddy work by Brady, but the Patriots point production HAS gone down lately in TWO games that featured that pass heavy game plan that you seem to adore so much! What a shocker?? Pats scored vs Eagles 31, vs Ravens 27. Their average before those two games, 41 points ppg. Thats a DROP of about 10 PPG. Think we'd have this much of a problem scoring in those games if we had a real STUD RB to hand off to instead of Maroney??

I'm sure some of you will disagree. You are welcome to keep the blinders on, but I prefer to look at things realistically.

Well said. A STUD running back in the backfield makes defenses respect the run more, thus making the lives of Brady, Moss, and company easier. The fact that the boys have put up the numbers they have so far with LoMo as the #1 back is impressive. Those who think a STUD running back would make our offense less explosive are 100% wrong. It would make our offense BETTER and make Brady and Moss even more dangerous!