Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Patriots' Faulk gets decent workload in return

With veteran running back Kevin Faulk eligible to return from the physically unable to perform list last week, it was a mystery whether or not the New England Patriots would even bother activating Faulk in the three-week window allotted before he would have to go on injured reserve.

After all, New England already had a capable stable of running backs led by BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead and rookie Stevan Ridley.

Turns out, New England had a role for him Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Faulk touched the ball more than any other Patriot offensive player not named Tom Brady, rushing six times for 32 yards and adding 20 yards on five receptions.

“The way the game played out, there were some no-huddle situations, there were some different personnel groupings that we used where he was the back in those personnel groupings,” Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien told the media Tuesday. “That's why he had the bulk of the reps at the running back position.”

Though New England lost, Faulk looked pretty good in his return, given he hasn’t seen the field in an entire calendar year.

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