LeGarrette Blount

[Moose Of Woe]

The Blount was lit against the Ravens, Bills and Colts. The Broncos then snuffed him out for six yards.

 

What does NE do with him? Will Blount be seeking a payday based on his late season/divisional round surge? Would anyone else be willing to give him anything?

 

 

Also he should flip his jersey number upside down.

 

[tonychen]

Don't be fooled by his occasional flashing. Blount is a washed out large back who would become a journeyman. It is hard to make him a featured back, so he is most likely going somewhere to be a situational back in a committee of RBs.

 

Ravens and Bills might have overthought on Brady's passing game and did not focus enough on stopping the run. For Colts it is in its DNA to struggle against big backs.

[Shane Bond]

Brady had more rushing yards than Blount.

 

What a joke.

[Shane Bond]

When Colts played the Broncos, i thought the defense was legit and we see the Pats game.

 

I mean i am lost.

[Moose Of Woe]

Don't be fooled by his occasional flashing. Blount is a washed out large back who would become a journeyman. It is hard to make him a featured back, so he is most likely going somewhere to be a situational back in a committee of RBs.

 

Ravens and Bills might have overthought on Brady's passing game and did not focus enough on stopping the run. For Colts it is in its DNA to struggle against big backs.

I agree that his running success was probably just a flash in the pan.

 

Running over the Bills and Colts isn't exactly impressive. Heck, if we didn't win the SB that  2006 season we'd still reek of 375. (Not to mention giving up 100+ on the ground every single regular season game.)

 

What got me was that first Ravens game and the fact he strung together three great outings in a row. That all went out the window though when his QB ran further than he did against a good run D.

 

I  agree that he's not primary back material, but think he could greatly compliment any team looking for a big guy in short yardage/goal line situations. It should also be considered that he has shown some success as a solid return man and I don't think that's an aberration.

Brady had more rushing yards than Blount.

 

What a joke.

That was pretty sad, yes. Even more sad was that Brady juked the defender on his TD run instead of getting blown up. It still wasn't as funny as when Brady juked Urlacher a few years back.

 

When Colts played the Broncos, i thought the defense was legit and we see the Pats game.

 

I mean i am lost.

Mathis played out of his mind against Denver. Indy put all it had in to that one...we treated that one like a Superbowl. Combine all that and give Manning two bum ankles and that's what happens.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Just goes to show you. That's the game of football. Any given Sunday or Saturday or Monday Or Thursday or I believe rarely Wednesdays

[SilentHill]

People gawked at me when I said Blount was an average to below average back, anyone can have good games once in a while, he just happened to string a couple together. Patriots know it, and they wont be paying him big money any time soon.

 

I wonder what the Pats Broncos game could have been if they had given the ball to their best RB Ridley.

[jvan1973]

People gawked at me when I said Blount was an average to below average back, anyone can have good games once in a while, he just happened to string a couple together. Patriots know it, and they wont be paying him big money any time soon.

I wonder what the Pats Broncos game could have been if they had given the ball to their best RB Ridley.

probably two or three turnovers

[tonychen]

Just goes to show you. That's the game of football. Any given Sunday or Saturday or Monday Or Thursday or I believe rarely Wednesdays

 

Yeah it is all about match ups. If I have a big back I will feel happy to put him opposing Colts even if he has done nothing the entire yr.

[tonychen]

It is amazing that every yr Pats special team can bring some epic moments. In 2011 they had an OL return a Packers kickoff for a TD, but you don't count on these plays and call these returner monster.

 

Also Ravens were struggling the whole yr looking for their identity. Toward the end of yr they just looked tired after the long playoff run in the previous yr. The last week when they could win and go into the playoff at Bengals, I felt they were just waiting for the game to end as if they had booked direct flights from Cincy to Bahamas.

 

 

What got me was that first Ravens game and the fact he strung together three great outings in a row. That all went out the window though when his QB ran further than he did against a good run D.

 

[amfootball]

Word here is the Pats will re-sign Blount as he will not cost them a lot of money and he wants to stay. He is a great compliment to Ridley and Vareen and showed what he can do when given the chance. The Denver front was too tough but honestly he was taken out of the game because the Pats got behind early. That would have been true no matter what RB was back there.

 

And of course remember the Pats got him for a bag of potatoes - a seventh round pick and a track guy named Demps. Now remind me again what the Colts gave up for Richardson? ;)

[Moose Of Woe]

Now remind me again what the Colts gave up for Richardson? ;)

In all seriousness? I blame our O-line sucking it up more than any of our running backs since 2006.

 

*Sigh* And a first round pick. Why, want to trade?

 

As a Bruins fan, I can say at least it's not as bad as the Joe Thornton trade. That one made me want to gouge my eyes out.

[tonychen]

Word here is the Pats will re-sign Blount as he will not cost them a lot of money and he wants to stay. He is a great compliment to Ridley and Vareen and showed what he can do when given the chance. The Denver front was too tough but honestly he was taken out of the game because the Pats got behind early. That would have been true no matter what RB was back there.

 

And of course remember the Pats got him for a bag of potatoes - a seventh round pick and a track guy named Demps. Now remind me again what the Colts gave up for Richardson? ;)

 

Yeah that Richardson trade truly looks dumb now. In today's NFL who would draft a RB with a 1st round pick?

 

I sometimes have problem with Pats way of using backs - They simply try all and see who has a hotter hand. Sometimes even elite backs need some time to get into rhythm or soften up the defense. To Pats standard Marshawn Lynch could have been buried on the depth chart.

[amfootball]

Yeah that Richardson trade truly looks dumb now. In today's NFL who would draft a RB with a 1st round pick?

 

I sometimes have problem with Pats way of using backs - They simply try all and see who has a hotter hand. Sometimes even elite backs need some time to get into rhythm or soften up the defense. To Pats standard Marshawn Lynch could have been buried on the depth chart.

Their philosophy is RBs by committee given how cheaply you can find a good back and how often they get injured. They have never had anyone close to Lynch except for Dillon and he did get the ball all the time back in 04/05. I do think Ridley could emerge as that guy if he corrects his fumbling issues which he seemed to do the last half of the season after being benched.

[tonychen]

Their philosophy is RBs by committee given how cheaply you can find a good back and how often they get injured. They have never had anyone close to Lynch except for Dillon and he did get the ball all the time back in 04/05. I do think Ridley could emerge as that guy if he corrects his fumbling issues which he seemed to do the last half of the season after being benched.

 

No Ridley will not survive. Belichick will try to find other RBs.

 

Some RBs always have problems hanging onto the football. It is a habit either from their running style or how they hold the ball from the first day they play. Or it could be bad luck. It is just very hard to correct. For some talented runners teams give them a pass when they fumble, but at Pats it is zero tolerance.

[amfootball]

No Ridley will not survive. Belichick will try to find other RBs.

 

Some RBs always have problems hanging onto the football. It is a habit either from their running style or how they hold the ball from the first day they play. Or it could be bad luck. It is just very hard to correct. For some talented runners teams give them a pass when they fumble, but at Pats it is zero tolerance.

Not true. AP had fumbling issues that he corrected and so did Tikki Barber. With Ridley it was the fact that he would hold the ball away from his body between the tackles. When he stopped doing this he did not fumble the rest of the season after the benching. I do agree though that he is on thin ice and needs to make sure the ball is secure next season.

 

I don't see the Pats making any changes to the RBs. They have the most versatile group and were 9th in rushing. They need to address WR and TE.

[tonychen]

Not true. AP had fumbling issues that he corrected and so did Tikki Barber. With Ridley it was the fact that he would hold the ball away from his body between the tackles. When he stopped doing this he did not fumble the rest of the season after the benching. I do agree though that he is on thin ice and needs to make sure the ball is secure next season.

 

I don't see the Pats making any changes to the RBs. They have the most versatile group and were 9th in rushing. They need to address WR and TE.

 

Sometimes the problem is mental. When AP fumbles he can shrug it off and correct it, when Ridley fumbles it will continue getting into his head and it becomes sickening. Also last year he was hit hard by Pollard and lost a fumble as well. All these will take toll on this poor guy.

 

Like I said to you last week I do not think having 3 different types of RBs is an advantage. Instead I believe all coaches want to have a complete package in one guy like LeSean McCoy who can run in open field, run short yardage, catch, and pick up blitz. For Pats it is a problem they never solved well after Dillon and all backs they tried were let go in 2 years. Partially it is because a do-all RB is hard to find, but on the other hand talented guys like Ridley should be given more trust and tolerance such that he can develop, which I do not think will be given by your stubborn coach.

 

Yes you need WR, TE, and DBs in my opinion. Your only solid group is LBs, and DL is OK. Your OL is starting to get old and will need work. I don't know if your coach can get a useful WR from the draft since he has missed on almost every WR he picked. Maybe he could lure Eric Decker to join the Pats who knows.

[amfootball]

Sometimes the problem is mental. When AP fumbles he can shrug it off and correct it, when Ridley fumbles it will continue getting into his head and it becomes sickening. Also last year he was hit hard by Pollard and lost a fumble as well. All these will take toll on this poor guy.

 

Like I said to you last week I do not think having 3 different types of RBs is an advantage. Instead I believe all coaches want to have a complete package in one guy like LeSean McCoy who can run in open field, run short yardage, catch, and pick up blitz. For Pats it is a problem they never solved well after Dillon and all backs they tried were let go in 2 years. Partially it is because a do-all RB is hard to find, but on the other hand talented guys like Ridley should be given more trust and tolerance such that he can develop, which I do not think will be given by your stubborn coach.

I think fumbling is both mental and physical and not sure why you think AP could get over it mentally but Ridley cannot. Like I said after the benching he never fumbled again this season. So it is correctable.

 

I think having the all in one back was more of a priority before the passing rules which is why the Pats got Dillon back in 04/05. Right now the RB is more of a compliment and having only one back leaves you stranded if that guy gets hurt which is what happened to your Colts this year forcing your GM to trade a number one for another back that he thought would be THE guy who eventually got benched. I like the Pats approach as it gives them more options to run and pass with a guy like Vareen. And they showed that they could go run heavy with Blount as well. More options are better.

[tonychen]

I think fumbling is both mental and physical and not sure why you think AP could get over it mentally but Ridley cannot. Like I said after the benching he never fumbled again this season. So it is correctable.

 

I think having the all in one back was more of a priority before the passing rules which is why the Pats got Dillon back in 04/05. Right now the RB is more of a compliment and having only one back leaves you stranded if that guy gets hurt which is what happened to your Colts this year forcing your GM to trade a number one for another back that he thought would be THE guy who eventually got benched. I like the Pats approach as it gives them more options to run and pass with a guy like Vareen. And they showed that they could go run heavy with Blount as well. More options are better.

 

Yes Ridley never fumbled again but it was mainly because he was benched for Blount (I know it since I owned a handful of Ridleys on my fantasy teams, and I had to drop him for his no-show in the last few games  ).

 

I think another example for not having a do-all RB is the miserable Colts backfield. It was a mess after Edge left although Addai showed some promise in 06 but became injury prone. After that they had a committee and the running game was never established.

[amfootball]

Yes Ridley never fumbled again but it was mainly because he was benched for Blount (I know it since I owned a handful of Ridleys on my fantasy teams, and I had to drop him for his no-show in the last few games  ).

 

I think another example for not having a do-all RB is the miserable Colts backfield. It was a mess after Edge left although Addai showed some promise in 06 but became injury prone. After that they had a committee and the running game was never established.

So much of the run game is dependent on the Oline as well. That is why you do not need AP level talent if you have a good line.

[GoPats]

I like Blount but was kind of chuckling the last few weeks while the media treated him like the second coming of Jim Brown. 
 

Word is he's very much at home in NE, so as long as he doesn't ask for ridiculous money, he'll probably be back, possibly on a year-to-year basis. 

 

He's a good power back and will have high value in certain matchups. No special teams though, and he doesn't catch a lot of balls, so I hope his agent doesn't have delusions of grandeur when it comes to negotiations.