Pat Patriot
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Although the Patriots are off to a fantastic start, one player in particular has taken some criticism: Sony Michel, the starting running back, who is averaging just 2.4 yards per carry.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick, however, says Michel doesn’t deserve that criticism. Belichick put it on the offensive line and the coaching staff to put Michel in better positions to produce.
“I think he’s had opportunities and he’s done pretty well with those,” Belichick said. “There’s been times where he hasn’t been able to get started and that’s always a problem with the running game. If you can’t get them through the line of scrimmage, you can gain some yards, but it’s hard. There are things he can do better. Certainly we can block better and coach better so we’ll try to do those and improve in every part of our offense, not just the running game but play-actions and passing game and everything else.”
There’s surely some truth in what Belichick is saying, but No. 2 running back Rex Burkhead is playing in the same offensive system, behind the same offensive line, and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry — almost twice Michel’s average. If the blocking and the scheme are good enough for Burkhead to find holes, Michel needs to find those holes, too.