Patriots Cobbling Together Backfield, but Offense Still Runs Through Tom Brady

The New England Patriots will take the field with a pizza boy at running back if they have to.

Tom Brady, like any quarterback, benefits from an efficient running game that can keep the offense on schedule. That being said, the Patriots' running game has not been a big part of the offense's success over the past two seasons, and it's not expected to be.

That's why the Patriots can cobble together their backfield, because the offense still runs through Brady at quarterback.

The Patriots already lost Dion Lewis to injured reserve this year and gave second-year running back James White a bigger role on offense as a result. But their adjustments aren't done just yet; LeGarrette Blount was lost for the season due to an injured hip, forcing the Patriots into an even stickier situation at running back.

The Patriots signed Steven Jackson this week, which gives them an experienced veteran to fill in for Blount as a between-the-tackles runner who can also contribute in the passing game. Those expecting the 2004-12 Jackson that put up at least 1,000 rushing yards in seven straight seasons will be surprised when they get a Jackson who is coming off two seasons in a rotation and almost a full year away from football.

That's not to say Jackson won't be productive or effective in the Patriots offense, but if the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl this year, the offense is still going to run through Brady. And isn't that what any team would want? Wouldn't it want to put the ball in the hands of its four-time Super Bowl champion, two-time NFL MVP and the league leader in both passing yards and passing touchdowns?

Year	2014	2015
Comp	373	368
Att	582	572
Comp%	64.1	64.3
Yds	4109	4405
YPA	7.1	7.7
TD	33	35
INT	9	6
Rate	97.4	103.8
Sacked	21	34

Indeed, Brady is playing at an even higher level than he was playing when the Patriots won the Super Bowl last year. And he's been doing it without Lewis, left tackle Nate Solder and through long stretches without top receivers like Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell. 

He's also been doing it without much of a semblance of a running game. The Patriots rank in the bottom 10 in the NFL in rushing attempts, rushing yards and yards per rush. 

Of course, there is some danger in an offense that relies too heavily on its quarterback. The Patriots have been the team to suffer the consequences of that in the past, notably in their first-round playoff elimination in 2010. Brady has the second-most pass attempts of any quarterback in the NFL this year, just five behind San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

With the Chargers at 4-10, Rivers' numbers are inflated from playing from behind so often. Obviously, Brady's situation is different. In fact, none of the other quarterbacks in the top five in pass attempts have a record above .500. Brady and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers are the only two quarterbacks in the top 10 in pass attempts with winning records.

His big numbers have earned him national recognition once again, but he's not been the only man behind the Patriots' success.

Fortunately, this Patriots team has a weapon that Brady didn't have that year: an elite defense. It's time to stop overlooking the 2015 Patriots defense, which ranks sixth in both points and yards and ranks in the top 10 against both the pass and the run. The offense may be centered on the pass, but the defense is an impenetrable wall on the ground with surface-to-air missiles protecting against aerial strikes.

In fact, this Patriots defense might arguably be better than the one that won the Super Bowl last season—a statement that would have been unfathomable this offseason. 

So, the offense runs through Brady, but the Patriots' Super Bowl dreams do not.