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Uncertainty Won't Stop The Patriots. Just recently, OT Bruce Armstrong was asked to explain how the New England Patriots were going to effectively run the ball this season without Curtis Martin, David Meggett, Sam Gash and Keith Byars in their backfield. "What happened when Leonard Russell, John Stephens and Tony Collins left?" said Armstrong. "Somebody takes their place. The guy who comes into this situation doesn't have to try to replace Curtis Martin, he just has to do what it takes to make the running game go." Armstrong believes the team's offense may prove to be better balanced this year than it has been in the past, especially with the recent re-signing of center Dave Wohlabaugh. Head coach Pete Carroll and line coach Paul Boudreau have challenged the front five to do more than simply protect quarterback Drew Bledsoe. This year they will be concentrating on run-block technique. "In the past, our main focus was to protect the quarterback and let him throw the ball. Or else we gave the ball to Curtis and him do something magical with it" said Armstrong. "We don't want to put that pressure on these younger guys, so we're going to strive for balance. We've been told a lot of the responsibility is going to be squarely on the shoulders of the offensive linemen." "They said, `You've got youth back there, so all of you guys have got a job to do now. We're putting it on you and you and you to make it [the running attack] go.' " Armstrong said he and the rest of the offensive linemen are up to the challenge. "We've got talent at running back, but there's going to be pressure on the offensive line to make the running game go. There's no ambiguity about that." "If it goes," Armstrong said of the running attack, "then maybe we'll get a little credit. But if it doesn't, then deservedly so we'll get the blame. We know what it's going to take to get this thing going." Armstrong mentioned was disappointed to see former teammate RB Curtis Martin sign with the New York Jets, but he said the news is all part of the NFL these days. "I was caught by surprise at first," Armstrong said in referring to Martin's leaving, "because the way things are structured, he wasn't supposed to have the freedom to move. But when he signed the offer sheet for that price ($36 million over six years)," added the tackle, "that wasn't a surprise." Armstrong, who will turn 33 on the same night the Pats open the regular season at Denver, had been a restricted free agent himself at the end of the '97 season. As an unrestricted free agent, he could have gone to the highest bidder, but instead agreed in early February to accept a four-year contract from New England that reportedly is worth $12 million. Armstrong doesn't hold any grudges against former teammates who signed with other teams and he doesn't believe Martin's depature is the start of a downward spiral for the Pats. "We lost some good guys, some key guys, but we've also got some good people coming in and we're not holding onto veterans who are past their prime," he said. "In this game you always have changes," Armstrong continued, "but when we weren't a very good team and we were trying to get better, nobody was really concerned about the turnover. But as you become better, the market value of players goes up. Now we're learning things the 49ers, Cowboys and Packers have known for years, that you're going to lose some of your better players and the people who are left behind have to pick up the slack." Armstrong is ready for a successful season and he also hopes that if the running game stalls, Drew can pick it up the passing game like he always has. |
