Pats replace one small former Jet RB with another

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots have a thing for the New York Jets' former little guys.

New England is saying goodbye to the undersized Danny Woodhead, a former Jet who the Patriots used in various situations, often on third down, at tailback over the past three seasons. (photo: GMO66, Flickr)

But the Patriots are now bringing in another small all-purpose back and ex-Jet in Leon Washington, who they signed Thursday.

Pats' tailback situation could go in many directions

Photo: Beth Hart, Flickr 

BY SAM HOLLINGSWORTH

With the free-agent departure of the Patriots' most recent feature back in BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England has a serious hole to fill in its high-caliber offense. Who will be the No. 1 tailback at the start of the season? It could be anybody. Or nobody.

The Patriots have two second-year backs they drafted in Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen; both were limited last year behind Green-Ellis.

Ridley is poised to take over the majority of the workload, as he was responsible for all of the team's rushes of more than 20 yards last season (five), while also racking up 441 yards on only 87 carries (5.2-yard average).

While faster and seemingly more agile than Green-Ellis — and with a similar between-the-tackles running game — Ridley doesn't possess the ball security Green-Ellis does. (Not many players do; Green-Ellis has never fumbled in his professional career.) Ridley fumbled twice last season: once in the regular-season finale vs. Buffalo and again in the playoffs vs. Denver. While neither mistake was detrimental, they came in consecutive games, and as a result, coach Bill Belichick sat Ridley for the rest of the postseason.

Vereen was selected before Ridley in the 2011 NFL Draft (56th overall), but his running style is more suitable as an outside-the-tackles, third-down utility than one that fills Green-Ellis' shoes. Along with the returning Danny Woodhead and a maybe-returning Kevin Faulk, it really seems like Belichick will let the players decide who gets the ball most. Vereen's opportunity is as good anyone else's. He scored a touchdown last season on just 15 attempts.

The addition of Joseph Addai, who was signed as a free agent after six years with the Colts, could have a large impact, too.

Pats using Super Bowl bye to get mentally prepared

BY SAM HOLLINGSWORTH

As a mass of New England faithful sent the Patriots off to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI around noon on Sunday, the AFC Champions prepared for their fifth Super Bowl appearance in a decade.

And, with the extra week between the conference championships and Super Bowl, most people would assume coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots are eating up the extra prep time heading into the game.

Patriots wide receiver and former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch uses the extra time a different way, though.

"That's the most important thing about this game," he told the media on Friday. "There's so much down time. The Super Bowl should be the next week (after conference championships). Now we got to wait two weeks to play this game. I think that's for you all —the fans."