Halftime observations from a game that could be far more out of hand than it is:
* Ray Rice doesn't waste any time. Center Matt Birk and right guard Marshal Yanda together shoved Vince Wilfork out of the way, and right tackle Michael Oher sealed off Ty Warren to create a seam for Ray Rice on the first snap of the game. Rice waited for a moment for the hole to develop and then cut to his right, back through the line. Left guard Ben Grubbs brushed against Wilfork and then got in the way of linebacker Jerod Mayo.
Only safety Brandon Meriweather was left -- that's Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather, to be specific -- and Rice torched Meriweather as easily as if Meriweather was standing still.
The result was a stadium-deflating 83-yard touchdown run -- and only a sign of what was to come.
* Ed Reed is everywhere. When a fluky turnover on a punt gave the Patriots the ball deep in Baltimore territory, Brady had a chance to throw a dart to Randy Moss in the back of the end zone. Ravens safety Ed Reed was eight or 10 feet from the Patriots' best wide receiver, probably not close enough to make up the distance if Brady really zipped it in there.
Brady instead threw the ball out the back of the end zone -- a sign of just how terrified he is to throw anywhere close to where Reed is.
Reed was in position on Moss when Terrell Suggs turnstiled Matt Light off the edge on the Patriots' first drive of the game, forcing the quarterback to hesitate long enough for Suggs to get there and knock the ball loose. Later in the first quarter, after Brady already had thrown an interception to Chris Carr, Reed pounced on a pass deflected by wide receiver Sam Aiken and intercepted it.
When you consider that the Patriots haven't really thrown a pass in the direction of Moss, presumably the primary assignment given to Reed, it's amazing he's made the number of plays as he has.
(In a related story, Brady looks awful: His first interception was even worse than his first, a short pass thrown right at the hands of Carr. The three-time Super Bowl winner has 38 passing yards so far.)
* Ray Lewis is everywhere, too. The Patriots have had no answer for the linebacker who made a compelling case this week that he has plenty of football left in him. He's making a compelling case today, too.
Lewis dodged Laurence Maroney and drilled Brady for a seven-yard loss on the first snap of the Patriots' second series. He then got back in Brady's face to force an incomplete pass on first-and-10 on the next series. Late in the second quarter, Lewis tore through a gap and dropped Kevin Faulk for no gain on a second-and-8 draw.
Lewis finished the first half with eight tackles, including four solo tackles.
* Julian Edelman is doing everything anyone could expect. The rookie wide receiver -- he was just learning how to play the position a year ago, don't forget -- caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter and broke three different tackles on a nifty 28-yard punt return just a few minutes later.
Injured wide receiver Wes Welker hobbled out for the opening coin flip on crutches and watched the rest of the game from Robert Kraft's box. Edelman, obstensibly his replacement as the Patriots' slot receiver, was dropped for a loss on his first reception but looked in the second quarter like he was starting to find some gaps in the defense.
* Kevin Faulk came to play. Not that this should be a surprise to anyone, but the versatile running back has been the Patriots' most dependable player on the field. Faulk has 36 rushing yards and 25 receiving yards, including an 18-yard catch-and-run to dig the Patriots out of their own end late in the first quarter.
Of the Patriots' 61 yards from scrimmage in the first half, Faulk has 61.
(Brady has lost 16 yards to sacks, and the entire rest of the roster has combined for 16 yards.)
Showing posts with label faulk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faulk. Show all posts
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Patriots deactivate Laurence Maroney
Only two New England running backs have appeared in every game this season: Kevin Faulk and Laurence Maroney. Both are inactive today against Houston.
It's not hard to understand why the Patriots might give Faulk a day off. The 33-year-old multi-purpose back is averaging 6.6 touches per week out of the backfield and is of the age where a week off makes sense to preserve him for the playoffs.
Maroney, though, is younger and healthier and doesn't seem to have been playing through any injuries this season. (He was listed as "probable" on the injury report with a knee injury that didn't pop up until Friday.) The only affliction affection Maroney this season, in fact, seems to be the fumble-itis that struck at the goal line once again last week against Jacksonville.
This has been as roller-coaster a year for Maroney as ever. At times, he's looked like the player the Patriots drafted in the first round out of Minnesota. At other times, he's looked like the player the Patriots contemplated releasing during training camp.
He's certainly in the doghouse now.
There's no guarantee -- especially at this time of year -- he's going to get a chance to play his way out.
It's not hard to understand why the Patriots might give Faulk a day off. The 33-year-old multi-purpose back is averaging 6.6 touches per week out of the backfield and is of the age where a week off makes sense to preserve him for the playoffs.
Maroney, though, is younger and healthier and doesn't seem to have been playing through any injuries this season. (He was listed as "probable" on the injury report with a knee injury that didn't pop up until Friday.) The only affliction affection Maroney this season, in fact, seems to be the fumble-itis that struck at the goal line once again last week against Jacksonville.
This has been as roller-coaster a year for Maroney as ever. At times, he's looked like the player the Patriots drafted in the first round out of Minnesota. At other times, he's looked like the player the Patriots contemplated releasing during training camp.
He's certainly in the doghouse now.
There's no guarantee -- especially at this time of year -- he's going to get a chance to play his way out.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
No time, no chance
Check out Tuesday's Union Leader for a look at how the pressure brought by Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis forced the Patriots to speed up their tempo in the second half -- and the part the pressure played in the game-changing fourth-and-2 stop.
According to unofficial stopwatch work done by this reporter, Brady averaged 2.33 seconds between the snap and the release of the ball on his six drop-backs in the first quarter. He averaged 1.76 seconds from snap to release on his 12 drop-backs in the fourth quarter.
Even when the Patriots went to the play-action in the fourth quarter, they did so with short passes in mind -- two screen passes to Wes Welker and a short completion to Welker in the flat.
Brady held the ball for 3.4 seconds -- again, obviously, an unofficial number -- when he hit Randy Moss for a deep pass to set up the Patriots' first touchdown in the first quarter.
That was a luxury he didn't have in the fourth quarter. He held the ball for 1.8 seconds on the third-down incompletion in the direction of Welker, and he held the ball for 1.4 seconds on the fourth-down pass to Faulk that came up short of the yellow line.
If he'd held the ball for any longer, though, he'd have been drilled -- keep an eye on Freeney at the top of the screen during the game's decisive play.
No time. No chance.
According to unofficial stopwatch work done by this reporter, Brady averaged 2.33 seconds between the snap and the release of the ball on his six drop-backs in the first quarter. He averaged 1.76 seconds from snap to release on his 12 drop-backs in the fourth quarter.
Even when the Patriots went to the play-action in the fourth quarter, they did so with short passes in mind -- two screen passes to Wes Welker and a short completion to Welker in the flat.
Brady held the ball for 3.4 seconds -- again, obviously, an unofficial number -- when he hit Randy Moss for a deep pass to set up the Patriots' first touchdown in the first quarter.
That was a luxury he didn't have in the fourth quarter. He held the ball for 1.8 seconds on the third-down incompletion in the direction of Welker, and he held the ball for 1.4 seconds on the fourth-down pass to Faulk that came up short of the yellow line.
If he'd held the ball for any longer, though, he'd have been drilled -- keep an eye on Freeney at the top of the screen during the game's decisive play.
No time. No chance.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Patriots down to three healthy RBs
Don't expect Kevin Faulk to shy away from contact this week.
"It's a physical game," Faulk said. "It's a brutal sport. You're going to get hit regardless. Sometimes we get hit when we don't even have the ball."
But staying healthy will become more and more important this week as the Patriots' depth chart at running back absorbs more and more casualties. Fred Taylor underwent ankle surgery two weeks ago and appears to be out indefinitely, and Sammy Morris left Sunday's game with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. (Neither player was present at practice on Wednesday.)
"We'll go with what we've got," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "The guys that are healthy, they'll play. The guys that aren't, we know will be back as soon as they can. I know they're working hard. We'll just take those guys day-to-day. When they're ready, we'll plug them back in there. In the meantime, there'll be more opportunities for the guys that are active."
Those opportunities presumably will go to Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and Laurence Maroney, the only three healthy running backs on the roster this week. All three saw significant time against the Titans last Sunday:
* Faulk had one carry and had three receptions, including a screen pass he took 38 yards for a touchdown;
* Green-Ellis rushed seven times for 67 yards in his first appearance of the regular season;
* Maroney quieted some of the critics that had been all over him in the early going, rushing for 123 yards on 16 carries, including a 45-yard touchdown rush behind a key block from Sebastian Vollmer.
Green-Ellis in particular is likely to see an expanded role this week against Tampa Bay. Maroney almost certainly will start the game, and Faulk will play the same multifaceted role he's played throughout his career. Green-Ellis, though, likely will see some third-down carries as well as some first- and second-down carries on drives during which Maroney is taking a breather.
"Law Firm" spent the entire preseason on the bubble, the fifth-best running back on a team that wasn't necessarily going to keep five running backs on its roster. His play in exactly this type of situation a year ago, though, gave him new life -- and every injury means he takes another step up the ladder.
"BenJarvus did a good job for us in the preseason, but he did a good job for us last year, too," Belichick said. "That carried a lot of weight, his performance in the '08 season when he was called on at different points in time. ... He has a lot of versatility. I really think he can play on all three downs -- on all four downs, to be honest with you. He's not limited in any situation where he's just a first-down back or just a third-down back or just a returner or anything like that. He really can operate in all of those situations pretty effectively. He's smart, and he knows what to do in all those things, too."
What makes the Patriots' situation even trickier is the fact that they like to use their running backs in their passing game. They don't just catch the ball out of the backfield, either; most of the Patriots' four- or five-receiver sets this season have featured at least one running back split out wide.
"You've seen all our backs line up pretty much everywhere," Belichick said. "The problem for a defense when a back splits out is, how do you want to match up with it? Probably your best matchup is to put a linebacker -- not that the other guys can't cover him, but you waste a corner or a safety on a running back. Generally speaking, those guys aren't as good of receivers as your receivers, and you end up with a linebacker covering a receiver or a linebacker covering a tight end."
With fewer backs available, the Patriots' options seem to become limited in that regard -- especially if they want to have any of their backs alongside or behind Brady in pass protection.
Then again, the Patriots also are down to three healthy wide receivers, too, barring a last-minute activation of Terrence Nunn or Brandon Tate. If they want to run any four- or five-receiver sets, they're going to have to get their running backs involved.
"It's on everybody," Faulk said. "Those guys are gone, but it is on everyone to step it up. You never know who's going to be in that position, who's going to be in that spot, to be in that role."
"It's a physical game," Faulk said. "It's a brutal sport. You're going to get hit regardless. Sometimes we get hit when we don't even have the ball."
But staying healthy will become more and more important this week as the Patriots' depth chart at running back absorbs more and more casualties. Fred Taylor underwent ankle surgery two weeks ago and appears to be out indefinitely, and Sammy Morris left Sunday's game with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. (Neither player was present at practice on Wednesday.)
"We'll go with what we've got," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "The guys that are healthy, they'll play. The guys that aren't, we know will be back as soon as they can. I know they're working hard. We'll just take those guys day-to-day. When they're ready, we'll plug them back in there. In the meantime, there'll be more opportunities for the guys that are active."
Those opportunities presumably will go to Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and Laurence Maroney, the only three healthy running backs on the roster this week. All three saw significant time against the Titans last Sunday:
* Faulk had one carry and had three receptions, including a screen pass he took 38 yards for a touchdown;
* Green-Ellis rushed seven times for 67 yards in his first appearance of the regular season;
* Maroney quieted some of the critics that had been all over him in the early going, rushing for 123 yards on 16 carries, including a 45-yard touchdown rush behind a key block from Sebastian Vollmer.
Green-Ellis in particular is likely to see an expanded role this week against Tampa Bay. Maroney almost certainly will start the game, and Faulk will play the same multifaceted role he's played throughout his career. Green-Ellis, though, likely will see some third-down carries as well as some first- and second-down carries on drives during which Maroney is taking a breather.
"Law Firm" spent the entire preseason on the bubble, the fifth-best running back on a team that wasn't necessarily going to keep five running backs on its roster. His play in exactly this type of situation a year ago, though, gave him new life -- and every injury means he takes another step up the ladder.
"BenJarvus did a good job for us in the preseason, but he did a good job for us last year, too," Belichick said. "That carried a lot of weight, his performance in the '08 season when he was called on at different points in time. ... He has a lot of versatility. I really think he can play on all three downs -- on all four downs, to be honest with you. He's not limited in any situation where he's just a first-down back or just a third-down back or just a returner or anything like that. He really can operate in all of those situations pretty effectively. He's smart, and he knows what to do in all those things, too."
What makes the Patriots' situation even trickier is the fact that they like to use their running backs in their passing game. They don't just catch the ball out of the backfield, either; most of the Patriots' four- or five-receiver sets this season have featured at least one running back split out wide.
"You've seen all our backs line up pretty much everywhere," Belichick said. "The problem for a defense when a back splits out is, how do you want to match up with it? Probably your best matchup is to put a linebacker -- not that the other guys can't cover him, but you waste a corner or a safety on a running back. Generally speaking, those guys aren't as good of receivers as your receivers, and you end up with a linebacker covering a receiver or a linebacker covering a tight end."
With fewer backs available, the Patriots' options seem to become limited in that regard -- especially if they want to have any of their backs alongside or behind Brady in pass protection.
Then again, the Patriots also are down to three healthy wide receivers, too, barring a last-minute activation of Terrence Nunn or Brandon Tate. If they want to run any four- or five-receiver sets, they're going to have to get their running backs involved.
"It's on everybody," Faulk said. "Those guys are gone, but it is on everyone to step it up. You never know who's going to be in that position, who's going to be in that spot, to be in that role."
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Rushing attack back to normal -- and beyond
Some might have raised their eyebrows at the news that BenJarvus Green-Ellis -- an undrafted free agent who did yeoman's work while Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan were injured -- was inactive today against Oakland.
As it turns out, Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels knew what they were doing.
The Patriots rushed for 277 yards in today's game, their best single-game total since 1985. Morris rushed for 117 yards on 14 carries, Jordan had 97 on 12 carries, Kevin Faulk had 45 on six carries, and Matt Cassel rushed for 18 yards on seven carries.
Some notes on the performances of each running back:
* Morris now has run for 100 yards four times in his 16 games with the Patriots; he had one 100-yard game before he came to New England.
* Morris now has scored seven rushing touchdowns, a career high; only Randy Moss (10 touchdowns) has more scores among Patriots this season.
* Jordan rushed for his highest single-game total since 2007, when he had 121 yards as a Raider. His 49-yard touchdown run was his longest since 2006, also with the Raiders, and it was the Patriots' longest rush this season.
* Faulk scored his fifth touchdown (on a seven-yard pass from Cassel); he last scored this many touchdowns was in 2002, when he had seven (including two via kickoff returns).
As it turns out, Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels knew what they were doing.
The Patriots rushed for 277 yards in today's game, their best single-game total since 1985. Morris rushed for 117 yards on 14 carries, Jordan had 97 on 12 carries, Kevin Faulk had 45 on six carries, and Matt Cassel rushed for 18 yards on seven carries.
Some notes on the performances of each running back:
* Morris now has run for 100 yards four times in his 16 games with the Patriots; he had one 100-yard game before he came to New England.
* Morris now has scored seven rushing touchdowns, a career high; only Randy Moss (10 touchdowns) has more scores among Patriots this season.
* Jordan rushed for his highest single-game total since 2007, when he had 121 yards as a Raider. His 49-yard touchdown run was his longest since 2006, also with the Raiders, and it was the Patriots' longest rush this season.
* Faulk scored his fifth touchdown (on a seven-yard pass from Cassel); he last scored this many touchdowns was in 2002, when he had seven (including two via kickoff returns).
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Asked and answered: Kevin Faulk, Patriots running back
Kevin Faulk has played more halfback than true running back over the years, catching passes out of the backfield and running draws out of the shotgun formation more often than lining up in the I-formation and powering through the middle.
With an injury to Sammy Morris possibly depleting the Patriots' corps of running backs even further, though, he might end up with more traditional carries than he's seen in the past.
(A swarm of notebooks and cameras congregated around Faulk's locker on Wednesday morning.)
"I didn't have this much people at my birthday party."
With Laurence out, do you expect to see an increased workload?
"Whatever's asked of me to do. I've been here long enough to just be prepared anytime they call your number."
How did you feel about the way things went with the run game on Monday?
"It just showed that we're capable of doing that. We've just got to be consistent the rest of the year."
What do you expect out of St. Louis this week?
"Since their bye week, it's been two different teams, really. They're playing really emotional right now and have some real speed at linebacker, and they're playing aggressive."
How did Sammy Morris look before he went down in the first half?
"That's Sammy. Sammy was doing his thing, just helping the team win any way he can."
How big of a difference does it make playing at home?
"It's always a big difference. You've got your fans behind you, and they're backing you 100 percent. Then you go out there and play well as a team, so it complements each other."
Could you tell how much more confident Matt Cassel looked once he had that sort of running game in front of him?
"It was everyone. It was everyone getting confidence and getting off to a good start, and the whole team was just feeding off each other. We're just playing well.
Is that something that started from the get-go?
"The thing that was on our minds that we wanted to re-emphasize was to be emotional from the beginning of the game."
With an injury to Sammy Morris possibly depleting the Patriots' corps of running backs even further, though, he might end up with more traditional carries than he's seen in the past.
(A swarm of notebooks and cameras congregated around Faulk's locker on Wednesday morning.)
"I didn't have this much people at my birthday party."
With Laurence out, do you expect to see an increased workload?
"Whatever's asked of me to do. I've been here long enough to just be prepared anytime they call your number."
How did you feel about the way things went with the run game on Monday?
"It just showed that we're capable of doing that. We've just got to be consistent the rest of the year."
What do you expect out of St. Louis this week?
"Since their bye week, it's been two different teams, really. They're playing really emotional right now and have some real speed at linebacker, and they're playing aggressive."
How did Sammy Morris look before he went down in the first half?
"That's Sammy. Sammy was doing his thing, just helping the team win any way he can."
How big of a difference does it make playing at home?
"It's always a big difference. You've got your fans behind you, and they're backing you 100 percent. Then you go out there and play well as a team, so it complements each other."
Could you tell how much more confident Matt Cassel looked once he had that sort of running game in front of him?
"It was everyone. It was everyone getting confidence and getting off to a good start, and the whole team was just feeding off each other. We're just playing well.
Is that something that started from the get-go?
"The thing that was on our minds that we wanted to re-emphasize was to be emotional from the beginning of the game."
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