I’ll always remember Joseph Addai for two things. The first is the way he and Lawrence Maroney are linked in my mind as two first-round running backs that went to the Colts and Patriots, respectively, at a time when those two teams seemed to meet in the playoffs every year. Given that Maroney is one of the more unfortunate first-round picks in Belichick’s tenure, that 2006 draft sticks with me.
The second thing Addai calls to mind is the 2006 AFC Championship game against those Colts, a game the Patriots had well in-hand before a devastating collapse in the second half. Addai gashed our defense repeatedly and was a big part of an Indianapolis offense for which the Pats had no answer; the image of Addai running it in for the winning touchdown with a minute remaining is still burned in the back of my mind. The Colts went on to defeat the Chicago Bears easily in the Super Bowl two weeks later, and I actually think of 2006 as the year we should have won our fourth Lombardi Trophy, more so than even 2007 or 2011. It’s a sad truth of fandom that the pain of Games That Could Have Been is often greater than the satisfaction of Games That Were.
Now comes the news that the Patriots are bringing Addai on board. I find that I hold no grudge against the 30 year-old, maybe because it seems like so long since there was any real heated emotion in the Patriots-Colts “rivalry.” It wouldn't hurt to make some memories of Addai that don't involve heartbreak and disappointment. It also makes sense to build depth at running back at a time when multiple-back systems are all the rage and injuries seem to plague the position. Addai has an injury history himself, having missed significant time each of the past four years and seen his production drop every season since his rookie year. Addai joins Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen, and Stevan Ridley on the roster.
Ideally, Addai would provide some leadership and mentoring for 2011 draftees Vereen (second round) and Ridley (third round), as the latter two take the reins at RB and get the majority of the carries. Like Ridley, Addai is an LSU product, which could help legitimize his position as a role model for the younger players. I suspect that any situation in which Addai becomes the lead back means that something has gone wrong with Belichick’s master plan. Woodhead is a solid change-of-pace option, with toughness, elusiveness, and good skills as a receiver, but he isn’t the kind of talent that changes games. Vereen was injured for most of last season, and while Ridley got a fair number of carries, he had some ball-security issues that cost him playing time. With a full year of conditioning and apprenticeship under their belts, hopefully the two young ‘uns are now ready for a larger role.
Before being drafted, Vereen had a fantastic 2010-11 season at Cal, putting up 1,167 yards and 13 TDs. A track athlete in college, he’s a burner who also has the strength to take on contact, and he looked outstanding in the preseason last year until hurting his hamstring. Ridley (or, as my friends like to call him, The Second Coming) is larger and a bit more of a bruiser, providing a nice complement in the backfield. He had a nearly identical final year at Louisiana State (1,147/15 in 2010).
The second thing Addai calls to mind is the 2006 AFC Championship game against those Colts, a game the Patriots had well in-hand before a devastating collapse in the second half. Addai gashed our defense repeatedly and was a big part of an Indianapolis offense for which the Pats had no answer; the image of Addai running it in for the winning touchdown with a minute remaining is still burned in the back of my mind. The Colts went on to defeat the Chicago Bears easily in the Super Bowl two weeks later, and I actually think of 2006 as the year we should have won our fourth Lombardi Trophy, more so than even 2007 or 2011. It’s a sad truth of fandom that the pain of Games That Could Have Been is often greater than the satisfaction of Games That Were.
Now comes the news that the Patriots are bringing Addai on board. I find that I hold no grudge against the 30 year-old, maybe because it seems like so long since there was any real heated emotion in the Patriots-Colts “rivalry.” It wouldn't hurt to make some memories of Addai that don't involve heartbreak and disappointment. It also makes sense to build depth at running back at a time when multiple-back systems are all the rage and injuries seem to plague the position. Addai has an injury history himself, having missed significant time each of the past four years and seen his production drop every season since his rookie year. Addai joins Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen, and Stevan Ridley on the roster.
Ideally, Addai would provide some leadership and mentoring for 2011 draftees Vereen (second round) and Ridley (third round), as the latter two take the reins at RB and get the majority of the carries. Like Ridley, Addai is an LSU product, which could help legitimize his position as a role model for the younger players. I suspect that any situation in which Addai becomes the lead back means that something has gone wrong with Belichick’s master plan. Woodhead is a solid change-of-pace option, with toughness, elusiveness, and good skills as a receiver, but he isn’t the kind of talent that changes games. Vereen was injured for most of last season, and while Ridley got a fair number of carries, he had some ball-security issues that cost him playing time. With a full year of conditioning and apprenticeship under their belts, hopefully the two young ‘uns are now ready for a larger role.
Before being drafted, Vereen had a fantastic 2010-11 season at Cal, putting up 1,167 yards and 13 TDs. A track athlete in college, he’s a burner who also has the strength to take on contact, and he looked outstanding in the preseason last year until hurting his hamstring. Ridley (or, as my friends like to call him, The Second Coming) is larger and a bit more of a bruiser, providing a nice complement in the backfield. He had a nearly identical final year at Louisiana State (1,147/15 in 2010).
Perhaps more than anything, it will be interesting to see how the two perform as pass-catchers and protectors. If they can become complete backs, they won’t come off the field much and will go a long way towards solidifying a position that hasn’t had a consistent, dynamic element in years. New England’s strong passing attack would benefit from having a legitimate rushing threat to draw attention (and safeties); the running game already has the advantage of seeing fewer men in the box, since defenses tend to post extra defensive backs against Tom Brady. At the very least, an improved rushing attack keeps opponents guessing, produces better down-and-distance situations, increases time of possession (which helps our defense quite a bit--the Pats' struggles stopping opponents on third down have resulted in lots of long series for Wilfork and co.), and could save some wear-and-tear on Brady.
Belichick sometimes seems to go against the currents of change in the NFL -- for instance, as more and more teams have switched to 3-4 defenses, which Belichick helped popularize, the Patriots last year reverted to playing more of a 4-3 (at least nominally). It would be fun to see the Pats emphasize the running game at a time when the NFL is a pass-driven league, maybe to take advantage of defensive schemes that are increasingly geared towards stopping the quarterback.
Belichick sometimes seems to go against the currents of change in the NFL -- for instance, as more and more teams have switched to 3-4 defenses, which Belichick helped popularize, the Patriots last year reverted to playing more of a 4-3 (at least nominally). It would be fun to see the Pats emphasize the running game at a time when the NFL is a pass-driven league, maybe to take advantage of defensive schemes that are increasingly geared towards stopping the quarterback.
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