New England Patriots: Backfield Pieces in Motion?
Tom Brady commands a lot of attention when it comes to the New England Patriots and the offense. But as great as he’s been, he really can’t do it alone.
This past season, the Detroit Lions and San Diego Chargers finished last and next-to-last, respectively, in the league in rushing yards per game.
Any idea who finished 30th in the NFL when it came to running the ball?
Yes, the perennial playoff-contending New England Patriots managed a mere 87.8 yards per game on the ground in 2015. Only five teams in the league totaled more overall yards per game. And thanks to the ever-consistent Tom Brady, the Pats finished fifth in the NFL in passing yards per contest.
Be it by choice or due to injuries, the lack of balance would prove to be an issue for Bill Belichick’s club. Simply put, New England amassed a mere 1,404 yards rushing in 16 regular-seasons games this past year. That’s just two more than Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin (1,402) and 81 yards less than Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson (1,485) racked up by themselves in ’15.
A lot of the running backs that contributed to the cause this past year are back. LeGarrette Blount (703), Dion Lewis (234), Brandon Bolden (207), James White (56), fullback Joey Iosefa (51) and Steven Jackson (50) combined for a mere 1,301 yards on the ground. All are back with the exception of Jackson, while the Pats did add versatile Donald Brown via free agency.
We are well aware of the fact that the Patriots use their running backs as part of their potent passing game and with great results. That’s not the issue here. When it comes down to wearing down the other club and keeping New England’s defense off the field, is the answer Blount? What about Lewis, Bolden or even Brown?
Mike Reiss of ESPN.com has his own thoughts regarding an addition to the team’s ground attack. Would the Tennessee Titans make running back Bishop Sankey available now that the club has DeMarco Murray and 2015 Heisman winner Derrick Henry? You will recall that Sankey, a former of University of Washington product, was the first player at his position selected in the 2014 NFL draft.
In two seasons with the Titans, Bishop has totaled 199 carries for 762 and three touchdowns in 29 contests. He hardly sounds like the solution in terms of a workhorse, although there’s obviously not a lot of wear and tear on the young running back.
As for Lewis, he may be the most talented member of the running back corps. Adam Kurkjian of the Boston Herald has the latest on the player that gained 622 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in seven games before going down with a knee injury in the team’s Week 9 win over the Redskins.
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You can debate the merits of the running game in today’s NFL. But make no mistake. To discount the effect it has on an opposing team as well as your own defense is underrated. Yes, it keeps the other team’s defensive unit honest. More importantly, it keeps your stoppers off the field and ensures that they are fresh when called upon.
The Patriots often defy conventional wisdom when it comes to traditional football. And who’s to doubt their formula considering the franchise’s enormous success. It will be interesting to see what the team’s running game looks like in 2016.