FOXBORO — This season, James White has been a problem for opposing teams.
The Patriots running back is 10th in the NFL in receptions (66) and tied for eighth in touchdowns (10). With six games left, White’s 66 catches are already third-most by a Patriots running back, behind Tony Collins (77 in 1986), Leroy Thomson (65 in 1994).
White’s projected to finish with 98 receptions, which would be four shy of Matt Forte’s [...]
FOXBORO — This season, James White has been a problem for opposing teams.
The Patriots running back is 10th in the NFL in receptions (66) and tied for eighth in touchdowns (10). With six games left, White’s 66 catches are already third-most by a Patriots running back, behind Tony Collins (77 in 1986), Leroy Thomson (65 in 1994).
White’s projected to finish with 98 receptions, which would be four shy of Matt Forte’s running back record of 102.
The running back’s production in the offense, however, is only part of his value. As the Patriots’ third-down back, White’s responsible for protecting Tom Brady from the blitz on some of the most important moments of each game.
On Sunday, White will come face-to-face with one of the best players on the Jets — Jamal Adams. The Jets' second-year strong safety has made life miserable for quarterbacks in the pass rush and with his pass coverage.
“Oh man, he’s a good football player,” White said. “He’s been playing very well this season. He’s very active in the run game, he blitzes, he’s physical, he’s active in the passing game too, so he’s pretty versatile. He can cover, can tackle in the open field. So, I mean, he’s definitely a guy you’ve got to keep your eye on out there.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Adams has made more run stops this season (19) than any other safety in the NFL. He's stopped running backs 8.9 percent of the time when lined up within eight yards of the line of scrimmage. That's also the best mark of any safety in the league.
The second-year player, drafted sixth overall in 2017, has been a full-time starter for the Jets since coming into the NFL. Last year, he finished with 83 tackles, two sacks and six deflections. This year, he's been more of problem in the passing game as he has a career-high nine pass breakups to go with 67 tackles, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks.
“Well, he’s becoming a pro in his second year, with his eyes, from film study, just understanding how people are attacking him,” said Jets coach Todd Bowles. “The things he has to do and his reads are a lot quicker, as they should be in the second year. He just keeps working at trying to get better each day and you really like that about him.”
“He’s a real aggressive safety and they blitz him a lot. He’s really active in the running game, can rush the quarterback,” added Pats coach Bill Belichick. “Adams is like a linebacker. He’s around the line of scrimmage a lot. He blitzes, he runs through, he’s aggressive, he’s got tackles for losses, sacks, pressures. Yeah, so he’s down there around the line a lot, or sometimes he’s kind of roaming free in the middle, but he’s a contact player. He’s aggressive.”
White’s the kind of player that opposing teams try to cover with a laundry list of defenders. If the Jets can slow him down, it would certainly help them in their efforts for an upset.
White's interactions with Adams could happen at any time during the game. He’ll try to escape the safety’s grasp both in the run and pass game, but he’ll need to keep his eyes out for Adams when he blitzes. For the Patriots to have success, they need to keep Brady upright.
“They have some good blitzers — their linebackers. Jamal Adams is a good blitzer,” White said. “You've just got to be physical with those guys, latch on to them because they're going to fight until the ball is released. It'll be a good test for us.”
Adams will likely also be tested by Rob Gronkowski. The tight end is expected to make his return on Sunday after missing three of the last four games.
“He’s a good player. He plays hard,” Gronkowski said. “He doesn’t really take off plays in the pass game or run game. He’s young. He’s got the energy. He’s got the stamina. He can hit. He can cover, so he’s a good overall player and just got to be ready.”
Jamal Adams
STRONG SAFETY
HT: 6-1 WT: 213
YR: 2 AGE: 23
CAREER VS. PATRIOTS: In two games, Adams has 13 tackles and a pass deflection.
THE SKINNY: Adams is turning into one of the best safeties in the NFL. This season, he’s second on the Jets in tackles and pass deflections. He’s tied for the team lead in tackles for loss. He makes it tough on opposing running backs. Last year, his only deflection against Brady came when he was covering tight end Jacob Hollister.
James White
RUNNING BACK
HT: 5-10 WT: 205
YR: 5 AGE: 26
CAREER VS. JETS: In five games against New York, White has 130 receiving yards, 45 rushing yards and two total touchdowns.
THE SKINNY: White has been the Patriots’ early offensive MVP. When he scores, the Patriots are 6-1 this year. When he doesn’t, their record falls to 1-2. White leads the Patriots in receptions, receiving yards and is tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns. When he’s on, life is much easier for Tom Brady. When he’s not, things get harder for this Patriots offense.