It appears the New England Patriots will be without one-fourth of their running back quartet again this weekend.
Rex Burkhead, who left the Patriots’ Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints with injured ribs, has yet to return to the field, sitting out five consecutive practices and one game. With just one practice remaining before the Patriots host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Burkhead seems destined for a second straight DNP.
Which brings us to the question of who benefits most from his absence. The logical first choice would be Dion Lewis, another dual-threat back who has been highly productive in the past when healthy.
But with Burkhead sidelined for this past Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, Lewis — who scored three touchdowns against the Texans in last year’s playoffs — did not see a noticeable uptick in snaps. In fact, he played even fewer (12) than he had the previous week against the Saints (14).
(Burkhead started that game and caught a touchdown pass but logged just eight offensive snaps due to injury.)
All told, Lewis has been on the field for just 32 offensive snaps through three games after averaging 23.3 per game last season following his return from ACL surgery. Among Patriots offensive players, only third tight end Jacob Hollister (23), the injured Burkhead (16) and backup offensive linemen Cameron Fleming (six) and Ted Karras (zero) have played fewer.
The Patriots’ four-headed rushing attack really has been dominated by two backs thus far, with pass-catching maven James White leading the group with 104 snaps and the more traditional Mike Gillislee logging 75. Neither White nor Gillislee has been extraordinarily productive this season, but both have played much larger roles in the offensive game plan than Lewis and Burkhead have.
Lewis, who has eight carries for 28 yards and four catches for 23 yards this season, earlier this week told CSNNE’s Mike Giardi his lack of playing time has been “definitely tough.”
One of the strengths of this Patriots running back group, though, is its unpredictability. Just look at White, who caught eight passes for 85 yards in Week 2 and then was targeted just once in Week 3. Or Burkhead, who played 10 snaps and had one carry in Week 1, then was the centerpiece of New England’s offense the following game before going down with the injury.
It’s not at all difficult to envision Lewis touching the ball 10-plus times against Carolina, which is forcing the Panthers to prepare for every possibility.
“They’ve got guys that can run the ball. They’ve got guys that can catch the ball. They’ve got guys that can run jet sweeps,” Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly said Wednesday in a conference call with New England reporters. “We played James White in the preseason last year. I think he’s a stud. Obviously, he made some great plays in the Super Bowl. I think Mike Gillislee is a big physical guy that can get the ball downfield and pound on guys. Dion Lewis is a problem in space. You get him out on swing routes and screens. He can also run the ball inside. Burkhead, too.
“It makes a backer’s job difficult, because you have know who is in at all times.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
