Patriot Stevan Ridley set career highs in the Week 1 victory over the Titans with 21 rushes for 125 yards.
FOXBOROUGH — Stevan Ridley’s approach to football was shaped by all those years growing up in Mississippi, playing linebacker and fullback on sweltering summer nights. Even now, as a tailback, he takes the field with one goal: Avoid being tackled.
In Ridley’s mind, avoid being tackled doesn’t mean avoid making contact. He likes the contact. Thrives on it, actually. His game was built on it.
Anybody who watched the Patriots’ season-opening win at Tennessee saw an eye-opening game from Ridley, who set career highs with 21 carries for 125 yards. A healthy chunk of those yards came after the first defensive player hit Ridley, illustrating how difficult he is to bring down. Because of the 5-foot-11-inch, 220-pounder, the Patriots’ fortunes at running back are suddenly looking up.
“You can’t play the position being scared. You’re going to take a lot of contact, but as a runner, if you can try to deliver the blow instead of taking the hit, I think that your career might last a little bit longer,” Ridley said. “That’s my philosophy running the ball. I’m trying to get downhill and just deliver the punches, instead of taking all the beatings.”
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