Still, Bolden and White should be picked up in all formats.
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Running back Dion Lewis was a pleasant surprise for the Patriots in the first half of the season, but he tore his ACL last Sunday and will miss the rest of the season.
With Lewis out, the position once again is up for grabs. With that being said, the Redskins offensive weapons couldn’t hang on to the ball and if they had, the game might have been a little more competitive. White is expected to factor into the team’s game plan moving forward. But he was steady at right tackle, getting a few help from Mike Williams and Bolden in pass protection, and paving the way for several big runs on the right side. Washington countered with a nickel package with five defensive backs, three down-linemen and three linebackers.
There will be a glaring hole for New England but Belichick needs to figure out how to address, either get a new player or make do with the ones already on the roster. Due to the length of the down, the Redskins only rushed three players.
With Lewis in the backfield the Patriots averaged 6.47 yards per play and when Lewis wasn’t on the field the Patriots averaged 5.25 yards per play – more than a full yard difference.
The Patriots move to 8-0 on the season, but this game left a bad taste in your mouth as a fan.
“James is a guy who continues to get better”, he added. Still, his display of vision on his only carry of the day shows that he is potentially able to maneuver his way through a defense.
If he can’t, the Patriots may need to look outside the organization for other options that fit what they’re looking for out of the backfield.
Overall, the play was reminiscent of Rob Gronkowski’s touchdown in Super Bowl XLIX.
When Vereen left in the offseason, White was the likeliest candidate to slide into the pass-catching back role. His primary contribution was in the passing game, so it does not necessarily have to be a running back who comes in and takes a majority of balls that would have otherwise gone to Lewis. He’s one of the many reasons the Patriots have been so stout against the run.
On their next possession, the Patriots were facing another 3rd down.
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Part of that pass-happy offense has actually come from Lewis though. The Patriots had a good success running behind Josh Kline and Stork on the right side, with those two paving the way for a big third-and-1 pickup when everyone knew the Patriots were going to run. Our algorithms project this role – now owned by Bolden – to generate 29 carries for 85 yards and 36 receptions for 244 and 2 touchdowns.
