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Snaps played by Patriots skill-position players in the team’s 28-13 AFC Championship Game loss to the Ravens, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady -- 83 of 83
TE Aaron Hernandez – 83 of 83
WR Brandon Lloyd – 82 of 83
WR Wes Welker – 80 of 83
WR Deion Branch – 39 of 83
RB Stevan Ridley – 35 of 83
RB Danny Woodhead – 31 of 83
TE Daniel Fells – 30 of 83
RB Shane Vereen – 17 of 83
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – 16 of 83
TE Marcus Cannon – 1 of 83
TE Donald Thomas – 1 of 83

(Penalties included. Donald Thomas and Marcus Cannon credited with snaps even though they weren’t eligible receivers.)

ANALYSIS: The main thing that stands out, when coupled with the way targets were distributed, was how the Patriots didn’t have much in the form of a fourth option in the receiving game. That highlights the drop-off from injured tight end Rob Gronkowski to his replacements (WR Deion Branch, TE Michael Hoomanawanui and TE Daniel Fells). Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Lloyd were each targeted 14 times, while Wes Welker was targeted 12 times. There was a big drop-off after that. Fells and Hoomanawanui weren’t targeted at all, while Branch was targeted twice on his 39 snaps. This is not an excuse for the Patriots, but more a reflection of how their “next man up” mantra didn’t come to life in the AFC Championship Game. They were naturally an easier offense to defend because of it. Furthermore, Hoomanawanui must have had an undisclosed injury – the guess here is a hamstring based on the “eye” test on film – because he didn’t play a snap after the fourth series of the game.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A look at snaps played by Patriots' skill-position players in the team's victory over the Texans, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady -- 66 of 66
TE Aaron Hernandez -- 66 of 66
WR Wes Welker-- 66 of 66
WR Brandon Lloyd -- 65 of 66
TE Michael Hoomanawanui -- 50 of 66
RB Shane Vereen -- 38 of 66
RB Stevan Ridley -- 27 of 66
WR Deion Branch -- 9 of 66
TE Rob Gronkowski -- 7 of 66
TE Marcus Cannon -- 1 of 66
RB Danny Woodhead -- 1 of 66

(Penalties included; kneel-down not included.)

ANALYSIS: Running back Shane Vereen's 38 snaps best his previous high of 24 (versus Houston on Dec. 10). In the regular season, Vereen had been averaging 9.8 snaps per game. Vereen's big day came after Danny Woodhead was knocked out on the first play with a thumb injury. Vereen is Woodhead's backup in the "passing back" role. ... Stevan Ridley's 27 snaps were his third lowest total of the season, behind 19 versus San Francisco and 26 versus Baltimore. ... No offensive snaps for rookie Brandon Bolden at running back. His suspension set him back, and we're seeing a similar situation on defense with DE Jermaine Cunningham. ... The lone snap that receiver Brandon Lloyd didn't play came when OL Marcus Cannon entered as an eligible receiver late in the fourth quarter to set up a three-TE package. ... Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez played every snap, which is reflective of their status as two of the top playmakers. ... Michael Hoomanawanui replaced Rob Gronkowski and played 50 of the final 59 snaps after Gronkowski's injury.

When assessing a player’s value, teams can sometimes turn to playing-time statistics. The more valuable the player, the more he plays.

With this in mind, the following is a breakdown of playing time for Patriots offensive linemen in the 2012 regular season (not including special teams or as eligible receiver):

LT Nate Solder – 99.8 percent
C Ryan Wendell – 99.5 percent
RT Sebastian Vollmer – 88.6 percent
RG Dan Connolly – 71.8 percent
LG Logan Mankins – 60.5 percent
RG/LG Donald Thomas – 48.9 percent
G/C Nick McDonald – 19.8 percent
RT Marcus Cannon – 13.6 percent
G Mitch Petrus – less than 1 percent

Quick hits: Two of the biggest pre-season questions were answered with authority. The transition from Matt Light to Nate Solder at left tackle was almost seamless. Solder had a solid season (his second in the NFL) making the permanent move to the left side. … The four-pronged training camp competition at center between Ryan Wendell, Dan Connolly, Nick McDonald and Dan Koppen went to Wendell. Not many saw that coming, and part of that was uncertainty with veteran right guard Brian Waters (which moved Connolly out of the center mix to right guard). Wendell had a solid year, and when including his work on the kickoff return team (wedge) and field-goal protection unit, he played more snaps than any player in the NFL. ... Sebastian Vollmer was eased into the mix the first two games of the season after missing most of training camp, and outside of missing the Nov. 22 game against the Jets with a knee injury, was a fixture at right tackle. That’s the type of season he wanted to have entering unrestricted free agency. … Left guard Logan Mankins missed six games because of injury, and Donald Thomas proved to be a solid fill-in for him, as well as right guard Dan Connolly at times. Thomas turned out to be a key piece for the line, which wasn’t what some expected coming out of training camp.

When assessing a player’s value, teams can sometimes turn to playing-time statistics. The more valuable the player, the more he plays.

With this in mind, the following is a breakdown of playing time for Patriots offensive skill-position players in 2012 (penalties included, no kneel-downs, small margin for error, charted by ESPNBoston.com):

Quarterback
Tom Brady – 1,224 of 1,240 – 98.7 percent
Ryan Mallett – 16 of 1,240 – 1.3 percent

Quick hit: Brady doesn’t like to come out of the game. A strong 2013 preseason could increase Mallett’s value.

Running back/fullback
Stevan Ridley – 555 of 1,240 – 44.8 percent
Danny Woodhead – 423 of 1,240 – 34.1 percent
Shane Vereen – 158 of 1,240 – 12.7 percent
Brandon Bolden – 93 of 1,240 – 7.5 percent
Dan Connolly – 9 of 1,240 – less than 1 percent
Lex Hilliard – 8 of 1,240 – less than 1 percent
Donald Thomas – 2 of 1,240 – less than 1 percent

Quick hits: Ridley was the clear-cut No. 1 when compared to last year as BenJarvus Green-Ellis played 34 percent of the snaps and Woodhead played 33 percent. The Patriots are positioned well here for the future, as Jeff Demps is a candidate to join the mix in 2013. Woodhead, who has seamlessly slid into the old Kevin Faulk role, is a free agent who has increased his value with a strong campaign.

Wide receiver
Wes Welker – 1,085 of 1,240 – 87.5 percent
Brandon Lloyd – 1,051 of 1,240 – 84.8 percent
Deion Branch – 482 of 1,240 – 38.9 percent
Julian Edelman – 299 of 1,240 – 24.1 percent
Matthew Slater – 37 of 1,240 – 3.0 percent
Donte’ Stallworth – 20 of 1,240 – 1.6 percent
Greg Salas – 6 of 1,240 – less than 1 percent
Kamar Aiken – 3 of 1,240 – less than 1 percent

Quick hits: Welker was at 89.2 percent last season, the high mark among receivers, and he leads the way again in 2012. He might not be a prototype No. 1 receiver, but the Patriots use him like one. It hasn’t always been smooth, but credit Lloyd for being available and playing a lot of snaps. His presence helped balance things out and provide more of an outside threat. This looks like a position that will require some offseason attention.

Tight end
Rob Gronkowski – 743 of 1,240 – 59.9 percent
Aaron Hernandez – 575 of 1,240 – 46.4 percent
Daniel Fells – 293 of 1,240 – 23.6 percent
Michael Hoomanawanui – 283 of 1,240 – 22.8 percent
Visanthe Shiancoe – 51 of 1,240 – 4.1 percent
Marcus Cannon – 15 of 1,240 – 1.2 percent
Nick McDonald – 9 of 1,240 – less than 1 percent
Kellen Winslow – 4 of 1,240 – less than 1 percent

Quick hits: The idea was to build the offense around young tight ends Gronkowski and Hernandez, but they were only on the field together for four of the 16 regular-season games because of injuries. The Patriots stocked up with depth, but the attack naturally slips a bit without Gronkowski and/or Hernandez. Their ability to play a full 16-game season will be a storyline to monitor in 2013.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A look at the snaps played by Patriots’ skill-position players in the team’s 28-0 win over the Dolphins, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady -- 80 of 80
WR Wes Welker – 75 of 80
WR Deion Branch – 62 of 80
TE Aaron Hernandez – 51 of 80
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – 47 of 80
RB Stevan Ridley – 32 of 80
WR Brandon Lloyd – 31 of 80
RB Danny Woodhead – 28 of 80
TE Rob Gronkowski – 25 of 80
TE Daniel Fells – 23 of 80
RB Shane Vereen – 15 of 80
RB Brandon Bolden – 6 of 80
WR Matthew Slater – 3 of 80
OL/TE Donald Thomas – 2 of 80*

(Penalties included.)
* Thomas credited for snaps as he was new player to come on to the field, but Dan Connolly was moved to eligible position.

ANALYSIS: Brandon Lloyd’s knee appeared to be a pre-game question mark as he was seen working out on the field in front of members of the team’s athletic training and medical staff about two hours before kickoff. That probably also explains why the Patriots promoted receiver Kamar Aiken from the practice squad Saturday but didn’t dress him for the game (there was probably enough question with Lloyd so the Patriots’ coaching staff probably felt it had to protect itself). Lloyd’s 31 snaps were a season low (previous low, 34, vs. Colts) , as he was replaced in 2-WR packages for most of the game, with Deion Branch taking his spot. Branch’s 62 snaps are 1 shy of his season-high (63 vs. Seahawks on Oct. 14). … This was the first game this season that the top four tight ends all played 20 snaps or more, which reflects a lot of multiple-TE work in the game-plan. In fact, there was only one other game this season in which the top four tight ends all logged snaps, and that came against the Jets on Oct. 21. … At running back, Shane Vereen’s fumble against the 49ers and one play of shaky pass protection last week against the Jaguars didn’t cost him, as the coaching staff showed its confidence in him by upping his workload a bit. Stevan Ridley and Danny Woodhead were right around their league average for snaps played.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A look at snaps played by Patriots offensive skill-position players in the team’s 23-16 win over the Jaguars, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady – 73 of 73
WR Brandon Lloyd – 71 of 73
WR Wes Welker – 67 of 73
TE Aaron Hernandez – 59 of 73
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – 49 of 73
RB Stevan Ridley – 35 of 73
WR Deion Branch – 34 of 73
RB Danny Woodhead – 24 of 73
RB Brandon Bolden – 12 of 73
TE Daniel Fells – 8 of 73
WR Kamar Aiken – 3 of 73
RB Shane Vereen – 3 of 73

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: Michael Hoomanawanui’s rise into the No. 2 tight end role has been notable over the last three weeks, and his 49 snaps mark a season-high. He’s played 132 snaps over the last three games (43, 40 and 49). In the first 12 games of the season, he had totaled 104 snaps. When Rob Gronkowski returns, Hoomanawanui’s snaps figure to be reduced, but he’s made some big plays for the team over the last few weeks. … Elsewhere, Brandon Lloyd continued to serve as the No. 1 playtime option, followed by Wes Welker, with Deion Branch in the No. 3 role. … At running back, Stevan Ridley’s fumbles against Houston and San Francisco didn’t change his standing as the top option on the depth chart.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A look at the snaps played by offensive skill-position players in the Patriots’ 41-34 loss to the 49ers, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady – 96 of 96
TE Aaron Hernandez – 96 of 96
WR Brandon Lloyd – 95 of 96
WR Wes Welker – 89 of 96
RB Danny Woodhead – 76 of 96
WR Deion Branch – 54 of 96
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – 40 of 96
RB Stevan Ridley – 19 of 96
TE Daniel Fells – 8 of 96
RB Shane Vereen – 2 of 96
TE Marcus Cannon – 1 of 96*

(Penalties and spikes included.)

* Cannon gets credit for the snap as he was the extra player, with tackle Nate Solder moved to an eligible receiver.

ANALYSIS: The lone play in which Brandon Lloyd wasn’t on the field was the final play of the third quarter when the Patriots brought on their big package with four tight ends and a running back at the 1-yard line. This was Lloyd's best game as a Patriot (10 catches, 190 yards) … Lloyd and Wes Welker were part of all two-receiver sets. … Deion Branch was the No. 3 receiver. … For the second week in a row, Michael Hoomanawanui served as the second tight end over Daniel Fells. … Running back Stevan Ridley played one snap after his third-quarter fumble while Shane Vereen, whose fumble came out of a two-back package, didn’t play another offensive snap after his fumble. Part of that could be tied to game conditions as the Patriots were forced into passing mode, which is usually Danny Woodhead’s time to shine. … The 96 snaps were a season high, topping the 94 run against the Broncos.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Snaps played by Patriots’ offensive skill-position players in Monday’s 42-14 win over the Texans, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady – 68 of 73
TE Aaron Hernandez – 68 of 73
WR Brandon Lloyd – 66 of 73
WR Wes Welker – 66 of 73
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – 43 of 73
RB Stevan Ridley – 31 of 73
RB Shane Vereen – 24 of 73
WR Donte’ Stallworth – 20 of 73
RB Danny Woodhead – 16 of 73
WR Matthew Slater – 11 of 73
TE Daniel Fells – 9 of 73
TE Visanthe Shiancoe – 8 of 73
QB Ryan Mallett – 5 of 73
RB Brandon Bolden – 3 of 73

(No kneeldowns included.)

ANALYSIS: Donte’ Stallworth helped fill out the team’s three-receiver package, playing exclusively in that grouping. His final play was his 63-yard touchdown catch-and-run in the third quarter. Fellow receiver Matthew Slater also chipped in and played a season-high 11 snaps on offense, but the offense leaned hevaier on its top two targets in Brandon Lloyd and Wes Welker. … At tight end, Michael Hoomanawanui leaped over Daniel Fells on the depth chart as the No. 2 option this week (43 snaps to Fells’ 9). … Lead running back Stevan Ridley went a 19-snap stretch without being on the field between the second and third quarters, but it seemed like it was more game-plan related than anything. Ridley had played nine snaps after his first-quarter fumble.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – With three-quarters of the season complete, a snapshot look at playing time for Patriots offensive skill-position players, which in some cases highlights their value (snaps include penalties but not kneel-downs):

Quarterbacks
Tom Brady (907 of 918) – 98.8 percent
Ryan Mallett (11 of 918) – 1.2 percent

Quick-hit: Brady seldom comes out of the game, even when the team has a sizeable lead in fourth quarter.

Running backs/fullbacks
Stevan Ridley (438 of 918) – 47.7 percent
Danny Woodhead (279 of 918) – 30.4 percent
Shane Vereen (114 of 918) – 12.4 percent
Brandon Bolden (72 of 918) – 7.8 percent
Dan Connolly (9 of 918) – 1.0 percent
Lex Hilliard* (8 of 918) – 0.9 percent

Quick-hit: A greater gap this year between the No. 1 and No. 2 backs, which reflects well on Ridley, the second-year pro out of LSU who has taken over top duties from BenJarvus Green-Ellis. … Tight end Michael Hoomanawanui, who sometimes lines up at fullback, is accounted for in the TE category.

Wide receivers
Brandon Lloyd (788 of 918) – 85.8 percent
Wes Welker (788 of 918) – 85.8 percent
Deion Branch* (332 of 918) – 36.2 percent
Julian Edelman (299 of 918) – 32.6 percent
Matthew Slater (23 of 918) -- 2.5 percent
Greg Salas* (6 of 918) – 0.7 percent

Quick-hit: Lloyd and Welker have been the constants as the only receivers to play in every game. What was viewed as one of the deepest receiving corps in training camp has been thinned.

Tight ends
Rob Gronkowski (718 of 918) – 78.2 percent
Aaron Hernandez (301 of 918) – 32.8 percent
Daniel Fells (245 of 918) – 26.7 percent
Michael Hoomanawanui (104 of 918) – 11.3 percent
Visanthe Shiancoe (43 of 918) – 4.7 percent
Marcus Cannon (14 of 918) – 1.5 percent
Nick McDonald (9 of 918) – 1.0 percent
Kellen Winslow* (4 of 918) – 0.4 percent

Quick hit: After signing both Gronkowski and Hernandez to contract extensions this offseason, the Patriots truly haven’t had both of them healthy on the field together outside of the season-opener.

*No longer on team

Note: While offensive tackle Nate Solder sometimes lines up as an eligible receiver, those snaps are credited to the offensive lineman who comes on to place him as the new player in the package.

A look at snaps played by Patriots offensive skill-position players in Sunday's 23-16 win over the Dolphins, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady -- 79 of 79
TE Aaron Hernandez -- 79 of 79
WR Wes Welker -- 75 of 79
WR Brandon Lloyd -- 60 of 79
WR Julian Edelman -- 50 of 79
TE Daniel Fells -- 44 of 79
RB Stevan Ridley -- 38 of 79
RB Danny Woodhead -- 27 of 79
RB Shane Vereen -- 14 of 79
TE/FB Michael Hoomanawanui -- 4 of 79
TE Marcus Cannon -- 3 of 79*
WR Matthew Slater -- 1 of 79

(Penalties included. Kneeldowns not included.)
* Snaps credited to him as he came off the sideline, even though he wasn't an eligible receiver -- Nate Solder was.

ANALYSIS: At running back, Stevan Ridley had 24 of his 38 snaps in the second half. He is the team's closer at the position, a runner who seemingly gets stronger as he gets more work. ... TE Aaron Hernandez was part of every package. ... Daniel Fells served as the second TE for the second straight week. ... Julian Edelman was playing over Brandon Lloyd in two-receiver sets at times as he had played 50 snaps prior to his injury while Lloyd had 45 at that point.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A look at the snaps played by Patriots skill-position players in the team’s 59-24 win over the Colts, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady – 58 of 61
WR Wes Welker – 57 of 61
WR Julian Edelman – 52 of 61
TE Rob Gronkowski – 50 of 61
WR Brandon Lloyd – 34 of 61
RB Stevan Ridley – 32 of 61
TE Visanthe Shiancoe – 26 of 61
RB Shane Vereen – 19 of 61
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – 15 of 61
RB Danny Woodhead – 11 of 61
WR Greg Salas – 6 of 61
QB Ryan Mallett – 3 of 61
WR Matthew Slater – 3 of 61

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: For the first time this season, Brandon Lloyd was No. 3 on the receiver depth chart in terms of snaps played. Julian Edelman was the primary beneficiary of this change, as his 52 snaps were his second highest total of the season (behind 75, vs. Cardinals on Sept. 16). Edelman and Wes Welker were the primary pairing in two-receiver sets, giving the Patriots a smaller, shiftier tandem. … At tight end, Rob Gronkowski was on for 50 of the first 53 snaps. The Patriots had started to cut back on his snaps on their final fourth-quarter touchdown drive (he played just 1 on the march) before coming back on for the extra point in which he broke his forearm. Gronkowski has played 93.1 percent of the snaps this season. … Visanthe Shiancoe was the No. 2 tight end, building on his 8-snap performance last week by logging 26 as Daniel Fells was a healthy scratch. … At running back, Danny Woodhead’s 11 snaps were his second lowest total of the season (10, vs. Buffalo, Sept. 30). He didn’t have a touch or a target in the game. … The 61 snaps were a season low, which was a trickle-down effect of having the defense return two interceptions for a touchdown, as well as Edelman returning a punt for a touchdown.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A look at the snaps played by offensive skill-position players in the Patriots' win over the Bills, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady -- 72 of 72
TE Rob Gronkowski – 70 of 72
WR Wes Welker – 65 of 72
WR Brandon Lloyd – 58 of 72
WR Deion Branch – 56 of 72
RB Stevan Ridley – 41 of 72
WR Julian Edelman – 17 of 72
RB Danny Woodhead – 16 of 72
RB Shane Vereen – 15 of 72
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – 8 of 72
TE Visanthe Shiancoe – 8 of 72
TE Marcus Cannon – 3 of 72*
TE Daniel Fells – 3 of 72

(Penalties included.)

* Gets credit for snaps when he came on the field, even if he wasn’t an eligible receiver.

ANALYSIS: As the snaps clearly show, this was a plan in which the third wide receiver was favored over the second tight end. It most likely would have been different had tight end Aaron Hernandez dressed. … The snap number that stands out most is Danny Woodhead. He didn’t play a lot, which made him the team’s top production-per-snap player (2 TDs). The Patriots seem to have struck a nice balance with Woodhead in terms of playing time; after topping out at 51 snaps vs. the Ravens on Sept. 23, he has averaged 21 snaps per game over the next six contests. He has been fresh and it’s shown when he’s had a chance to make plays with the football. … Stevan Ridley remains the clear No. 1 back. … At tight end, Daniel Fells saw a dramatic drop-off, as Michael Hoomanawanui and Visanthe Shiancoe played over him. ... The lone snaps Rob Gronkowski didn't play were the two right before halftime, with Fells takikng his spot for two snaps.

With half of the season completed, here is an offensive skill-position snapshot of player value through the lens of playing time stats (including penalties, small margin for error):

QUARTERBACK
Tom Brady (631 of 638) – 98.9 percent
Ryan Mallett (7 of 638) – 1.1 percent

Quick hits: Protection up front has limited big hits on Brady, which was a concern in the preseason. … Mallett’s lone action comes at the end of the 45-7 blowout win over the Rams.

RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK
Stevan Ridley (287 of 638) – 45.0 percent
Danny Woodhead (212 of 638) – 33.2 percent
Brandon Bolden (72 of 638) – 11.3 percent
Shane Vereen (50 of 638) – 7.8 percent
Dan Connolly (9 of 638) – 1.4 percent
Lex Hilliard (8 of 638) – 1.3 percent*

Quick hits: Ridley’s season-low for snaps was 26, against the Ravens in Week 3. Otherwise, he’s had the majority of snaps in every game. … Vereen is coming on, with 36 of his 50 snaps coming in the last two games now that he is healthy and has built some momentum. … Bolden remains out with a knee injury, having missed the last two games. … Some wondered about Woodhead keeping the third-down back role entering this season, but he has a firm grip on the job and has been a valuable member of the attack. ... Connolly was a lead-blocking fullback in the power package, but that role has most recently been taken by TE Michael Hoomanawanui.

TIGHT ENDS/FULLBACKS
Rob Gronkowski (598 of 638) – 93.7 percent
Aaron Hernandez (165 of 638) – 25.9 percent
Daniel Fells (143 of 638) – 22.4 percent
Michael Hoomanawanui (74 of 638) – 11.6 percent
Nick McDonald (9 of 638) – 1.4 percent
Marcus Cannon (8 of 638) – 1.3 percent
Kellen Winslow (4 of 638) – 0.6 percent*

Quick hits: Gronkowski has been playing in pain, and hasn’t practiced much, which makes his team-leading total that much more impressive. … Hernandez has played in four games, and in one of them, he only played three snaps after injuring his ankle. Getting him back to as close to 100 percent is naturally a big priority for the second half of the season. … Fells has been a solid blocker since integrating more into the mix in Week 4. … Hoomanawanui is getting more snaps as a fullback in recent weeks. … For this accounting, McDonald and Cannon get credit for tight end snaps when they come into the game, even if they aren’t always eligible receivers. … Winslow hasn’t hooked on with another team after his one-game stint.

WIDE RECEIVER
Brandon Lloyd (574 of 638) – 90.0 percent
Wes Welker (528 of 638) – 82.8 percent
Deion Branch (276 of 638) – 43.3 percent
Julian Edelman (164 of 638) – 25.7 percent
Matthew Slater (13 of 638) – 2.0 percent

Quick hits: Take away the Jets game, and Lloyd has been the outside receiver the team lacked in 2011. His presence has put Welker in the No. 2 spot for snaps played, as Welker isn’t called upon in the 1 WR/3 TE/1 RB package like he often was in 2011. … Branch is averaging a hefty 46 snaps per game, as he wasn’t with the club until Week 3. He’s played a lot, in part because of tight end Aaron Hernandez’s ankle injury and the Patriots going to more three-receiver packages, with Branch as the No. 3. … Edelman had early momentum, with 136 of his 164 snaps coming in the first three weeks, before injury altered the picture (Edelman missed games in Weeks 4-6). Where Edelman and Welker were splitting some snaps the first three weeks, it’s going to be hard for the team to go away from Welker after his stellar first half.

* No longer with team.

LONDON – A look at the snaps played by offensive skill-position players in the Patriots’ 45-7 win over the Rams at Wembley Stadium (small margin for error), while analyzing what it might mean:

QB Tom Brady – 62 of 69
TE Rob Gronkowski – 55 of 69
WR Brandon Lloyd – 53 of 69
WR Deion Branch – 48 of 69
WR Wes Welker – 48 of 69
RB Stevan Ridley – 30 of 69
TE Daniel Fells – 23 of 69
WR Julian Edelman – 21 of 69
RB Danny Woodhead – 20 of 69
RB Shane Vereen – 19 of 69
TE/FB Michael Hoomanawanui – 16 of 69
TE Marcus Cannon – 8 of 69*
QB Ryan Mallett – 7 of 69
WR Matthew Slater – 4 of 69

(Penalties included; kneel-downs not included)

* Snaps credited to him whenever he came on, even if not an eligible receiver.

ANALYSIS: One aspect that stands out is running back Stevan Ridley as the closer. Ridley has played 13 first-half snaps, while fellow backs Danny Woodhead and Shane Vereen were on for 12 snaps apiece. But in the second half, it was Ridley’s show – he had 17 snaps, while Woodhead and Vereen had seven apiece. Ridley had 96 of his 127 rushing yards in the second half. … At receiver, Wes Welker remains the No. 2 target even as Julian Edelman has returned from injury. The only time Welker came off the field was in the three-TE package, and for the final 12 snaps after he hurt his left ankle. … No. 3 receiver Deion Branch had double the snaps of second tight end Daniel Fells, which highlighted the team's approach to spread the field with extra receivers, not a second tight end. ... This is the second week in a row that tight end Michael Hoomanawanui is being utilized at fullback. … Ryan Mallett received his first snaps of the year at quarterback, entering with 8:21 remaining.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A look at the snaps played by Patriots skill-position players in Sunday's 29-26 overtime win over the Jets and analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

QB Tom Brady -- 80 of 80
TE Rob Gronkowski -- 77 of 80
WR Brandon Lloyd -- 68 of 80
WR Wes Welker -- 64 of 80
TE Aaron Hernandez -- 57 of 80
RB Stevan Ridley -- 32 of 80
RB Danny Woodhead -- 31 of 80
WR Deion Branch -- 26 of 80
TE Daniel Fells -- 18 of 80
RB Shane Vereen -- 17 of 80
WR Julian Edelman -- 7 of 80
TE/FB Michael Hoomanawanui -- 3 of 80

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: With rookie running back Brandon Bolden (knee) out, second-year player Shane Vereen was worked into the mix, although he didn't play as much as the other two backs. Vereen entered the day with just 14 snaps played on the season and he more than matched that total with 17. Vereen (8 carries, 49 yards, 6.1 avg.) started the game. ... The return of Julian Edelman didn't impact Wes Welker's role. Welker played in all two- and three-receiver groupings. ... Tight end Aaron Hernandez is still not all the way back from his injured ankle, as evidenced by his reduced role. ... In a change-up from past weeks, receiver Brandon Lloyd was taken off in a three-receiver package with Welker, Deion Branch and Julian Edelman.