Maroney - full time #1 in NE???

[stomperrob]

...or sharing the load?

Finishing touch: Laurence Maroney focuses on playing through whistle
By Rich Thompson
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 - Updated 15h ago


FOXBORO - Patriots [team stats] tailback Laurence Maroney [stats] sums up his training camp outlook in a single nine-letter word:

“Finishing. It’s all about finishing,” Maroney said after yesterday’s morning workout at Gillette Stadium. “No matter what I’m doing - if it’s a block, a pass route or running - you have to finish it. Everything is about finishing.”

The mantra of finishing is not just a simple response to the Patriots’ 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The concept has been handed down by coach Bill Belichick to put the recent past in perspective. Finishing is really about the Pats’ new beginning. The fresh start will take on a new dimension when the Pats host the Baltimore Ravens in the first preseason game Thursday night at Gillette.

“We are all starting from scratch and Laurence is working on everything and finishing his plays,” Belichick said. “Whatever it is, that (finishing) is important, and there are a lot of things we are working on at this point.”

con't...

rest of article: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/foot ... position=2

[JasonSeahorn]

Lol this topic title is misleading. The article doesn't suggest whether he will see more or less carries. It does note how well Maroney did in the playoffs...but that was after he was platooning in the season and Morris went down with injury. If anything, I'd assume the Patriots would platoon Maroney again just so that he stays fresh for the playoffs.

[skibrett15]

while I think that is probably true, I also think the pats are going to run more earlier in games. Belichick will change his strategy from last season on offense, and he's got to go in the direction of the run. I would guess maroney gets more carries this year even if it's the same percentage in a platoon.

[JasonSeahorn]

If he platoons again, I agree the Patriots would run more...but I'm not sure if it will translate very well for Maroney's numbers.

Belichick has has a 55%/45% of pass/run play-calling ratio as coach of NE, and for 2007 the ratio was 57%/43%. So more running may not be much more at all. We'll see.

[stomperrob]

Lol this topic title is misleading. The article doesn't suggest whether he will see more or less carries. It does note how well Maroney did in the playoffs...but that was after he was platooning in the season and Morris went down with injury. If anything, I'd assume the Patriots would platoon Maroney again just so that he stays fresh for the playoffs.

I meant the topic title as a question to the Cafe members.

[skibrett15]

If he platoons again, I agree the Patriots would run more...but I'm not sure if it will translate very well for Maroney's numbers.

Belichick has has a 55%/45% of pass/run play-calling ratio as coach of NE, and for 2007 the ratio was 57%/43%. So more running may not be much more at all. We'll see.

Mostly what I saw last year watching the pats was a lot of running to kill games. And in those games maroney isn't closing out 55-7 blowouts because he's too valuable. We saw some other guys closing out games. I think if the Pats run more in the 1st half we'll see a bump in maroney's carries.

[JasonSeahorn]

I meant the topic title as a question to the Cafe members.

When I first read it I thought the article would be saying he would be the true #1, I understand what you are saying now

Mostly what I saw last year watching the pats was a lot of running to kill games. And in those games maroney isn't closing out 55-7 blowouts because he's too valuable. We saw some other guys closing out games. I think if the Pats run more in the 1st half we'll see a bump in maroney's carries.

Yeah good point. I personally don't like Maroney too much as a fantasy starter, but he should still do better than last year.

[mikus]

I expect LaMont Jordan to see plenty of playing time this season. I doubt Maroney gets what his fantasy owners would like him to get.

[Azrael]

Maroney could be the knock out punch late drafters need. NE's run schedule is one of the easier rated ones and Maroney started to carry more of the load the last 6 games, which is unrelated to the Morris injury since he had been hurt since week 6.

[benb18a]

I vote BAN for the OP, for making a completely incoherent thread title which made me believe keeping Maroney was a good idea this year.