When someone says New England Patriots, you will almost never hear someone say, “hell of a run game.” Everyone will just talk about golden boy Brady. I mean look at the guy, how can you not. Kevin Faulk was probably the most notable Patriots running back when thinking about the last decade and a half. Besides him, the Patriots have had several runnings backs come in and out of the organization, none making that memorable of an impact. (Sorry Corey Dillion we loved you). That all seems to be changing with a guy named Dion Lewis.
No one even knew this guy heading into the start of the season so here’s a little background. Lewis spent two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh totaling 31 total touchdowns, 2,860 rushing yards and averaging 5.3 yards per carry. His 09’ campaign was most impressive, rushing for 1,640 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. This was all in just 12 regular season games. The Eagles picked him in the fifth round back in 2011 at pick number 149. Lewis hadn’t had much upside in the NFL so far, he fractured his fibula in August of 2013 and then was cut by several teams in 2014, essentially causing him to miss two years of football. Here he is now for the New England Patriots off to a promising start.
Everyone knows about the Patriots passing game, but it’s time to add another reliable element. Through 3 games, the 4th year back is averaging nearly 5 yards per carry and has punched in two TDs as well. He’s accountable for 8 first downs while accumulating 146 yards on the ground in the process. He’s also not too shabby as a receiver out of the backfield, racking up just about 12 yards per catch on 15 catches with a total of 179 yards. This is a nice replacement for former Patriots tailback Shane Vereen who was known for his pass catching ability. Although the Patriots are known to be a pass heavy team, Lewis is gaining the trust of his coaches and is becoming a crowd favorite in New England.
Brady has made several comments indicating he’ll be sticking around for a while. However, he isn’t getting any younger and it’s nice to see that someone else can carry some of the offensive weight for the 38 year old. Finally, the Patriots run game is something to be reckoned with. Look for this upward trend to continue, as I predict a breakout game in Lewis’ future.
The elusive back is headed in the right direction and the Patriots seem to agree as they just signed him to a two year contract with the team through the 2017 season. He has the ability to make defenders miss and has developed into a reliable pass catcher. The future is bright for this 25 year old and look for him to become a dominant force on offense. Classic Belichick making a somebody out of a nobody. With all the attention usually on Brady and his receivers, the play action will open up nicely for the Patriots offense. The future is exciting for this back as the season continues and with the new contract, New England can expect to see a lot of Dion Lewis out there. He’s here, and he’s here to stay.
Dion Lewis. Remember the name, pick him up in your fantasy, watch out for him.
The Rafters 