The New England Patriots were hard enough to stop with quarterback Tom Brady carving up defenses like a lightsaber through butter. However, the addition of running back Sony Michel, along with the massive overhaul at receiver, is the one new element that will make them unstoppable in 2019, according to former NFL receiver James Jones.
Brady hasn’t had an elite running back coming out of the backfield since Corey Dillon, who joined the team at the tail-end of his career. Michel, a 2018 first-round draft pick, already looks like one of the most talented running backs in the league, and he isn’t even close to maximizing his full potential.
“When you put a run game behind Tom Brady and force these defenses to come up and stop the run and you leave Demaryius Thomas, [N’Keal Harry] and [Julian] Edelman one-on-one, and you have Tom Brady slinging the ball around the field, they will not be stopped,” Jones said on NFL Total Access. “Sony Michel is the key to this offense, and Tom Brady is not 22 anymore. Tom Brady is up there in his years. So get a running game behind him, limit his throws and let Sony Michel carry this ball.”
There is no question the Patriots operated much more efficiently as an offense whenever Michel was in the backfield. It also helps to have such a dominant offensive line to allow the team to establish balance in the pass and run game to keep defenses guessing.
If not for injuries and missed games, Michel would have easily eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in his rookie season. He finished the year with 209 rushes for 931 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games played, which was an impressive feat in an offense that tends to lean heavily on Brady’s arm. It shows how much faith the coaches had in him to give him so many opportunities to carry the load.
Edelman is always a match-up nightmare for defensive backs in the slot, and the Patriots went out and added another viable deep threat in Harry. Not to mention the signing of Thomas, a five-time Pro Bowler, and the potential return of Josh Gordon. Even without tight end Rob Gronkowski on the field, defenses face a daunting task of nullifying the Patriots’ offensive attack next season.
It’s hard to believe 30 other teams passed on Michel in the 2018 NFL Draft. With every carry, broken tackle, juke and touchdown, most of those teams will spend all of 2019 wishing they hadn’t.
