On the first day of the 2018 NFL draft, Sony Michel went from a team whose identity hinges on a running back like himself (Georgia) to one where backs tended to come and go like internet rumors, leaving only faint traces behind them (New England).
That the Patriots thought enough of Michel to invest the penultimate pick of that first round in a back seemed hardly in keeping with company policy.
“The draft is unpredictable so everything that happens is surprising,” Michel said last week. “Yeah, it was surprising but it was an amazing time, an amazing opportunity for me.”
Come the playoffs, where the Patriots make their bones, Michel has proven to be a most worthy choice. Coming back from a mid-season knee scare, he has led a rushing attack that has almost achieved equal billing with Tom Brady and the forward pass.
In the altered personality of the New England offense, the running game, to quote noted tight end Rob Gronkowski, “is what’s making us.” And Michel has led the way, gaining 242 yards and scoring five times in a pair of postseason games. With one game to go, he already owns the rookie record for rushing touchdowns in the postseason and is 101 yards off Timmy Smith’s record for postseason yardage set in 1987 with Washington.
What kicked in exactly?
“Nothing has changed,” Michel insists. “It’s the same mindset. Just preparation and practice, trying to bring that preparation to the game film. Going out there and executing, that’s our mentality.”
So, now this Super Bowl features a meeting of the Bulldogs No. 3 all-time rusher (Michel) vs. No. 4 (Todd Gurley). Apparently, it is wise to import ball-carriers from Athens. And they fit in coast to coast.
“Everybody knows there are great running backs at Georgia,” Michel said, from in front of his locker that featured one prominently placed cap with a large “G” on it.
For one year, 2014, Michel and Gurley were together at Georgia, and it was Gurley’s four-game suspension for signing autographs for pay that opened the door for Michel to get significant freshman playing time.
“We were great teammates, we have good a relationship,” Michel said. “He’s a guy I watched. I like his game, I respect his game. He’s one of the top players in the league.”
While Gurley has had a most notable NFL career – three Pro Bowls, offensive rookie of the year in 2015, outputs of 1,305 and 1,251 yards the last two seasons – he late last week was not the betting favorite to lead this Super Bowl in rushing. The latest prop bet on that score puts Michel at a 12-to-11 favorite, Gurley at 5-to-2. Michel, who rushed for 931 yards during the season, is seen as the healthier, hotter option right now.
Coming to a team that had been to two straight Super Bowls and three of the last four, Michel thought it best to keep to his quiet personality, keep his mouth shut and keep his ears open. It’s not as if any rookie was going to step into this locker room and talk his way into their hearts.
“My whole mindset was just learning – how much can I soak in?” he said. “I’m around guys with a lot of experience, why not learn? They’re wise, they’ve been in these situations.”
“He’s really quiet, works hard, takes the coaching,” said fellow running back James White, in his fifth season with the Pats. “We have a great group of running backs. We work well with one another. All of us catch, run, block so we compete with one another and everybody makes each other better. He’s been a big boost for us.”
After getting his knee severely twisted against the Bears – an MRI showed none of the damage that witnesses swore had to be there – Michel missed the next two games. And came back slowly after that, gaining just 31 yards on 11 carries in a loss to Tennessee. Steadily gaining confidence, he has put up two of his best three rushing performances this season in the playoffs.
“I would be lying to you if I told you that Sony wasn’t a better player now than he was when he first got here,” New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “And a lot of that has to do with (running back coach) Ivan Fears and the room that he’s in. He’s really taken note of that and become a much better football player as the year has progressed, which is what you hope for with all rookies.”
Between fullback James Develin and fellow backs White and Rex Burkhead, there was a combined 17 years of NFL experience for Michel to draw upon. And he was smart enough to know what he didn’t know and do exactly that.
In the spirit of following the example of more seasoned teammate, Michel has chosen to try not to play the role of overwhelmed rookie going into his first Super Bowl.
Whether or not he can actually pull it off, here’s his intent for the rest of the week: “Just like every guy in this locker room, I’m not into the hype. It doesn’t matter to me. The only thing that matters is the football game. There is nothing outside those lines that really matter.”
At Georgia, Michel played in his share of high-profile games, including one for a national championship. In that one, he led all rushers with 98 yards in the loss to Alabama. That’s more than Gurley, for all his NFL notoriety, can draw upon.
“Two different experiences, two different levels,” Michel said, putting that other big moment inside Mercedes-Benz in its place. “It's a whole different environment, but you kind of have to take the same approach in preparing.”
“It’s pretty cool to be in Georgia but I think it’s most important that we’re in the Super Bowl,” he said.
Spoken with the clear-eyed demeanor of a grizzled veteran and a Patriot.
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