Rookie RB Green-Ellis has Patriots running smoothly

Nov 10, 2008 - 11:14 PM By Tom Torrisi PA SportsTicker Pro Football Editor

Facing desperate times, the New England Patriots were forced to enlist the help of a "Law Firm."

It has turned into a thriving practice and then some for the Patriots, who have watched undrafted rookie BenJarvus Green-Ellis stabilize a running game that has been depleted by injuries.

Green-Ellis, who earned the "Law Firm" moniker from his teammates due to the fact it sounds like he has four names, registered his first 100-yard rushing performance to help New England post a 20-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

"I don't even know how many times (I carried the ball), whatever they call I just run," Green-Ellis said. "Whether it's pass plays, blocking plays or running plays, I just try to do whatever I can to help the team."

Green-Ellis carried 26 times and rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown - the fourth straight game in which he has found the end zone - to help New England (6-3) remain atop the AFC East with the New York Jets, who visit Gillette Stadium on Thursday night.

Not bad for a player who was not signed to the active roster until October 11, when starter Laurence Maroney was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

"It just lets you know what type of player he is, what type of competitor he is," said teammate Kevin Faulk, who has shared the running load following a spate of injuries to the backfield. "You just have to go ahead, go about his business, work hard, continue because you never know what could happen during the course of season."

Green-Ellis certainly could not envision what has transpired this season.

Even after Maroney's injury, he was firmly entrenched behind Sammy Morris, LaMont Jordon and Faulk on the depth chart. The Patriots also had fullback Heath Evans to plug in at tailback in a pinch.

"I think he is a good runner, we have seen that from day one," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "We carried five backs and he was the sixth. I think that everybody felt from the beginning of training camp and in the spring camps that he was going to be competitive for a spot on the roster and he was.

"He showed up in the kicking game, catches the ball well, is a good blocker and runs the ball."

Green-Ellis saw his first extended action in a 41-7 rout of Denver on October 20. Morris had shredded the Broncos for 138 yards in the first half before getting injured, and with New England nursing a comfortable lead, Green-Ellis rushed for 65 yards on 13 carries, including his first career touchdown.

However, that was not an immediate sign of great things to come. Green-Ellis was limited to 16 yards on nine carries the following week, and 57 yards on 15 carries in an 18-15 loss at Indianapolis on November 2.

That did not stop Belichick from feeding the ball to Green-Ellis regularly in a showdown with the Bills. The rookie carried eight times on the final drive as the Patriots went 92 yards in 19 plays - tying the longest march in franchise history.

Green-Ellis punctuated the drive with a 1-yard plunge to make it 20-3 and put the contest out of reach.

"We got the W, yeah, of course it feels good," Green-Ellis said of his expanded role. "I just have to take my hat off to the offensive line, tackles, tight ends and fullbacks."

"(He's) 'Mr. Humility,' that's what we love about him," Evans said. "He fits in so well here. He is a guy who just comes to work hard and he is so smart for a young guy. You rarely see that."

Green-Ellis did have some impressive credentials in college. After transferring from Indiana to Mississippi, he rang up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Mississippi, which plays in the rugged Southeastern Conference.

However, a suspect 40-yard dash time of 4.6 scared off teams more than Green-Ellis' production attracted them.

"He and (linebacker) Gary Guyton were both undrafted guys, obviously should have been drafted, but I think they are both good football players," Belichick said. "(Green-Ellis) is just getting more playing time and more experience but I think the things we saw from him early, whether it be in training camp or the last three or four weeks, he has good patience, he has good vision.

"You don't see him running into the back of the offensive lineman and all of that. He waits things out and when he sees a little opening he slips through it and usually falls forward."

In less than one month, Green-Ellis has fallen forward often enough to score four touchdowns and keep New England in line for an eighth consecutive playoff berth.