New England Patriots RB Dion Lewis has officially been confirmed out for the season with a torn ACL. It's a big hit to the offense, but the Patriots should have no problem replicating his production with a by-committee approach, as New England has great RB depth, sufficient to keep their Super Bowl run afloat.
Obviously, the running game wasn't going to be the determining factor in the Patriots quest to repeat as champs. But Lewis has been a revelation for the team both on the ground and through the air.
On the ground, he boasted an impressive 4.8 YPC average, totaling 234 yards and another two touchdowns.
Lewis was third on the team in receptions with 36, after Julian Edelman's 57 and Rob Gronkowski's 44. He wasn't just catching dump-offs either; he averaged 10.8 yards per catch for 388 yards and two touchdowns. Tom Brady trusted him completely on the field in any situation, and it helped this offense run as smoothly as ever.
Despite all of this, the team will be fine. While you don't ever like to see someone get injured, it does provide an opportunity for a couple of guys, on a positive note.
As mentioned, it'll be a by-committee approach, led by LaGarrette Blount. He'll be the main workhorse on the ground, as he has been since returning from suspension earlier this year. While he isn't much a factor in the passing game, that's where guys like Brandon Bolden and James White come in.
The two have already combined for 12 catches, 93 yards and a touchdown on the year in limited action. Bolden even had three catches for 27 yards and a TD during the Pats' last game after Lewis went out.
The combination of those three will be able to replicate Lewis' production in both facets of the offense, and there's only one issue that could arise: rhythm. Brady is going to have to find the rhythm with Bolden and White that he had with Lewis. But with eight games remaining on the year, they should have no trouble getting to that point before the playoffs begin as they try to defend their title.
© 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
