Patriots vs Giants: Could Taylor Price Steal Catches from Chad Ochocinco?

This is ultimately the end of the road for wide receiver Chad Ochocinco—or, at least that is what we can speculate. 

In Tuesday's press conference, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien admitted that he wants to see Taylor Price on the field more: 

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"He's practiced well...We need to get him in there more. He's done a good job in practice and he's a guy we gotta give some more reps to in the game." 

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So how exactly does O'Brien figure to get Price on the field more? 

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"We're figuring all of that out right now. You'll see that on Sunday." 

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Let's be realistic, Bill—the one part of New England's offense that has been consistently unproductive and has ultimately been a nonfactor this season has been Ochostinko, I mean Ochocinco. 

In seven games thus far this season, Ochocinco has been invisible with his pitiful nine receptions for a mere 136 yards and zero touchdowns. Is that kind of production worth Ochocinco's $1 million salary this season?

So why should O'Brien and the Patriots be playing the 24-year-old Price more than the 33-year-old Ochocinco? Simply because Ochocinco has been a nonfactor this season while Price is young, talented and has a promising future. 

Entering Sunday's matchup against the New York Giants, the Patriots certainly don't have a lot of wiggle room to find playing time for the Ohio product. So far this season, the Patriots have come out in more than a two-wide receiver set just 34.9 percent of the time, only 179 of the team's 505 total offensive plays. 

There aren't a lot of chances to get Price involved, as Wes Welker and Deion Branch are the team's top wide receivers, but only one can assume that Price will begin to eat up Ochocinco's playing time as the team's third wide receiver. 

Price has played in three career games with New England, making three receptions for 41 yards—all three of those receptions came in last year's Week 17 game against the Miami Dolphins. 

Change is good, and changing Price for Ochocinco could pay dividends moving down the road. 

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