Patriots: Why LeGarrette Blount Is Key To New England's Success
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady returns from his suspension on Sunday, but the fate of the 2016 season may be determined by the player lining up behind Brady in the backfield.
LeGarrette Blount has impressed with his strong play early on, but a hip injury limited the seven-year veteran in practice this week. Blount suffered a hip injury against the Houston Texans that ended his 2015 season -- an injury that many believed to signal the end of his tenure in New England. With Brady back, Blount's production will likely fall as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels reinstitutes the uptempo, pass-heavy offense that Brady thrives in. McDaniels should not stray too far away from a balanced offense, however, because it could be the difference between a trip to the Super Bowl and another early postseason exit.
The Patriots were exposed in their AFC Championship matchup against the Denver Broncos last season. Anchored by two elite corners in Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, Jr., Brady and Co. struggled to gain much traction through the air until the closing minutes of the game. Without Blount and fellow injured running back Dion Lewis, Denver did not have to respect the Patriots running game, which featured Brandon Bolden (normally a special teams player), James White (more effective in the passing game), and a 32-year-old Steven Jackson running on his last legs. Even with Blount, the Patriots scheme was too focused on the pass anyway -- something that they will need to remedy in order to get past the Broncos this season. New England worked to address this issue with the acquisition of tight end Martellus Bennett, who excels as both a pass-catcher and blocker, as well as the addition of wide receiver Chris Hogan to create space down field.
[Why All The Hate For LeGarrette Blount?]Lewis currently resides on injured reserve, but the Patriots expect him to be back at some point this season. While he doesn't provide much between the tackles, Lewis was an excellent fail safe in the passing game. Having a healthy Blount and Lewis at season's end will give the Patriots an extra element to their offense that was missing against Denver, but it will be Blount's ability -- and availability -- that determines the Patriots success in the playoffs. Fans and media members can talk about the Tom Brady revenge tour all they'd like, but he cannot do it alone.
The Patriots may be smart to bring in additionl backs to spare Blount's workload down the stretch. New England signed former Tennessee Titans' second-round pick Bishop Sankey to their practice squad before the start of the season, and the recently released Justin Forsett could also find a role with the Patriots.
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