Tag Archives: Kevin Faulk

The Patriots May have the Best Running Back Tandem that Brady Has Ever Seen

THE ROOKIE RB

Sony is showing why he was a 1st round pick

New England has two outstanding RBs. First, there is Sony Michel, who’s knee issue during training camp led him to miss all of the preseason. Michel’s play this year has improved each game since week 2, where he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. Each week that number grew, along with his confidence.

Against the colts on Thursday Night Football, the rookie’s average jumped up to a solid 5.4 yards per carry. New England’s first round pick is starting to show he is a special player. He is a more patient runner now, allowing his lineman to set up their blocks. He also is learning from an experienced teammate, a great pass catching back that will improve his game even more.

These two backs are perfect for each other and Sony is on the rise.

THE EXPERIENCED RB SHARING HIS KNOWLEDGE

(Staff Photo By Matt Stone/ Boston Herald)

James White’s play allowed New England to keep their heads above water without Edelman for the first four games this year. White has become Tom Brady’s most reliable target. As a running back, White leads the team in receptions(32) and receiving touchdowns(4) with another rushing score. While leading the Patriots with 5 Touchdowns, White is also averaging a career best 4.8 Yards per carry.

As well as James White has played thus far, he has also been Sony Michel’s mentor. Any question at practice or in a game, James is there to answer the youngster, and help him in any way. Despite both playing the same position, James White unselfishly is grooming the first round pick. White’s knowledge of the Patriots system allows Michel to soak up every bit of information he gets.

New England is facing its toughest challenge thus far, under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football against Kansas City. James White has played on much bigger stages, at an MVP level. He will prepare Sony for his biggest game as a pro, knowing New England’s RBs could carry the load Sunday Night.

TWO HEADED RB ATTACK

Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Sony Michel could have the Football in his hands a lot Sunday night. Both RBs will be heavily involved, trying to win time of possession against a KC team that can light up the score board. When you have two running backs like White and Michel, the Patriots should lean on the ground game and keep Patrick Mahomes on the sideline.

Super Bowl hero James White and first round pick Sony Michel are sure to be one of the NFL’s most lethal running back tandems. White has been the most important player through the first 5 weeks, while teaching his fellow running back everything he knows.

Rookie Sony Michel’s arrow is pointing straight up. He’s adjusted to the difference from college to pro ball. Patriot fans are watching Michel turn into a star, some doubted him, while others like myself believed he could be the best RB drafted this year. Even with the slow start, there is plenty of time left for Michel to be in the conversation for rookie of the year. He’s done nothing but improve each week. He also has the opportunity to pick James White’s brain everyday. The Rookie’s ceiling couldn’t be higher.

New England has had great RB committee’s before, but this season Tom Brady might be playing with the best RB tandem of his career. Which is high praise for these two young running backs, considering past Patriot greats like Corey Dillon and Kevin Faulk.

Make sure you follow us on twitter @BosSportsExtra. These backs need a nickname, because they are going to be very special playing together. Leave us you’re ideas on our Twitter or Facebook page.

FLASHback to 2007’s Offense

COMPARING THE 2007 SEASON TO THIS YEARS TEAM OFFENSIVELY

In 2007, New England was a juggernaut on offense. As far as regular seasons go, well, the Patriots went undefeated. Of course, this season won’t be perfect, the offense could look quite familiar. Josh Gordon recently picked up by New England, has many fans very excited. First and foremost, he is not Randy Moss 2.0. I want to make that clear.

However, if Gordon can fall in line, keep his nose in the playbook and contribute all season, then we could be in for quite the show. The comparisons this year to the undefeated regular season are fair, hear me out.

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

DIFFERENT NAMES – SAME GAME

New England’s offense in 2007 was unstoppable, mainly because of Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Other key players had their roles as well, only one player remains – Tom Brady. 2007 will go down as one of the best complete football teams of all time, if not the best. Here is what the offense looked like.

Starting off is Tom Brady, who has seemed to have gotten better with age. As he admits himself, “I feel like I’ve played better the last eight years then I did my first ten.”

Next, let’s look at the running game. Laurence Maroney handled the heavy workload. Patriots HOF’er Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris as the 3rd down change of pace backs. Heath Evans was the fullback.

Jumping ahead to this season, SB hero James White, Rex Burkhead, and rookie Sony Michel can all either be RBs or receivers in the slot or split out wide. In today’s NFL, I’d give the slight edge to this season’s RB core, as moving the ball through the air is more important than ever. Defenses can’t tell whether it’s a run or pass play when any of these players step on the field. Also, James Devlin is used at FB to open up running lanes and catch the ball as well.

Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated

PASS CATCHING COMPARISONS

Randy Moss is in the HOF, Josh Gordon is not Randy Moss. However, if Gordon is the best version of himself, he will fill the Moss role, which is taking the top off the defense with his size and speed. Brady hasn’t had this since Randy Moss, with the obvious edge going to Moss, with one caveat – the rest of the pass catchers overall compared to this year.

With Gordon attempting to do his best Moss impersonation, Brady now has a real deep threat. His targets also include Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, and Philip Dorsett with special teams ace, Corderelle Patterson, being involved in some packages each game.

Josh Gordon opening up the field for these receivers will not allow defenses to double. If they do, Brady will find one of the open players. Looking at this year’s pass catchers and 2007 receivers, it’s the same concept with similarly skilled players except for Moss. Now, 2018 now has a beast like him plus Rob Gronkowski. That alone is scary for opponents.

Edelman will be back in the slot, with Gordon opening up the field. Just like Welker did in 2007

Patriots offensively in 2007, besides Randy, had an aging local legend in Troy Brown, another Patriot HOF player, along with Wes Welker, Donte Stallworth, and Jabar Gaffney. They didn’t have a huge part of this comparison in Rob Gronkowski. Ben Watson was good along with Brady, but it’s not close to Gronk alone. 2018 also adds Hollister in the mix. So, can this year’s team look anything like the 2007 Patriots?

IN CONCLUSION, WHERE DOES THIS SEASON’S OFFENSE STACK UP?

Going through it by positions was interesting, and all these comparisons depend on one player, who’s never been dependable. In the event Josh Gordon does click with Tom Brady, this year’s Patriots team will do some serious damage. As I see it, this years RB group can be better than 2007.

Pass catchers; if everything goes to plan, will put up eye-popping numbers. Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon and Chris Hogan with the RBs will keep defenses up at night.

No, this season won’t be as prolific as the undefeated team but will have a similar feeling to it. As always, health will play a factor as well of the offensive line.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are still here, with players comparable or better to the 2007 team. Still, it’s too early to tell what will happen next.

No Tom Brady led offense will ever be as good, but this year is the closest it will get. Imagine all of this coming after the recent WR drama throughout the last few months.

The History of the New England Patriots by Jersey Number #33-#34

NUMBER THIRTY-THREE

There were a lot of cool offensive players through the years to don the #33 for your New England Patriots. Let’s start, though, with our only featured defensive player with that number, Fred Bruney, who played all the way back from 1960-62. He made the All-Star team in both ’61 and ’62 mostly due to his kickoff and punt return prowess. Bruney was around the game for decades, even filling in as a head coach for a week with the 1985 Eagles.

Reggie Rucker is our only #33 that played wide receiver for New England. In his rookie season with the Cowboys, he played in their Super Bowl V loss to the Colts. After being dropped by the Cowboys and the Giants, New England grabbed him late in 1971. He had three pretty good seasons as a Patriots starter before leaving on disgruntled terms with Coach Fairbanks. He had his best seasons with the Browns, including their dramatic 1980 season under Sam Rutigliano. Rucker retired after the 1981 season and became a longtime broadcaster with the Indians’ radio network among other commentating jobs.

Running Backs

Now, let’s talk about four popular running backs from team history, starting with Tony Collins. Collins had a terrific campaign in 1983 running for over 1,000 yards averaging 4.8 per carry and 10 touchdowns. After New England drafted Craig James, Collins lost his RB1 status, but the Pats benefited all around by splitting carries between the two halfbacks and fullback Mosi Tatupu. Collins’s career ended in a disappointing way, as he was suspended for the 1988 due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Sam Gash is another guy I wrote about when I did the history of the Buffalo Bills by jersey number to also appear in this series. Gash played his first six seasons in New England and was a fine contributor to the 1996 AFC Championship. He was a prototype Bill Parcells guy as he dished out a tremendous amount of punishment on his opponents from the fullback position. And I ask you this: Is there anything more gorgeous than seeing a fullback plow over a linebacker or safety!? Gash was the best.

The Best 33 of Pats History

Kevin Faulk was the longest tenured #33 in Patriots history, playing parts of 12 seasons mostly alongside Tom Brady. Faulk was a receiving option out of the backfield. He was incredibly dependable and clutch. His 20 catches in three playoff games for the 2007 Patriots was probably his most productive stat line over his long career, as his stats simply don’t jump off the page. His two-pointer in Super Bowl XXVIII against Carolina was a very important play as well. Faulk was just a Bill Belichick-guy who did his job when called upon. In 2016, he was rightfully put in the Patriots team Hall of Fame.

NUMBER THIRTY-FOUR

Chuck Shonta was the first player to wear #34 for the Pats doing so for Boston from 1960-67. Shonta wasn’t a great interceptor, but he played his position tough and was even selected as an all-star in 1966 after picking off only one pass on the season. He was selected as a member of the Patriots 1960’s All-Decade team.

Ron Sellers played briefly with the Pats before having an exciting season in 1972 for Dallas. In 1969 as a rookie with Boston, Sellers made it to the All-Star game. He never was able to recreate that magic with the Pats and was let go after 1971.

Prentice McCray was the next player to wear #34 for a substantial amount of time. He played defensive back with the Pats throughout the mid to late 1970’s. He had a dynamite 1976 campaign with 182 interception yards and two scores.

34s of the 2000’s

Tebucky Jones was a defensive back for the Patriots from 1998-2002. He’s best known for his role with the 2001 World Champions and almost scored on the play that would’ve clinched the ball game well ahead of Adam Vinatieri’s last second field goal. In the Super Bowl, in the fourth quarter with the St. Louis Rams in desperation mode down 17-3, Kurt Warner scrambled to his right. He couldn’t have run slower if he had bowling balls in his sneakers. Warner lost the ball and Jones took it to the house. Unfortunately, Willie McGinest was called for a holding penalty when he molested Marshall Faulk out of the backfield. Jones had one other huge play in his Patriots career when he picked off Kordell Stewart in the 2001 AFC Championship game.

Getty

Finally, let’s talk about a guy who had so much potential but always seemed to get injured, Sammy Morris. He was off to superb start with the dynamic 2007 team before he hurt his chest. In 2008, he probably could’ve rushed for 1,000 yards had he not missed action. Morris was able to get into all 16 games for the 2010 Pats, but only on special teams as Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead had over 300 combined carries.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Boston Sports Extra

By Boston Fans, For Boston Fans