Tedy Bruschi explains why Patriots backups play so well

Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon, Sealver Siliga, Chris Jones, LeGarrette Blount, Jamie Collins, Josh Kline, Marcus Cannon.

These are just a few of the names of Patriots players that weren't supposed to play much this year. Instead, they've all started games and have all been key contributors on the Patriots run to the second seed in the AFC.

It's not just them either, look around the roster and you'll find plenty of players who were once no-names now playing major roles for this Patriots team. Guys like Rob Ninkovich to Kyle Arrington to even Julian Edelman.

The Patriots seem to always have quality depth, and they never seem to miss a beat when a major player goes down. That's been even more true than normal this year where the team has suffered season ending injuries to all-pros like Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork, Rob Gronkowski and Sebastian Vollmer and key veterans such as Tommy Kelly.

Most teams would crumble under the pressure, and everyone wouldn't have really been that upset if they didn't. After all, it would've been completely reasonable to not be able to survive those injuries. The Patiots somehow persevered though, putting the spotlight for once on the players nobody's ever heard of.

So, how do they do this year in and year out? Tedy Bruschi talks about this today in his weekly ESPN chat. The reason, he says, it the coaching of Bill Belichick and the culture he creates.

ESPN:

I think this is a direct result of never over-emphasizing the importance of one player. I remember there were times when I would have one of my best games, but what was always focused on was the plays where you didn't do well. It was that way for everybody -- even Tom Brady. He never over-emphasized playing well. He never over-emphasized when a player played poorly. It was always about improving on the things you could get better at.

He did this with the second- and third-string players. He would let them know that their role was just as important as any of the captains. He not only emphasizes that point through the media, but also in team meetings. That makes players feel like, no matter how small their role, they're a key contributor to the team. So when the time comes, when a player's role is expanded due to injury, they don't feel overwhelmed. The importance of the player they're replacing was never magnified in a way that made that player seem irreplaceable.

It really has been remarkable how this team has been able to save face week in and week out with the dearth of talent on the team.

The Ravens game two weeks ago is the perfect example of the miracle this season has been. Nate Solder was ruled out with a concussion against the defending champion Baltimore Ravens. That meant they'd be without their two starting tackles (with Vollmer on Injured Reserve) against the likes of Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervill, Haloti Ngata and the gang, and still, they would win the game 41-7.

The culture of a team, or a franchise, is most often something pretty intangible. Unless you're in that room, you don't really have a gauge on how it effects a team, if at all. According to Bruschi, it's one of the biggest reasons why the Patriots continue to have such great depth. Players are prepared and don't feel overwhelmed when they have to step in for a star player. He points to defensive lineman Siliga, who came off the street to fill in for the injured Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly and also pushed veteran Isaac Sopoaga to the inactive list.

Just when you think the Patriots can't lose another guy -- Wilfork, Kelly -- and this Siliga kid comes out of nowhere and all he does is make plays.

Who gets the credit for this? If this kid showed this type of productivity, he would be on a roster. You have to give defensive line coach Patrick Graham credit, and in some ways Vince Wilfork -- who has been in everyone's ear on the sideline, taking notes during the game. When an incoming player gets a sense that he is welcome and even being coached by the guy he's replacing, it can be a boost to your mentality.

Obviously, Siliga has good strength and size (6-2, 325). It's a culture in that locker room that I know very well, to survive injuries and have quality depth; that depth must continually be coached, not only by the coaching staff but by the starters who aren't there any more. This is obviously happening, and I'm sure that's part of the reason Siliga has done so well after coming in off the street.

After the Hernandez incident in the summer, there were many jokes made at the expense of the "Patriot Way". However, we see this year that maybe it is quite alive and well, we just botched the definition.

Photo Via: Jim Rogash/Getty Images

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