New England Patriots: 3 Standouts from Week 5 vs. Colts

2. RB James White

Rookie Sony Michel was the team’s top ball-carrier in the team’s 38-24 victory over the visiting Indianapolis Colts. The 31st overall pick in April’s draft drew some unwarranted criticism after his performance in his first two outings of his career. Out Week 1, the former University of Georgia performer combined for 24 carries and 84 yards on the ground. Over the past two games, Michel has combined for 43 attempts and 210 rushing yards, scoring in each contest.

But the player who helped quarterback Tom Brady move the chains consistently early on was running back James White. The 26-year old pro was thrown to 11 times and caught nine of those for 74 yards and one score in the game’s first 30 minutes as his team was building a 24-3 lead. In the second half, Brady targeted White only three times and he caught one pass for three yards. And to be fair, he totaled zero yards on two carries when it came to the running game.

So why the nod over Michel? White allowed Brady to find his groove in the first half and the Colts’ defense had zero answers when it came to covering him. He finished the evening with only 77 receiving yards on 10 catches, somewhat surprising considering his first-half numbers. But he set the tone early and had Indianapolis on its heels early on.