Should Bill Belichick continue to keep Stevan Ridley on a short leash, or just accept the 3-4 fumbles he will give up in a year and turn him loose as the team’s most dominant rusher?
Raj: I think we all expect Ridley to fumble nowadays. And usually when he does, it costs the Patriots points. We can’t afford that but I still feel Belichick should just accept that fact because he is still talented. And when we really need him to score, he is a reliable back. I certainly hope that if the Patriots put some confidence back into this guy, he will rarely fumble.
Rick: The Patriots need to accept Stevan Ridley’s fumbling issues because even though he is in the final year of his contract, you want to make sure that the running back’s confidence is still in good shape. You don’t want the guy to continue looking over his shoulder every time he drops the ball. While Shane Vereen has blossomed in this offense, he is still a running back who is more suited for catching passes out of the backfield. James White should end up being a decent pick for the Patriots, but its tough to trust a rookie running back at least in the early stages of the season. Ridley is capable of being a 1,000 yard rusher every single season, so its tough to ignore the power running he brings to the table. Yes, there is a high risk with the turnovers, but there is also a potential huge reward for both the Patriots and Ridley if he has another great season.
Derek: This is a tough one for me. On one hand, I feel that Belichick is being a bit draconian with his treatment of Ridley, whose fumble numbers as a whole actually aren’t that bad when compared to other backs. At the same time, nothing has as much effect on whether a team loses a game or wins a game than turnovers. Would the Patriots be better off accepting a turnover here and there in order to have the most dominant running game possible, or is the drop-off between Ridley and the next man up not significant enough to warrant putting the ball on the ground? My personal feeling is that Belichick should loosen the leash on Ridley a bit and let him run free, with the caveat that you don’t put the ball in his hands when a turnover would be particularly devastating. Backed up at your own 10-yard line? Probably not a good time to fumble. On the 2-yard line about to punch in the game-winning touchdown? Perhaps somebody else should get the carry. I’d say that from about the Patriots 35-yard line to the opponent’s 5 should be where Ridley runs wild. The rest of the committee can handle the remainder of the field.
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