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Jonas Gray’s Historic Night Comes At Perfect Time For New England Patriots

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By @petahrahgas

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Remember when I suggested that Jonas Gray might be a nice fantasy sleeper and if you were in dire need of a running back, he might be worth the risk? Well, if you listened to me, you are welcome. If you are like myself and didn’t listen to me, then you’re desperately trying to claw him away from everyone else in your league.

I never expected Gray to do what he did last night against the Indianapolis Colts. I’d be willing to bet no one in the NFL world thought that Gray was going to have the night of complete dominance that he did.

Well, except maybe Bill Belichick.

The New England Patriots’ rushing attack finished with 224 yards on 45 carries and four touchdowns. Gray was responsible for 38 of those carries, 199 yards and all four touchdowns. Gray became the first NFL player since 1921 to rush for four TDs in a game where he entered with zero. To say Gray single-handedly beat the Colts would be a bit of an overstatement, but I’ll say it anyways. He was that good.

Not only did he hit all of the right holes — which were all open by a mile — but he finished every run with a lowered shoulder into the stomach of the man attempting to tackle him. He never just fell to the ground; he was always pushing and fighting for every inch, and at a certain point, I think Colts defenders decided that if they just let Gray run around, the game would be over a lot faster.

And all of this success on the ground couldn’t have come at a better time.

The next few weeks of the Patriots’ schedule has already been well documented as extremely tough, with each of their next four opponents having winning records and two of them — Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins — boasting top 10 defenses against the run.

When once the Patriots looked wildly one dimensional to these teams, now they have a ground threat to worry about.

I can’t remember the last time I saw an opposing defense stack so many players in the box, but last night the Colts routinely put eight or nine in the box hoping to slow down Gray. What this did was force Colts cornerbacks to play one-on-one coverage down the field, which Tom Brady happily exploited in the second half, mostly with back shoulder throws to Brandon LaFell.

The Patriots know firsthand what a powerful rushing attack can give you in the second half of the season from LeGarrette Blount’s success last year. From Week 11 to Week 17 last year, Blount broke out and became the Patriots’ starting running back by carrying the ball 83 times for 460 yards and five touchdowns. Blount then carried the team past the Colts in the playoffs and to the AFC Championship game, where ultimately he couldn’t run at all and the Patriots’ offense was a mess.

The last two weeks we’ve seen a fireworks show from Brady and his receivers, lighting up scoreboards, but as the winter months roll in and the amount of Christmas ads get even more overwhelming, those fireworks could quickly become a big, mean truck looking to run you over. And driving that truck will be Jonas Gray.

Peter Rogers is a New England Patriots writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @petahrahgas, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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