Who is the Bigger Loss, Mayo or Ridley?

Rick: With Chandler Jones out for the next month, you have to say the bigger loss for the Patriots is Jerod Mayo. With Mayo out, the team loses a key leader on defense and someone who helps out against the run. Without Mayo and Jones, the team will be lacking two significant pieces on a defense that was awful at stopping the run and can’t generate much of a pass rush. The Ridley loss is bad, but the Patriots still have Shane Vereen and Jonas Gray had a couple good carries against the Jets last week. Besides, the Patriots will look for more balance, but the offense is still based on Brady and the pass attack. Against some tough offenses like the Broncos, Colts, Packers, etc. over the next few weeks, this team will badly miss Jerod Mayo and Chandler Jones.

Raj:  It has to be Jerod Mayo. Yes, Stevan Ridley was a big loss to the Patriots running game but did you see how the Jets were running the ball with Ivory and Johnson with ease in that game? It was unbelievable! That’s where not having Mayo really hurts. Put him in the game and I guarantee the Jets wouldn’t have a field day in the running game. The good thing is that the Patriots (after the Thursday game) have 10 days to figure out how to replace both players, but more-so Mayo because his loss hurts a bit more.

Kyle:  Ridley is a bigger loss. He is the only thing they have that is close to an explosive and powerful runner. Around the goal line Ridley will be hard to replace. Please don’t tell me that Brandon Bolden is the answer near the end zone. When he starts running, it looks like Fred Flintstone’s legs, spinning endlessly before finally snapping into action.

Derek: I think the obvious answer is Jerod Mayo.  He’s the Pro-Bowler and defensive captain, while running backs seem to be interchangeable and some people were questioning if Ridley would even make the final roster cut this season.   Still, when I really stop and think about this, assuming that the rest of the defense manages to stay healthy, the loss of Ridley may have the greatest impact.  Mayo was extremely reliable and a steadying force on defense.  However, you rarely would notice him making an explosive, game-changing play.  If the rest of the defense steps up, they may be able to mask the hole left by Mayo as a unit.   Without Ridley, the Patriots are really missing that rusher who can just pound away at the defense.  As good as Shane Vereen is, running up the middle through traffic just isn’t his game.  Ridley was the grind-it-out, workhorse back, similar to LeGarrette Blount last year, who can pick up the hard yards and set up play-action for Tom Brady.   If the Patriots go down in the playoffs in one of those typical disappointing games where Brady is constantly getting pressured and the offense never gets in rhythm, we may look back to the Ridley injury as the most devastating moment of the season.