Danny Woodhead still has his fair share of detractors.
A familiar sports radio rant in Boston these days is “why are we running little Danny Woodhead right up the middle on crucial downs?”
Truth be told, it doesn’t happen all that often. Save for a 15 carry evening in Week 3 against Baltimore (in which he found the end zone), the 5-foot-8 back generously listed at 200 pounds hasn’t gotten 10 or more carries in a game this season.
Instead, Woodhead has done the majority of his damage receiving the ball out of the backfield this year for New England. He is averaging 37.5 yards receiving over the past six weeks, a stretch in which the Patriots are 5-1.
“He’s been that way since the day he got here,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told WEEI yesterday about Woodhead’s contributions. “I remember his first game, we played Buffalo at home. I think it was the third game of the season. He had a similar-type run play for a touchdown (as he had Sunday). We kind of joked on the sideline, Billy (O’Brien) and I, we kind of said, ‘The legend is born.’ We saw him that week in practice, what he was capable of doing, and said, ‘Why did the Jets release that guy?’ They had him playing receiver and he was a running back in college.
“He’s just come in and done such a great job. He’s the ultimate team player and teammate, dependable, consistent, you always know the level of play you’re getting from Danny.”
Woodhead has consistently refrained from blasting his former employer since he was released in September of 2010 after being a star on HBO’s Hard Knocks, which featured the Jets that season.
“That’s just what (the Jets) needed to do at the time, I guess. I’m very happy that I’m here,” Woodhead told WEEI yesterday. “I was only (with the Jets) for a couple of years. Being here in New England, playing with Tom, you know what Tom is. He’s a fairly decent quarterback (laugh). We definitely have faith in Tom.”
