5 Matchups to Watch in Super Bowl LI
Dion Lewis and James White vs. Deion Jones and De'Vondre Campbell
It's no secret that Atlanta has struggled defending running backs catching passes out of the backfield. They allowed the most receptions, second-most receiving yards, and the most receiving touchdowns during the regular season.
What may not be as highly advertised is the improved play of inside linebackers Deion Jones and De'Vondre Campbell. While Atlanta was mercilessly picked on by receiving-type running backs for much of the year, Jones and Campbell improved down the stretch.
| Game | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-13 (Avg) | 7.8 | 64.9 | 0.4 |
| Week 14 (@ LA) | 3 | 22 | 0 |
| Week 15 (vs SF) | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Week 16 (@ CAR) | 2 | 16 | 0 |
| Week 17 (vs NO) | 9 | 47 | 1 |
| Divisional Round (vs SEA) | 4 | 32 |
0 |
| Conference Championship (vs GB) | 4 | 33 | 0 |
With both linebackers possessing sub-4.6 speed, they could provide a tough matchup for Belichick's speedy running back out of the backfield.
Over the past eight games since returning from injury, Dion Lewis has averaged 11.6 touches, but never saw more than 50 percent of the snaps in a game. He's only scored two times on offense (and one special teams touchdown), but has been used in a much more balanced role, leaving flexibility for Belichick's play-calling. It's led to several double-digit rushing games for Lewis, but he's been held to a season-high receiving of just 34 yards.
James White has also seen a sizable share of the snaps, but has been used almost exclusively as a receiver out of the backfield. Per Rich Hribar's The NFL Super Bowl Worksheet, 92.5 percent of White's snaps have come with the Patriots passing. White will likely be the one New England uses as a potential mismatch out of the backfield after finishing third among all running backs in Reception NEP.
However, given the improvement of Atlanta's two rookie linebackers, the Patriots' receiving backs may have a bit more difficulty getting to the high receiving totals many are perceiving. Our projections don't provide a flattering receiving stat line for either running back.
nF Projection
Dion Lewis: 10.24 attempts, 53.48 rushing yards, 0.54 rushing touchdowns, 1.49 receptions, 9.68 receiving yards, 0.04 receiving touchdowns
James White: 2.62 attempts, 13.68 rushing yards, 0.16 rushing touchdowns, 2.56 receptions, 25.63 receiving yards, 0.19 receiving touchdowns
