If you’ve been following Pats Pulpit all year, you’ll know that I’ve been harping on how the New England Patriots have utilized running back Mike Gillislee.
The team refused to throw him the football the entire season with just 1 pass in his direction in week 16, and called a running play on 73% of his snaps- versus 48% of the time with Dion Lewis and 39% of the time with Rex Burkhead- which led opponents to stack the box against Gillislee and limit his production.
Gillislee faced eight or more defenders in the box on 51% of his snaps this year because teams knew he would be running the ball when he was on the field.