Full Time Fred

As pleased as I was about the return of the running game, and as much as I enjoyed watching a Patriots running back pound his way through tackles for 105 yards on 21 carries, it also comes with some apprehension.

RB Fred Taylor showed he’s far from finished as a lead ball carrier Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. When his tag team partner, Laurence Maroney, went down with an injury, Taylor shouldered the load and it didn’t slow him down, as he averaged five yards per carry.

I do believe in the idea of going with the hot hand. It was the same exact decision that led to the Patriots 2001 Championship (no offense Drew Bledsoe, but you wouldn’t had done what Tom Brady did that year, or in the other two championship seasons). I just didn’t think it would be so unbalanced.

The coaching staff would explain that Maroney’s thigh injury led to Taylor getting more carries. But according to news reports, when asked in the locker room after the game, Maroney said he was fine. If he was benched due to performance after four carries, that’s a very quick hook for someone averaging 4.3 yards per carry.

Expectations for this season probably envisioned about a 50-50 or 60-40 split of the carries between Maroney and Taylor, with Laurence being the lead back due to youth being on his side. The ratio seemed true heading into the game as Maroney had 16 carries to Taylor’s 17. What stood out is the production out of almost equal work: Taylor gained 71 yards to Maroney’s 55. There might be something to this quick hook theory.

If Taylor’s starring role becomes a constant for the Patriots, it’s a fair question to ask if Taylor can be a 20-25 carries per game back. He is in his 12^th season in the league with over 10,000 yards logged on that 230-pound body.

Maybe leaning on Taylor was a tactical move. The Falcons don’t have a big defense, giving New England’s offensive line an obvious advantage. This was a team they could bully around and wear down, a kind of ground attack that Taylor is better suited for than Maroney.

Against a defense that holds up the point of attack better, maybe Maroney’s speed can be turned loose on a variety of tosses or off tackle runs (and in screen passes) to give Laurence room to make tacklers miss.

There will be two clues to determine if Maroney was truly injured or a coaching decision. One, if he’s listed on the injury report (nope) and/or has limited participation (not mentioned), or he’s listed as the starter for the upcoming game against the Baltimore Ravens. Either of those cues and it seems the coaching staff is trying to light a fire under Maroney.

If it’s a ploy, then I hope he gets the message. Maroney is running with a lot less hesitation this year. I think that’s Taylor influence on Laurence at work. If falling behind Taylor in the carry department is the kick in the pants Maroney needs, then I hope it works. Because if Laurence can be benched during a game, he could find himself stuck to the pine for the season.

Questions? Comments? Send to talktome@randolphc.com.