New England Patriots bye week: examining the running backs
James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
LeGarrette Blount
It was a tough first few weeks for Blount. He spent Week 1 on the suspended list, and then barely saw action the following Sunday in Buffalo. But then he exploded against the Jaguars.
18 of Blount’s 20 carries thus far came in the Jacksonville game. He’s gained 82 rushing yards overall, and all three of his touchdowns occurred in Week 3.
It’s paramount that the Patriots continue to get Blount involved early and often in games heading forward. He is a completely different mold of running back from Lewis, and that diversity in the backfield will serve the Pats well. Blount is thunder, Lewis is lightning.
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As the Patriots’ potent offense builds big leads, Tom Brady will be better off handing the ball to Blount and letting him squeeze the air out of the football rather than throwing it 55 times every Sunday.
Looking ahead to the Cowboys game in Week 5, it will be essential to get Blount going on the ground again to quiet the rowdy Dallas crowd. The Cowboys have been solid against the run (they rank 10th right now), but by no means are they impossible to overpower.
After all, Blount is pretty much a poor man’s Marshawn Lynch, capable of plowing through fronts like a knife through butter. When you see the Patriots line-up Blount behind guard/fullback Shaq Mason, you can pretty much bet your mortgage that Blount is going to take the handoff.
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