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Brady's take
FOXBOROUGH -- Quarterback Tom Brady answered questions from the media today at Gillette Stadium. He touched on the emergence of running back Sammy Morris.
"Sammy has been a surprise for everybody," he said. "He's done everything that we've asked him to do. He's very powerful and explosive. He reads the field very well as a back, and catches the ball very well. He's a threat in the pass game, he's a threat running the ball. He's been a great addition. He has a knack for the goal-line. There doesn't need to be much room there for him to make yards. He's powerful enough to move the pile."
On a different topic, Brady was asked about having his right arm massaged at the end of Sunday's win.
"Just trying to stay on top of it," he said. "It's doing good. I'm sure I'll be listed somewhere on the injury report. I'm trying to get off that thing."
As part of that focus, Brady had his right shoulder and arm in some form of a wrap in the locker room.
From the motivation department, Brady noted how head coach Bill Belichick talked to the team this morning about the 2002 season, when the Patriots opened the year 3-0 -- with wins over Pittsburgh (30-14), the N.Y. Jets (44-7) and Kansas City (41-38) -- before losing four straight.
"So whatever we've done the last three weeks doesn't make a whole lot of difference," Brady said.
In addition to Brady, running back Sammy Morris, receiver Donte' Stallworth, and outside linebackers Mike Vrabel and Rosevelt Colvin were players drawing a larger media crowd.
Your comments
(16)Do you think Sammy Morris is becoming a better rusher than Maroney, or is Morris's success a direct result of Maroney being the starting back? I would like to think the latter, but it seems as if Maroney runs a little too lateral at times. It doesn't appear that Morris gets better blocking or bigger seams in the defense. Morris runs north/south while Maroney seems to run like the juke button is stuck on Madden. Am I being misled by television or do you people see some of that too?
This years team has a lot more talent than the 2002 team! I believe we should take one game at a time, but; I don't see them losing four straight.
I'm surprised he's surprised. Also, I'm surprised he said he was surprised. Typically Brady says things like:
"We've known Sammy for a long time facing him twice a year in both Buffalo and Miami. He's a powerful and explosive back...etc. I'm just glad he's on our side now. We all know what Sammy can do. Last year he hit us up for 100+ yards, etc, etc."
Always keeps things in focus. God I love BB, he tells it how it is!
I agree there appears to be a little too much hesitation at the line with Maroney's running style, but he is faster than Morris and has more breakway potential.
To a degree, I can see what you're saying. Maroney seems to be dancing a little too much, trying to find a perfect hole instead of seeing one and just hitting it hard. He seemed to amend that a little last weekend, but that could also just be a product of the defense they were facing. Maroney is the more talented back, no question. I think he'll get better with more reps, as he becomes more assertive when he gets more confident in his now-repaired shoulder. Go Pats.
I think Lawrence will break a few big ones, he's not a power rusher but more of a finesse guy, that's why Morris and he are great complements to each other.
I agree with your assessment but thought that Maroney did a much better job of pushing the pile and hitting the hole fast and hard in the last game; notably his first 100 yeard game.
I agree with you. Once Maroney starts running north/south and hitting the line hard he will be potent. He still seemingly has those jitters at the line.
Sammy Morris had always looked good with the Dolphins. He torched the Patriots a few times. Since he played for a bad Dolphins team never got the credit he deserved. Belichick great at getting value out of players. Look at ll the ex-Dolphins players: Evans, Morris, Welker and even Seau.
Bob said: Matt must have missed the oft spoken explanation of what zone blocking is all about. And that's the reason for Maroney sliding laterally across the line of scrimmage looking for the hole created by the blocking. Additionally. the offensive linemen do not have an assigned defensive lineman to block, but pick up the nearest lineman he can get a body on. The back[ Maroney] then makes his cut off what he sees in front of him.
Matt, i see Maroney taking a stutter step almost everytime he hits the line, he's looking for the opening and it takes him to the left or right, I think it's an excellent weapon and usually pays off. Morris is excellent but a lot of his success you can give to the OL.
I think Maroney is a juke/type runner anyway, though he's got the jets to pull away from a lot of players given enough space.
Sammy is more of a hole hitter. He seems to time his entry into the line just as the hole is opening. He always looks like he's carrying a lot of speed as he enters the hole too, which is great if the hole opens into a crease, because then Sammy just turns it up and goes for more yardage. If the hole closes on him, he just lowers the pads and delivers a hard hit.
So when Maroney cuts left/right/back left/hits defender/spins/hits next defender and goes down we're witnessing zone blocking? I don't remember seeing Terrell Davis through Travis Henry running like that in Denver.
In all seriousness, are the Pats NOT zone blocking for Morris?
Don't get this misconstrued. I'm happy Maroney is back there, but I feel like he is not living up to his potential at this point. Last week's game was a good game, and maybe it is a showing of things to come, but as a realist I have to consider that it was Buffalo and 50 of those yards was when the game was already decided.
Is anyone else here concerned that he may not live up to the hype?
Yes, I'm a bit worried about Maroney as well. He ran well against Buffalo, but what's that say? He had a great game against Cin last year, then?
Who's better right now, Maroney or Addai?
I personally think Addai right now, but that could change. I think I get annoyed at the fact that the Pats will pass, pass, pass, and then hand the ball off to Maroney and he'll juke, juke, juke for two to three yards. Morris just runs until he goes down, and it's usually for five to six yards.