Running Game

Sure has been fun to watch the Pats run the ball more... to the point of running more than throwing. ONLY complaint is that it's so predictable. Simms nailed it. Brady under center with RB behind him = 99% chance it's a run. HOWEVER, that makes it even MORE impressive, when they KNOW you are going to run it and you STILL do it well. Just wish they'd make it a little less obvious. The season is still early, but if it continues as it's been going, the Pat's could definitely win it all this year.... ESPECIALLY if they start calling some of the blatant/flagrant holds against everyone clotheslining/mugging Chandler Jones.

Ridley

 

4.8  ypc

 

98.2 ypg

 

1^st place for 1^st downs at 37, next best is 26

 

2^nd place in TD’s w/4  (5 way tie / Foster in 1st place w/5)

 

2^nd place w/102 carries

 

5^th  Place rushing  (Better than Adrian Peterson, MJD, Ray Rice et al)

 

His longest run is only 20 yards, which ties him for 57^th place, but that just makes his other stats more impressive because he doesn’t have a couple long runs skewing his stats

 

All that so far and didn’t he not run much one game, when they played Woodhead as a lead back? Against Baltimore maybe???

 

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Bolden

 

avg 5.6 ypc, albeit only 37 attempts

 

2 td’s

 

0 fumbles

 

3 carries for 20+

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Woodhead

The guy is pretty good on 3rd and long. Totally elusive in the open field.

 

It's nice to see a more effective run game. But my concern remains the defense. They look to be somewhat improved. But is it for real.

Defense, I hope, will peak and December and that will carry over to the playoffs. Th run gsme and by extension the O Line has looked awesome. If the blueprint is to keep Brady off the field then it will be alot harder to do with the run game being as successful as it has.

In response to BabeParilli's comment:

Looks more and more similar to last years big turn-over D with poor yards, poor 3rd down and  mediocre points per game, with Red zone D going the wrong way too.
Don't worry, it's just the zebras and Godell working against them.  Kraft will pay them off by week 12. A look at where the Patriots rank in key statistical categories after Week 5, while also bringing the team's opponent this week -- the offensively challenged but defensively stingy Seattle Seahawks -- into the discussion:

Points scored
This week: 1st (33.0)
Last week: 1st (33.5)
Seahawks: 28th (17.2)

Points against
This week: 17th (22.6)
Last week: 18th (23.0)
Seahawks: 2nd (14.0)

Third-down offense
This week: 4th (47.1, 33 of 70)
Last week: 12th (41.5, 22 of 53)
Seahawks: 25th (32.8, 21 of 64)

Third-down defense
This week: 25th (43.8 percent, 28 of 64)
Last week: 22nd (41.2 percent, 21 of 51)
Seahawks: 19th (38.7 percent, 24 of 62)

Turnover differential
This week: 1st (Plus-10 -- 14 takeaways, 4 giveaways)
Last week: 2nd (Plus-8 -- 11 takeaways, 3 giveaways)
Seahawks: Tied-17th (Minus-1 -- 7 takeaways, 8 giveaways)

Red-zone offense (TD percentage)
This week: Tied-4th (65.2 percent, 15 of 23)
Last week: 10th (61.1 percent, 11 of 18)
Seahawks: 32nd (28.6 percent, 4 of 14)

Red-zone defense (TD percentage)
This week: Tied-17th (58.3 percent, 7 of 12)
Last week: 12th (50 percent, 4 of 8)
Seahawks: 9th (40 percent, 4 of 10)

Tags:

Stat check

Patriots

 

Great to see this running game. Having the best QB in the NFL makes it easier for the backs. If Brady wasn't back there Ridley wouldnt be nearly as effective.

In response to pezz4pats' comment:

Looks that way but if they could replace mcCourty the D would be better. That guy has to be the worst corner in the league. Dennard looked decent.

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Not playing Ridley in the Super Bowl was a huge mistake.  Like sitting Welker for the 1st drive of the Jets playoff game which ended in a Red Zone Int because without Welker Brady floated a duck to his never used 3rd read Maroney.

In response to tcal2-'s comment:

Ii agree the Ridley decision looks really bad in hind sight. Ridley was averaging over 5ypc but the Pats did have the ball on the Giants side of the field with the lead and 4 minutes left. All of us would have taken that before the game started. They couldn't execute on offense or defense in the clutch that day and there is no guarantee Ridley would have made a diferrence. He was inactive for a reason (fumbles, injury, playbook issues, blocking, curfews, Bill's stubberness, who knows).

In response to tcal2-'s comment:

Thats right man, they would have crushed the lucky giants had Ridley played . Belichick made a mistake there.  

How about Ridley and Bolden = running game.

Patriots need to keep racking up 200 yards a game, and keep using that speed of light no huddle.

Ant team that tries to shut down the run game will be vulnerabe to the pass attack.

 

 

 

 

In response to ccnsd's comment:

If Ridley played and coughed up a hairball that lost the game people would be crying about BB playing him when we all know he had a fumbling problem, lol.

 

You have to trust that BB knew he had an issue and was able to coach that during this offseason.

In response to 15315k's comment:

In response to pezz4pats' comment:

i know, how dare the patriots defense allow the giants to score 19 points on offense.....how could we expect to win?

While I am very unhappy with too much of McCourty's play he has made several good plays, has picked off a few (after missing a critical one in a loss). THe not turning the head thing which has caused many of his problems appears to be a coaching problem. For some reason they are coaching all these guys not to turn at all in certain circumstances. Even if a good idea they are executing this "technique" in too many circumstances, too rigidly and it is hurting all pass coverage.

I think McCourty is a decent corner who needs to (1) be more clutch - make the play when the game is on the line and (2) be in a position to turn his head so he can make a play. A better DB coach would help.

 

In response to BabeParilli's comment:

Yeah but this thread isn't about the defense or your concerns regarding the defense, it's about discussing the much improved running game, how exciting it is to watch, and wondering if it'll take us all the way this year. Can we get back to closing out games with it... that kind of stuff. There are plenty of threads regarding the defense and how good or not they are.

I think this was discussed on another Ridley / Running thread.  There seems to be a couple but this is the one most recent.  Are people concerned that BB might start BB instead of SR because of that fumble last week?

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ESPECIALLY if they start calling some of the blatant/flagrant holds against everyone clotheslining/mugging Chandler Jones.

Can someone please explain to me why this continues to happen? Do they not call holding unless a guy is in the league for a year. I've seen at least 5 times where Jones beats his guy and ends up with an arm around his neck.

In response to nrguy's comment:

It's the same across any league. Rooks don't get calls while vets do. If you have a rep for having a great eye in baseball those fringe strikes become balls, if you are known to be a great slasher in basketball maybe you can get an extra step or not get called for a charge, if you known as a clean checker in hockey maybe that stick didn't travel that high, if you are known as a shut down corner maybe you didn't hold the guy past 5 yards. That's just how it works. In the off-season they will watch film on mistakes, Jones rep will grow as a guy that needs to be held in order to block him and then he'll start to get calls and even phamtom calls (ala Wilfork will get a random holding call). It shouldn't work that way but it's all about rep with the refs and the rooks don't have reps yet

In response to hang3xc's comment:

+1

diggin the run!

In response to tcal2-'s comment:

not playing him the whole year was a mistake....

In response to bredbru's comment:

seems like BB has let his pride get in the way a few too many times.....no doubt ridley should have been playing vs the giants....he is exactly what the pats needed in that game.

In response to Mighty2013's comment:

Go back to your jets forum loser. 

In response to redsoxfan94's comment:

pride, attitude, emotions, old school tendencies, yeah a couple times... i agree with you.