It’s fun to imagine Patriots running backs who commit the sin of fumbling as entering a kind of football purgatory. Heads hung low, they trudge back to the bench to receive whatever verbal lashing or exasperated line of questioning they’ve earned from the powers-that-be on the sideline.
Then, they wait. Sometimes it’s just a few snaps, if the player in question has said enough Hail Marys (or averages enough yards per carry) to warrant quick forgiveness. Other times it takes a drive, or a few drives, or an entire game. Occasionally, the only gates that open are the ones that lead to the exit.
Mike Gillislee’s fate Sunday was rather mild by those standards. He lost the ball, the first time this season a Patriots running back has done so, on the Jets’ 22-yard line near the end of the first quarter of the 24-17 win at MetLife Stadium. His punishment was a “mere’’ 34-snap wait.
“As a running back, you’re always looking for opportunities, but I put the ball on the ground and I can’t do that,’’ Gillislee told the Globe after the game.
Gillislee’s fumble put a hold on his productive day (10 carries, 44 yards) and came two days after coach Bill Belichick praised his running backs for hanging on to the ball in response to a question about the former Buffalo Bill.
“They’ve all been good with ball security,’’ Belichick said of the running backs. “It’s been a very productive group. Mike has certainly given us a lot of tough yards. He’s an explosive player. He hasn’t really hit them yet but I don’t think there’s any doubt that those are going to happen. He’s been close a few times so hopefully he’ll start this week.’’
Ball security translating to job security is a bit cliché, but the saying has held true for Patriots running backs over the years while New England has been one of the best clubs in the NFL when it comes to avoiding fumbles.
In the past decade, the Patriots have ranked no worse than fifth in the NFL in fumbles just twice. The first time was 2013, when they finished No. 24 with 24 fumbles. Stevan Ridley had a team-high four, a problem that led to his benching after he lost the ball in three straight games during one stretch.
The second time was last season, when ball security was one of team’s few weaknesses. New England tied for second-worst in the league with 27 fumbles, though they recovered all but nine of them.
Backup quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett combined for five in four games, starter Tom Brady had five in 12 games, and several muffed punts inflated the numbers.
Nevertheless, the brunt of the blame and punishment for fumbles falls on the running backs. It seems like Gillislee’s time in the doghouse passed quickly but, if he needs an empathetic teammate, he doesn’t have to look further thanDion Lewis, who took the bulk of the carries Sunday while Gillislee was on the bench.
Lewis was largely clean with the football in the 2016 regular season— fumbling just once in seven games — but he had two fumbles in the Patriots’ divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans in January, a game in which Lewis scored touchdowns as a runner, receiver, and kick returner.
Even that superlative game couldn’t save Lewis from a Belichick zinger after a Patriots practice in the rain the week before the AFC Championship game.
“Great day to work on ball security,’’ Belichick said. “Hell of a day to work on ball security.’’
He turned to Lewis.
“Right, Dion?’’
Gillislee was just the latest Patriot to be released from the post-fumble holding pen, but he’ll probably hold the football a little tighter the rest of the season.
Nora Princiotti can be reached at nora.princiotti@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @NoraPrinciotti.
