New England Patriots right to remove Mike Gillislee from running back rotation
New England Patriots running back Mike Gillislee was a healthy scratch against the Denver Broncos and it was the right move for the Patriots to make.
The New England Patriots picked up a convincing victory over the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The piled onto the problems for the reeling Broncos, picking up their fifth consecutive victory in the process.
The victory for the Patriots was an impressive one. They received contributions from virtually every player, winning ever facet of the game.
Defensively the Patriots look to have turned a corner as they got after Brock Osweiler. On special teams, the Patriots were also superior. The once vaunted Broncos defense had no answer for Tom Brady and company offensively.
Brady has struggled in his career against the Broncos, but he picked them apart with precision. The Patriots game plan was executed excellently, as they attacked the middle of the Broncos defense, staying away from their strength on the perimeter.
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Brady was kept clean for the most part, as he was sacked only once. Von Miller was relatively quiet along with the rest of the Broncos pass rush despite the Patriots being without Marcus Cannon at right tackle.
A big reason for the Patriots keeping Brady clean was the run game. The Patriots run game didn’t find great success, as they ran the ball for 99 yards on 29 carries. However, they ran it enough to keep the Broncos off balance.
Once again it was Dion Lewis leading the way in the backfield. He received 14 carries, turning it into 55 yards and one touchdown. Next in line was Rex Burkhead, who carried the ball 10 times for 36 yards. James White and Brandon Bolden received two carries each, while Brady had one.
Absent from the rushing list was Mike Gillislee. During the bye week, running backs coach Ivan Fears said that Gillislee would remain involved as the short-yardage back. That was not the case against the Broncos out of the bye week.
Gillislee was a healthy scratch for the game. With injuries elsewhere, the Patriots needed to keep players active at other positions. Gillislee was the odd man out, and rightfully so.
While Fears said Gillislee was his biggest back, the Patriots are much more versatile with Burkhead, Lewis and James White. All three scored short touchdowns in the game, as they more than compensated for the short-yardage role that Gillislee seemed destined for.
All three of Burkhead, Lewis and White are dual threats out of the backfield, while Gillislee doesn’t have a reception this season.
Bolden is an integral part of the special teams. Lewis has seized control of the early down work. White is the passing down specialist, while Burkhead is capable of doing both and making an impact on special teams; he blocked a punt against the Broncos.
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Rolling with Burkhead, Lewis, White and Bolden as running backs active on the roster is the smart move. Gillislee could have a role going forward, but for now, it makes sense for the Patriots to keep him inactive.