For a player that had Bill Belichick gushing, calling him a "real tough matchup," Oakland Raiders fullback Marcel Reece sure gets ignored by his own team.
The shifty back has just four touches through two games.
It's not just a product of rookie quarterback Derek Carr not getting the ball to Reece. Despite the Raiders earning just 63 yards on the ground per game, as well as an average of 3.9 yards per carry (21st in the NFL), the coaches have given Reece a grand total of one carry.
"We have to be a little bit aware early in the game of getting him involved early," offensive coordinator Greg Olson said, per The Associated Press. "We only had 20 snaps again in the first half. There were things designed to him. ... We had some things there it just didn't end up going there. We'll continue to find ways to utilize Marcel."
It's shocking how a team lacking talent can't properly utilize what it does have. The rest of the Raiders' backfield hasn't exactly been blowing the world away, either on the ground or through the air. For his part, Reece isn't complaining.
"I'm about winning," he said. "That's all it's about for me. If we're winning and I don't touch the ball, I think that sits well with me. We haven't won yet so I'm just trying to do whatever I can to help this team win and make plays on the field."
For a team devoid of advantages, especially in the passing game, not getting Reece more involved in the offense is a mark against the coaching staff. But we've already made this argument before.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps the Falcons' lopsided win over the Bucs and previews every other game in Week 3.