Around the AFC East, Week 6: New England Patriots
It's Friday, and for a sixth consecutive week, we'll be dedicating our Friday to meandering around the three two opponent cities of the AFC East. With Brian Bassett on vacation, however, we'll be going around the East sans Jets - which isn't a total loss, because, well... they're just not that good, are they?
Apparently, this was the week to vacation, which explains why Pats Pulpit's MaPatsFan also isn't with us today. We do, however, have a knowledgeable Pulpit minion here with us today as a pinch hitter; she goes by the name of Marima, a self-proclaimed "homer through and through". Lovely, right? We're very glad she's here to join us.
This morning's Pats topic: RB Kevin Faulk. You may also know him as "that shifty little annoying [insert favorite expletive] that always screws the Bills."
Clearly, I'm not a huge fan of the Patriots, and don't hold any of your team's players or coaches in especially high regard. But no matter how much he's hurt Buffalo, nor how frustrating he's made my life as a fan of the Bills, I've always quietly been a fan of RB Kevin Faulk. Talk about his importance to a Patriots offense that leaves his name relatively anonymous.
Pats Pulpit: The Patriots' offense IS the Patriots' offense because of Kevin Faulk. His stats won't make any team's defense lose sleep before a game - hence the anonymity - but afterward they just might be watching him on film. Last season for example, he gained only 265 yards on 62 carries, and caught 47 passes for 383 yards and 1 touchdown. Stats just don't tell the story of how clutch those yards were. Yards that kept drives going, kept Brady on the field, and kept the team in a position to win the game. Hard to measure reliability when it counts, or the confidence it gives a QB to be able to dump the ball off when your premier receivers are covered, especially when he knows Faulk rarely goes down before the yellow line.
I don't think it's too much homer-ism to suggest that Faulk is probably the best 3rd down back in the NFL. He seems to do everything well, even when performing cold off the bench in a critical time of the game. He’s a tremendous blocking back, outstanding in picking up the blitz, and doesn't run his mouth or seek out media attention. A leader in every sense. No shame at all in being a quiet fan of Kevin Faulk. In fact, we'd prefer it kept that way.
Actually, there's plenty of shame in being a quiet fan of Kevin Faulk; I was raised from my toddling days to spit venom at the Bills' most bitter rivals' players. Believe me, there's venom when Faulk is quietly scraping together fourteen first downs (at least, that's what it seemed like) in a 49-point blowout loss to the Pats. It just amazes me that on third downs, opposing defenses still forget about the guy. At age 32, he should be close to retirement, right?
Only one more round of Around the AFC East coming up, where we'll talk to the fearless leader of a group of fans of aquatic mammalian creatures in Miami. Stay tuned.
0 recs |
4 comments
Comments
lol it was barely "friday" EST when you posted this......
way to be on the ball brian!
i root for teams that lack offense! go halos and bills!
by norcaliangelsfan on
Jun 27, 2008 3:22 AM EDT
reply
actions
0 recs
I actually think
That Kevin Faulk is a great example of a player who has been called underrated or underappreciated so many times and for so long now, that I think he is somewhat overrated.
It is easy to call him the best 3rd down back in the league, but only a dozen or so teams have guys they use specifically on 3rd down. There are a number of backs who start or are in time shares that would be as or more effective on 3rd downs. He is tailor made for the role though with those hands and he really does do a great job of blitz recognition and pickup.
I don’t think he is any more adept at picking up the first than other backs. He caught 47 passes last season. 20 were good for a first down. That is 42.6% of receptions resulting in a first down. That number is really good, but is comparable to other RBs. When you factor in how good the Pats offense is and the fact that the majority of his playing time comes on 3rd downs, it isn’t anything special.
by kaisertown on
Jun 27, 2008 7:03 PM EDT
reply
actions
0 recs
nothing special indeed
exactly
Keep the faith!
by Marima on
Jun 28, 2008 11:50 AM EDT
reply
actions
0 recs
exactly
He is a great role player on a team with so many stars that he really excels.
If he were in a better backfield that had good receivers like Jacksonville, San Diego, Minnesota, Philadelphia or Dallas he would barely see the field. If he were on a worse passing team that didn’t have elite options, he would be far less effective.
by kaisertown on
Jun 28, 2008 3:43 PM EDT
up
reply
actions
0 recs


Clearly, I'm not a huge fan of the Patriots, and don't hold any of your team's players or coaches in especially high regard. But no matter how much he's hurt Buffalo, nor how frustrating he's made my life as a fan of the Bills, I've always quietly been a fan of RB Kevin Faulk. Talk about his importance to a Patriots offense that leaves his name relatively anonymous.













