However, the running game has proved effective in crucial short-yardage situations.

01:00 AM EST on Thursday, December 29, 2005

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- Explosive is beyond the reach of the New England Patriots' running game this season. Efficient is what the Pats are striving for now.

Are they that? It's hard to say. For instance, the Patriots ran for 151 yards Monday night in New York, but it took them 50 carries to get there. An average of 3 yards per run doesn't get it done.

But the Patriots also had two 1-yard touchdown runs and five third- or fourth-and-short (3 yards or less) conversions. That's efficient.

Meanwhile, they were running against a Jets defensive line that was without tackle DeWayne Robertson and end Shaun Ellis, and a defense that is the 28th worst in the league against the run.

Whether or not the Patriots can pick up yards consistently by land becomes a key factor in weighing their playoff chances.

This isn't breaking news for Bill Belichick, who shows tentative optimism about the way the Pats are running it.

"When you have the ball as long as we had [against the Jets], I think that is some measure of control," Belichick said. "But we'd like to have more rushing yards for the number of attempts. There's no question about that. There were some positive things in the game about our running game. There are certainly a lot of things that we can work on. We'd like to be more consistent and gain a few more yards. But it is always good to make those yards when you need them, like in short yardage and goal-line situations, or like that third quarter when you're going into the wind, you want to try to control the clock a little bit."

Why are the Patriots so far behind their production last season, when they gained 2,134 yards on the ground and averaged more than 4 yards per carry for the first time since Ronald Reagan's second term? Some of it has to do with the fact that the 2004 team ran the ball a lot more because it was ahead more often. But injuries and a lack of continuity have been the root causes of most of the Pats' problems. Along the line, only Stephen Neal and rookie Logan Mankins are at their original spots. Center Dan Koppen and left tackle Matt Light are both on injured reserve and right tackle Tom Ashworth got hurt after the midway point, giving way to Brandon Gorin, who was hurt at the start of the year. Meanwhile, Corey Dillon has been battling injuries since the fifth game and Kevin Faulk was gone for eight games.

Those are the facts, but they matter less than the simple reality that New England will likely face either Jacksonville (the No. 12 run defense in the NFL) or Pittsburgh (No. 2) in the first round of the playoffs.

Belichick said yesterday that there have been fewer instances of first contact behind the line this season. But there have been more negative runs this year than last (10.1 percent of all runs have lost yards this season, compared to 8.8 percent last year).

"I think the big discrepancy in the yardage is not having the long plays, not having those long runs," Belichick said. "That's usually where most of the yardage comes from in this league and the running game. Everything in the running game can be improved, period. That includes everybody. The blockers. The runners. The ball handling. The fakers. The total execution of it. I don't think you can exclude anybody from that process."

Dolphins coach Nick Saban said yesterday that he sees a Pats running game on the uptick.

"They've had personnel issues at the running back position for quite some time," said Saban. "They are getting those guys back now and I think those guys are playing better and better. I think they're as healthy as they've been all year. I think that's the key to it. They ran the ball effectively down here. Heath Evans was basically playing tailback. I don't think there is anything wrong with their running game; I just think that they haven't had all the players available in all the right spots being healthy this year that can help them develop the running game more quickly, but it's certainly developing nicely now."

Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor said, "I think it goes back to the old saying, 'Stats are for fans; the game films are for the players.' You see things differently with the game film. They have an effective running game, particularly when they have Corey Dillon in the backfield. His name and the respect that he commands when you say his name is number one. He is a good back. Even if he is not bulling it up for 4 or 5 yards a carry, when you break the huddle on first-and-10 or second-and-6, you are still thinking about Corey Dillon and their running game. The running game may not be putting up 4 or 5 or 6 yards a carry, but it is still effective and you still have to respect it."