Anticipating a Sony Michel Moment
It was a typical run to the right. A basic play in an ordinary preseason game between the Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011.
Until Stevan Ridley skipped past a defender. I had to rewind the play to confirm what I just saw.
If I remember correctly, Ridley didn’t even gain much on the play. But the fact that Ridley was dead to rights on the play and escaped nearly untouched caught my attention. It had me thinking, “The Patriots might have something here.”
Detractors will have their say about Ridley. Fumble-itis. Slow. Stone hands. But they have to admit that Ridley was a very good running back while with the Patriots. He had an ability to make tacklers miss, even in close quarters.
Now I’m waiting on Sony Michel to open my eyes.
New England’s 31st overall selection in the draft, the talented former Georgia Bulldog amassed dozens of eye-popping plays in college.
Hopefully he begins doing the same with the Patriots, and soon. But it starts with one “oh snap!” play. Just understand there’s a difference between legitimate talent and exaggerating a decent play or two.
Think back to Laurence Maroney’s debut (sorry to do this, but bear with me). Against the Atlanta Falcons Maroney burst through the hole, broke a couple of tackles, spun before being taken down after a 27-yard gain.
Maroney’s speed through the hole was nice, as well as getting through a couple of arm tackles, but it was a gaping hole that was unavoidable. Just about any running back could had made a similar gain on that play.
Same story with Tyler Gaffney’s 44-yard burst in the 2016 preseason. That was a one cut run through a clear path. I give Gaffney credit for reaching the end zone on the play, but it was the best play of an unimpressive preseason.
Not every big play or big performance is created equal. Speed is nice, but getting more out every carry is better than a dozen one yard gains with a random 50-yarder.
And how did he gain 20 yards? Were there any broken tackles or ankles along the way?
Michel’s debut should had happened during the preseason, but a knee minor procedure sidelined the rookie. For anyone that saw Michel’s Georgia highlights (probably multiple times), his injury was huge letdown.
Michel split carries with Nick Chubb at Georgia. And while Michel wasn’t the starter for the Bulldogs, he had talent that better fit today’s NFL. Michel was an explosive weapon as a runner and a receiver. And Michel has the agility to turn short gains into huge plays.
Michel didn’t get loose in his Patriots debut. All we saw was Michel on offense for 13 plays, with one pretty good 15-yard run that included running over Jaguars safety Tashaun Gipson and failing to run a pass route correctly. It would be a snap judgement to draw any conclusions about Michel’s future based on his first game action.
Sunday night could be a very different story. Running backs have performed very well against the Detroit Lions. Two ball carriers averaged 10 yards per carry against Detroit’s defense (NY Jets’ Isaiah Crowell 10-102; San Francisco 49ers’ Matt Breida 11-138). Sunday night could be a Sony Michel coming out party.
But what would it mean if Michel shines against a bad defense? Not as much as the numbers suggest, but how he totaled his yards would provide clues to what Michel could be. If Michel opens eyes and drops jaws tonight, it would be a matter of whether he can repeat it against better competition.
But Michel needs to produce a, “What was that?!?” moment. And it has to be legitimate. A Taylor Price-like 100-yard preseason game (2011 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars) ain’t gonna cut it.
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