Was Sammy Morris or Rosevelt Colvin missed more into the playoffs?

[SaCaCh]

IMHO it was Sammy, and not because of how he would of effected the SB but how his loss had a ripple effect over the entire season. After he went out our passing% went up and our effective running play went down. This forced us into more pass protective kind of blocking and that hurt our ability in the long run to grind out the needed yards in the SB. But I am sure thats just me.

 

[tombonneau]

Honestly, did the people bagging on Maroney's SB performance watch the game? When LM wasn't hit 2 yards in the backfield he did fine. What exactly was Morris going to do that LM didn't in that game? Some people ...

Anyway, the answer is obvious ... Colvin by a grip. As others stated, pass rush fell off the face of the earth after he was IRd.

Colvin getting hurt weakened multiple positions ... ILB was less effective with Brew & Seau full time ... OLB was weaker as AD was not as good as Colvin ... entire secondary performed worse due to the lack of a pass rush.

Conversely, without Morris the running game peaked end of the season and in the AFC playoffs.

Not sure how this is a debate ...

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

If we're talking about the latter portion of the season, I'll say Colvin, but if we're talking about the close Super Bowl in which a few plays here or there could have been the difference between 19-0 and 18-1, I'll buck the trend and say Morris.

My reasoning is that Adalius Thomas had an outstanding Super Bowl playing in Colvin's spot. Even when he wasn't getting his two sacks, he was putting pressure on Eli or bull-rushing the tackle into the pocket. The AD in SB42 was the AD we wanted to see all year. I don't think Colvin could have done better. As for the ILB rotation, AD started off the year well there, but started to slip and often found Bruschi and Seau getting more of the reps anyway. Seau was the best run-stuffing ILB of the three, definitely by the end of the year. In a title game that the defense played well save for some dropped INTs and a circus catch on that final drive, I don't think AD rotating inside with Colvin outside would have kept the Giants from scoring less.

Now onto Morris. Maroney finished the year strong, especially against San Diego, but he was able to either sweep wide or have huge cutback lanes thanks to some outstanding blocking. In SB42, every time he tried to take something wide (3rd and short, anyone?), the Giants were ready. If you remember earlier in the year when Morris played, it was often he who would finish out the blowouts by killing some major clock, grinding out first downs up the gut when the defense knew he was coming. He was more of a quick-hitter which against this fast DL is probably what the Pats needed more. He probably would have softened up the Giants front a bit more than Maroney, maybe either slowing the rush and/or letting the OL get an edge in the trench battle. I'm not saying he would have run for 100 yards on the Giants, but his running style of hitting the hole hard and fast might have tipped the LOS battle just enough to give Brady the second more he needed on a handful of throws that probably would have been the difference in the game.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Disco Volante]

According to Remix 6, saying such a thing makes you a jackass.

 

[BHSL2]

According to Remix 6, saying such a thing makes you a jackass.

How exactly do you expect Morris to gain any yards when the o-line couldn't block for anyone? Tell me; you seem to be logical.

 

[Disco Volante]

See the post above mine.

 

[eom]

colvin.

lock, plz.

 

[Remix 6]

See the post above mine.

the post means nothing. you really think that Morris would have softened any one when our lineman didnt block at all? you realize Maroney was hit almost as soon as he got the ball..by multiple defenders. Maroney ran tough..if our real gameplan was to run..we would've stuck to running Maroney even if he was getting small yardage but at least we would've committed to run and given the offense and the passing game a chance.

Colvin is the easy pick, by far. Vrabel without Colvin had 1 good game against Miami..quiet after that. #s dropped significantly. Thomas was great outside but he was great inside as well. His stats werent eye popping but he was the 1 shutting down the short passes via zone coverage and he was playing well against run. He also kept Junior and Bruschi fresh with a rotation.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I say Colvin. When he left, Thomas had to start @ OLB and Bruschi & Seau had to play four full quarters a game. The whole defense played better when the 3 of the shared the two inside spots.

Teams started completing short passes in the middle early & often. Colvin would have had Manning during "the play".

 

[sebman2112]

Re: Was Sammy Morris or Roosevelt Colvin missed more into the playoffs?

Both were huge.

I'm going with Sammy. San Diego wouldn't have been close and the Giants game would have been won comfortably.

No! Sammy's a good runner, but Maroney's offensive production the last few weeks of the season, and in the playoffs was key.

NE's LB unit was a different story, though. There was a noticeable decline in overall quality/production from that unit after Colvin went down, and Vrabel didn't seem as effective either. That injury also forced Seau and Bruschi out of their rotation, so I think the answer should be very clear.

 

[sebman2112]

Okay, but when Morris went down he was not the back up. Maroney was. We lost our only effective power runner, who also happens to be a better blocker than Maroney. Maroney averaged 2.5 ypc. I think Morris would have given us a better isnide game and better pass blocking.

On the defensive side, AD played a great game. Shut down the run and was our most effective LB running down Manning. I cannot recall another LB even getting a hand on him.

The answer to the question is that both guys were sorely missed. In such a close game where the outcome could have turned on any one of at least a half dozen plays, little improvements are huge.

Where do you guys get this stuff? Maroney was never the backup to Morris. I repeat, NEVER! When they were both healthy Maroney had more carries, a better YPC, and obviously more production. Maroney went down with injury, then Morris had two good games against bad run defenses. He then plays against a very good Dallas run D, gets shutdown, injured, and misses the remainder of the season.

 

[rabthepat]

I am convinced now that Maroney is no Addai.

 

[unoriginal]

Colvin.

Colvin and Thomas are our two best coverage linebackers. Would have been nice to have them both on the field at the same time.

 

[Rob0729]

I am convinced now that Maroney is no Addai.

Yeah, me too. And that is a good thing. I'd rather have Maroney. Addai is soooo overrated. The guy has had only one remotely good game since he played the Patriots. Otherwise, he was non-existent and couldn't even much over 3 YPC average the second half of the season.

Addai lived off the reputation of a fast start, but he sucked down the stretch. The guy had 704 yards the first eight games of the season and finished the year with 1,072 yards. Maroney played two less games and finished the year with 835 yards. It is conceivable that Maroney would have had more yards than Addai if he played 15 games like him. Addai seems to be a back that is too small and not durable enough to carry the full load for 16 games and the playoffs.

 

[newton_tom_cat]

rosie, no question. i called it as soon as he went down how much it would hurt. this defense historically relied on one or two game changing plays per game from a clutch player. when he was here, mcginnist was the key guy for that. at other times law and harrison played that role. but w/ mcginnist and law gone, and harrison past his prime, rosie filled that role nicely. but hey every team deals with injuries, just bites ours came to our key guy on defense, in my opinion

 

[bencoateshelmet]

Colvin - we missed his pass rush skills.

 

[sebman2112]

rosie, no question. i called it as soon as he went down how much it would hurt. this defense historically relied on one or two game changing plays per game from a clutch player. when he was here, mcginnist was the key guy for that. at other times law and harrison played that role. but w/ mcginnist and law gone, and harrison past his prime, rosie filled that role nicely. but hey every team deals with injuries, just bites ours came to our key guy on defense, in my opinion

Exactly! Rosie's been able to come up with big plays in the clutch. Remember his INT against SD, when LdT tried to yank him down by the facemask?

Someone else mentioned that we missed his coverage ability, and I completely agree. Colvin isn't simply a pass rusher, and his ability to drop back, and cover RB's out in the flat was important. And, his going down moved NE's best coverage LB into pass rush. I think AD's a good pass rusher by the way, but NE's defense was simply better with him inside and Colvin outside.

 

[DaBruinz]

Okay, but when Morris went down he was not the back up. Maroney was. We lost our only effective power runner, who also happens to be a better blocker than Maroney. Maroney averaged 2.5 ypc. I think Morris would have given us a better isnide game and better pass blocking.

Sorry, Mack, but you are wrong. Morris was starting because Maroney was injured. Maroney was never the back-up. Also, Maroney was doing extremely well with his blocking by the end of the year and would be on par with Morris.