The New England Patriots have benefitted from players getting healthier, but with that comes changed workloads for some.
James White is among those who is seeing a different level of involvement, as he’s seen his playing time decrease lately, presumably due in part to the return of Rex Burkhead from injured reserve.
During the Patriots’ Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, White had just two carries and seven targets in the air. That came on the heels of a four carry, four target performance in Week 14. In his previous 12 games, the 26-year-old was averaging 6.3 carries and 8.6 targets each game.
So how does White feel about the lessened action? During an appearance on WEEI’s “Dale & Keefe” on Monday, the running back addressed the change.
“Everybody wants to be out there as much as possible, and with our offense it is a game plan offense, so we know you’re not going to be out there each and every play every week,” White said, via WEEI.com. “So everybody has to accept their role and when you’re out there you have to make the most of your opportunities. That is all I can really say about that.”
Earlier in the season, Brady expressed a desire to get White more involved in the offense, and the results were encouraging. So while the reason for his lack of activity isn’t totally clear, what is clear is the Patriots are a far better team when he’s involved and thriving.
Enjoy the NFL this week while you bet on sports and casino games at Skybook.ag, one of the best online sportsbooks.
