Danny Amendola finally a factor: villagers drop their pitchforks


If I suggested this would be an article a few weeks ago, even the most vaunted of Patriots' fanatics would have scoffed at the notion. The message boards have run red with the blood of his career for over a year now, and the mood had changed from hopes of a Wes Welker like talent to pondering a deal where we get a bag of hot dog buns to get rid of him. That was, of course, until he went all Air-mendola on a acrobatic grab that ended up being the deciding factor in the Patriots game. It seems that may have swayed people's opinions, at least for one night:







Now, it wouldn't be right to ignore tweets from earlier in the year which had... less than supportive things to say:






So where is the truth now? Have we seen redemption, or is this just a flash in the pan?

Personally, I believe that the truth is closer to redemption than blind luck, and there are a few reason's why. The first is rooted in his opportunity to be comfortable with the ball through kickoff return.

We were all surprised to see the solid returns, and that would be nothing short of a perk moving forward. The real benefit is that Amendola will get comfortable contributing, which may boost what had to be a shattered confidence. For those who may question his durability when returning kicks, let's note that in his first two seasons Amendola returned 187 kickoffs or punts, while playing 30 of 32 games. Since that season he has returned 25 kickoffs or punts while playing a total of 31 games out of 64 possible.

I'm not saying that returns keep him healthy, but they could get his head more in the game, which may lead to less mistakes endangering his health.

Another reason for optimism could be rooted in a big loss for the offense: Stevan Ridley. If the Jets game is any indication, we will rely more heavily on the pass than anticipated, and especially in 5 wide sets. Of course, tight ends and running backs can line up in that set as receivers, but it does allow for multiple slot receivers to be effective on the field at the same time. Amendola is primarily a slot guy who is blocked by the emergence of Minitron Julian Edelman, and that limits his opportunities.

While according to Mike Reiss, Amendola played only 41.1 percent of offensive snaps so far this season, that is plenty of time to make a significant impact. As long as we're not looking for Wes Welker circa 2009, we'll all enjoy a solid wideout in Danny Amendola for a few years to come.

Prediction of end of season numbers: 47 catches, 465 yards, 4 TDs

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