James White has had many detractors over his first two years as a Patriot, despite showing some promise. I’ve been one of those, as have other members of the staff here at PatsProp (yup me – Mike D). All offseason, we had been looking for more from him, or expecting him to go, especially with some of us expecting DJ Foster to take his spot if he didn’t step up.
As for the rest of Patriots Nation, we had observed two camps on this…the pro-James White crowd (as Mike D had dubbed, The White Boys , and the pro-DJ Foster crowd (uh…Foster Families?). Well, nearly one third of the way through the season, the White Boys have been correct here, and it has been a great sight to see.
First, we’ll start with a play versus the Browns that will NEVER show up on a stat sheet that anyone cares about, but I almost jumped out of my seat with excitement when I watched it live:
WHEW.
Look at that. James White is lined up at the snap on Brady’s left. White reads the overload blitz from the offense’s right, shifts across the formation, sees Cameron Fleming pick up the inside blitzing linebacker, and continues outside the tackle to pick up the blitzing defensive back. This play would be a film junkie’s DREAM if the pass didn’t end up incomplete on a great breakup by Brian Boddy-Calhoun…but the important thing here is that White showed the awareness to protect Tom Brady from an unabated shot to the chin from the blitzing corner.
Next up, let’s look at another play from this game, and one that DOES show up on the stat sheet and is exciting to watch from a traditional sense:
James White takes a screen pass 36 yards to set up the Patriots inside the 10. On this play, White makes a nice move to freeze the defenders and allow his blockers to get into place (with a beautiful three-for-one by Julian Edelman) so he can scoot up the sideline for the big gain. I barely have enough foresight to anticipate when to actually stop my car for a red light, so this is a work of art.
Two more, to briefly revisit week 1 versus the Cardinals:
Remember last year when James White had trouble pushing a pile, or making any shifty moves in traffic that made some extra yards? Both are on display on this play…great jump cut (R1!) to follow his blockers, and great finish to get a key tone-setting first down early in the game.
James White had a multiple big catches on third down in this game, but this is the one that I’ll highlight. 3rd and 3, the Patriots down by 1. Big question marks on the outcome of this game if this play isn’t made, and Jimmy squeezes the ball into a tight window, and James White makes a great catch on a contested throw.
White has been showing up for five weeks now in a very workman-like, Kevin Faulk-esque role for the Pats. I’m certainly not complaining. Dion Lewis is back in a few weeks, and if he is in the same form as last season, everyone expects him to supplant James White on these plays, which means White will be getting the reps that DJ Foster currently gets…unless, of course, White elevates his game again into elite third down back territory.
Either way, going into week 6, things are feeling good here in Patriots Nation, with this ultra-deep offense hopefully starting to really put it together into “unstoppable” mode. Pick your poison, opposing defenses…but it’s starting to look like James White might be able to kill you, too.
See you at Gillette, Cincinnati.
Wow, I really missed that phenomenal pickup in the first play you mentioned. That’s a true thing of beauty.
Not entirely related but considering your statements, I really wonder if people that just 2 months ago said that specific draft class was the worst in the BB era have to revisit that statement already. If you think about it: We drafted Jimmy (Has all the makings of that incredibly rare franchise QB that more than half the league is chasing every year which alone makes for a good draft), James White and Cameron Fleming. Moreover, Stork was pretty important in that year’s Superbowl run. AND I would also add Malcolm Butler to that class as well. I know he was undrafted, but our guys still had to do the homework on him to invite him to camp. Add all those players up and I think it’s actually a very decent class. Your thoughts?
It speaks to how you can’t really judge a draft class for a few years. Some guys just take some time to develop and the Patriots are lucky that they have offer the kind of stability where those players don’t have to produce or be cut.