Staying On the Run

Hopefully RB Laurence Maroney doesn’t think he’s off the hook after rushing for 123 yards (7.7 average) and a score. If anything, the expectations have gone up. It’s nice to see you blow up in one game as the undisputed primary ball carrier. But can you do this week after week after week?

While the numbers look good, I’m not sold on Maroney’s performance against Tennessee. It’s not just because the Titans are a bad team. Laurence started off well, hitting holes quickly. But after the 45-yard touchdown, his feet were pitter-pattering again.

I’ll give Maroney the benefit of the doubt, but only to a point. It was a snowy field so maybe to keep his traction Laurence chopped his feet. I’d believe it, except Maroney has a history of stuttering in the backfield. That, and on one run, he tried to bounce it outside instead of taking what was available. Old habits die hard.

We know what Maroney is capable of as a lead back. He averaged almost 100 yards through the final six games of 2007. That’s what is expected out of Maroney from now until Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor return to action.

Of course Maroney can’t do it alone. In his defense, the offensive line hasn’t consistently opened holes for Maroney in the early part of the season. With the combined talent in the backfield, the ground game should improve on the 6^th overall ranking from last year, averaging 142 yards per game. The ranking has more than doubled, dropping to 13^th overall and gaining 116 yards per game.

Last year they ran more to keep the pressure off of first time starter QB Matt Cassell. That same approach would have helped Brady as he recovered from the two off-season knee surgeries. But with last week and Atlanta being the exceptions, the Patriots gained less than 100 yards against Buffalo, the New York Jets, Baltimore, and Denver. It’s not just coincidence that two of these games were losses and the other two were close wins.

And the O-line can’t use health as an excuse. Though LT Matt Light sat out last week, rookie Sebastian Vollmer stepped in and the line didn’t lose a step. In fact it was Vollmer’s block that sprung Maroney on the 45-yard score.

Standing in the way (logistically speaking) of the line and the backs is a Tampa Bay defense that has the second worst run defense in the league, allowing 171.7 yards per game. Gouging this defense on the ground should be easy as cake.

What the run game does after the bye is what will really determine if they continue to be effective and keep the Pats balanced on offense. Two games against Miami, Indianapolis with S Bob Sanders in the lineup, the aggressive Jets, and the opportunistic New Orleans D will be the toughest challenges in the second half of the season.

So go out Sunday, trample the Buccaneers, and recharge the batteries for a week. The true measure of the run game will come to light in the second half of the season.