After two practices with the New England Patriots last week, running back Steven Jackson was eased into the lineup last Sunday with nine snaps in a loss to the New York Jets.
He carried the ball just seven times, though that workload is expected to be increased moving forward as the Patriots charge their way into the postseason.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels thinks the "comfort level" between Jackson and New England's staff will expedite the process of getting Jackson up to speed. The veteran tailback played under McDaniels in 2011 with the St. Louis Rams.
"I have a comfort level with him. I think our offensive staff, we kind of know him better than anybody that comes off the street that we’ve never really been exposed to," McDaniels said, via ESPN Boston. "Secondly, he’s certainly had exposure to the terminology and the verbiage that we use here so I think that that helps him to close the gap in terms of what he knows and what he doesn’t know.
"I have a comfort level with him. I think our offensive staff, we kind of know him better than anybody that comes off the street that we’ve never really been exposed to," McDaniels said, via ESPN Boston. "Secondly, he’s certainly had exposure to the terminology and the verbiage that we use here so I think that that helps him to close the gap in terms of what he knows and what he doesn’t know.
"He’s well ahead of somebody that would come in here with zero experience in our system, and I think that would definitely help any new player that would come in at this point in time in the year."
New England takes on the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.
New England takes on the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.
