So, for Sunday... it's James White?!?! Where the hell did all our running backs go?!?!

[maineman209]

Shame Gilisee signed with the Saints, I’m sure he’d go running back to get back on the squad.

I'm sure he would come running. However, he probably couldn't find the door and would end up falling down after colliding with the butt of some OL.

 

[maineman209]

Y'all forget about me?

Develin the Destroyer.

 

[Hyped]

Comments:

a.) Having a shallow RB & WR corps does bolster the argument for expanding roster sizes to something like 75 players.

b.) I would have loved to keep Bolden on this team. He was mainly a ST'er, but could run the ball here and there.

c.) I think the Saints might cut Gillislee when Mark Ingram returns to the line up...so we could possibly be in position to re-sign him in weeks 5/6.

d.) I don't know what to expect from Michel at this point.

e.) I think we are seeing a lot of White/Barner/Develin on Sunday.

f.) I hope to god that White doesn't get dinged...……

g.) What's up with Jonas Gray these days? I kid...I kid...

 

[Sicilian]

a.) Having a shallow RB & WR corps does bolster the argument for expanding roster sizes to something like 75 players.

I think the problem here is you'd end up with a lot of guys who don't get the chance to play because teams horde them for contingency. I could see further expansion of the practice squads, because at least then good players can sign elsewhere if there are jobs they can win.

I think the problems of catastrophic depth failure at a position are pretty rare. This is just a bad string for us right now.

 

[Hyped]

I think the problem here is you'd end up with a lot of guys who don't get the chance to play because teams horde them for contingency. I could see further expansion of the practice squads, because at least then good players can sign elsewhere if there are jobs they can win.

I think the problems of catastrophic depth failure at a position are pretty rare. This is just a bad string for us right now.

While it sucks for some players who would never play...but those guys might be sitting on the couch on Sundays instead....

And I think it would be more advantageous to the Patriots...especially with Scarnecchia him developing raw OL-men. For instance, we would still have Cameron Fleming, Mike Gillisille, Kenny Britt, Cyrus Jones (PR option) and a guy like Ralph Webb wouldn't be in danger of being picked up by another team....

 

[TheRainMaker]

He caused this problem. Lol.

It still pisses me off how careless he was. Why would a guy of his size feel the need to go at the legs of of Mathiu?

 

[bigballas]

Seriously Coach, can't you prevent ACLs and concussions.

you called?

 

[patfanken]

They gave up a lot of rush yards to the Giants last week. I think they can be exploited on D, although it is very good.

Not really. Barkley had one 68 yd run. The rest of Barkley's 18 carries average less that 2.3ypc. Plus, even on their best day, the Pats don't have anyone near as good as Barkley.

 

[patfanken]

No they don’t.
They were 21st in run yards and 26th in yoc last year and allowed 114 and 5.0 last week.



What Jax does well is rush the passer. If we go into the game throwing all the time, ignore their run d weakness and let them overcompensate to the pass rush it would be a huge mistake.


Jax is a completely different defense than those pitt teams and we torched those Pitt trans through the air because they couldn’t stop it more than that we couldn’t run


This is one if the worst weeks to not be able to exploit run d problems and let a pass rushing team not ha d to worry about the run.

All good points, Andy but like I said in an earlier post one of the best RB prospects this decade averaged a mere 2.2 ypc on 17 of his 18 carries. So your 5.o ypc cumulative is one of those stats that doesn't come close to telling the entire story.

The offense is likely to get 60-70 snaps this week. I'd bet that more than 2/3rds of them will be passes. Of course that won't be a surprise to anyone given the personnel situation. But I think that it would have been the case regardless. jmho.

The Jags run issues were from last season, btw. From what I saw in the Giants game, they've improved overall despite that 68 yd run. But if the Pats run the ball over 20 times, then I will be proven wrong. And if they win, I will be thrilled to be wrong.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Not really. Barkley had one 68 yd run. The rest of Barkley's 18 carries average less that 2.3ypc. Plus, even on their best day, the Pats don't have anyone near as good as Barkley.

Good point. Last year the Pats averaged 2.2 YPC in the AFCCG against Jax, so the running game may be non-existent.

I suspect Josh is going to spread it out and rely heavily on Brady. Maybe 45-50 passing attempts? NE won’t score a ton but maybe just enough to win. On the other side of the ball, I’m not that worried.

 

[Ring 6]

All good points, Andy but like I said in an earlier post one of the best RB prospects this decade averaged a mere 2.2 ypc on 17 of his 18 carries. So your 5.o ypc cumulative is one of those stats that doesn't come close to telling the entire story.

My sample size wasn’t 1 game it was all of last year plus one game.

The offense is likely to get 60-70 snaps this week. I'd bet that more than 2/3rds of them will be passes. Of course that won't be a surprise to anyone given the personnel situation. But I think that it would have been the case regardless. jmho.

Play selection is more effect than cause. If we get out to a big lead we will run a lot. If we fall behind we will run less.
I would think that the strategy would be to make their strength, the pass rush, pay attention to the run rather than abandoning it to play into their strength and allow them to rush without worrying about the run

The Jags run issues were from last season, btw. From what I saw in the Giants game, they've improved overall despite that 68 yd run. But if the Pats run the ball over 20 times, then I will be proven wrong. And if they win, I will be thrilled to be wrong.

68 yard runs count.
One game against a poor OL without major personell changes doesn’t signal last year as meaningless to me. 80-90% of defenses gave good days and bad vs the run with a few great every week and a few poor every week.
The jags are in the 80-90%.

 

[DaBruinz]

Burkhead is in Protocol definite no go this week and I would sit him for good measures against the lowly Lions next week. Going to need him for a change of pace when Sony gets going.

Just because Burkhead is in the protocol doesn't mean he won't be cleared to go. He can be cleared as late as Saturday..

 

[patfanken]

Just because Burkhead is in the protocol doesn't mean he won't be cleared to go. He can be cleared as late as Saturday..

I think the protocol for concussions is that first you have to become pain free and pass some cognitive tests. Then you can practice lightly (I think that was yesterday). Then if there is no problems you can practice more vigorously. (I think that was today). THEN if there are no problems you can practice fully and be out of the protocol.

BTW- I think any limitations for Burkhead today had more to do with his on going knee issues than his "concussion". Also it is curious that it was never "officially" mentioned that he was actually IN the concussion protocol, just that he missed practice because a "concussion issue"

 

[Deus Irae]

Having a shallow RB & WR corps does bolster the argument for expanding roster sizes to something like 75 players.

How does it bolster the argument for 75 players any more than it bolsters the argument for 53 players or 5,100 players?

 

[Triumph]

Shame Gilisee signed with the Saints, I’m sure he’d go running back to get back on the squad.

He never had so good in NE.

Get paid to do nothing.

 

[AlexB]

How does it bolster the argument for 75 players any more than it bolsters the argument for 53 players or 5,100 players?

I don't know if having a larger roster size would have helped here. Would they have kept Gilly? Maybe. But they might still have cut him for cap reasons. Webb is still available on the PS and can be signed if Burkhead and Michel aren't good to go. Any other running back on a 75 man roster wouldn't have played anyway.

 

[Simpelton]

Y'all forget about me?

This is actually an excellent point. Dev can definitely carry the rock.

 

[Hyped]

How does it bolster the argument for 75 players any more than it bolsters the argument for 53 players or 5,100 players?

5,100 = Us owning every player in the NFL and division 1 ball.

75 = Us not being short at RB/WR in week 2.

53 = It is what it is.

It would be more advantageous to the Patriots vs. other teams, IMO...we have some of the best teachers in the league, but limited class room time because we gotta give guys walking papers.

 

[supafly]

Develin the Destroyer.

Belichick probably wouldn’t hesitate to run him about 20 times, if that’s what it comes to.

Of course, the main problem with running Devlin is that you can’t use Devlin to block for Devlin, so there’s that.

 

[primetime]

Not really. Barkley had one 68 yd run. The rest of Barkley's 18 carries average less that 2.3ypc. Plus, even on their best day, the Pats don't have anyone near as good as Barkley.

Don't undersell Michel.