By: Dan Podheiser, YawkeyTalkies Assistant Editor
There were a lot of question marks surrounding this Patriots team heading into the 2010 season. I, for one, never pictured this team as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
But after Sunday’s win over Minnesota, a hard-fought, gritty showdown, I’m starting to think: Hey, maybe this team can win it all.
The Patriots have the best record in football and have beaten several good teams, but Sunday’s game really was a big one.
Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the Patriots’ win on Sunday.
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady was hardly even noticeable on Sunday — and he still managed a 100.8 QB rating. Ho hum. All it took was a nice little 65-yard (mostly after the catch) toss to Brandon Tate to break the game wide open. Since Randy Moss left, Brady has had to pick his spots more finely. With just 16 completed passes — for 240 yards — he did that against the Vikings.
Grade: A-
Runningbacks
The law firm was prosecuting today. That’s right, I used it. BenJarvus Green-Ellis had himself a day against the Vikes, rushing for 112 yards on just 17 carries. Green-Ellis is looking like he could be New England’s first feature back since Corey Dillon, and even Dillon [...]

By: Phil Shore, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
New England Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis is known as “The Law Firm” because of his multi-part name. Could he also adopt the identity of “The Answer” for the Patriots running-game woes?
Currently, the Patriots rank tenth in the league in rushing yards per game at 123.3 yards. The majority of that is thanks to Green-Ellis’ 16 carries for 98 yards against Buffalo. Prior to the game the Pats were only averaging 85 yards per game.
As commonly noted, running back has not been a stable position for the Patriots due to retirement, injuries, and inconsistent play. Since 2006, the Patriots have seen three different players lead the team in rushing yards for the season.
The Patriots have 370 yards rushing in the first three games. The top-two rushers in the NFL, Arian Foster and Adrian Peterson, have more yards than that by themselves.
As long as Tom Brady is the quarterback, the Patriots will always be a pass-first team. However, New England has had well documented problems closing and finishing out games in the past two seasons. Part of the reason could be due to the lack of balance on offense.
Green-Ellis could provide the perfect punch.
He is a [...]

By Phil Shore, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer
Throughout the New England Patriots’ dynasty that encompassed the first ten years of the new millennium, one thing that was never stable was the running back situation.
The team got production from the position, whether it be Antowain Smith, Corey Dillon, or Kevin Faulk. However it was also the most inconsistent position. There was a rotating door of running backs due to spotty performances and an unbelievable amount of injuries.
Between the uneven play of the running backs and the star-studded quarterback the team has, the Patriots have evolved into a very pass-happy team, but the fans and coaches would like to add a little more balance to the attack.
Coming into the new decade, the team has found no complete answer. Players have shown flashes of brilliance, but then wound up benched because of turnovers or injuries. Who will the Patriots be able to depend on in 2010, an extremely pivotal season for the franchise?
Here is a look at the running backs on the roster.
Laurence Maroney: Maroney is arguably the most perplexing player on the Patriots roster. Drafted number 21 overall in 2006, he was the first running back New England selected in the first round since Robert [...]