One Analyst Says LeGarrette Blount Will Be ‘disaster in Philadelphia'

Don't be too excited about LeGarrette Blount.

At least that's what CSN New England's Gary Tanguay is advising Eagles fans.

On the day the Eagles introduced their newest addition, a running back that punched in an NFL-high 18 touchdowns last season, Tanguay joined Philly Sports Talk and did more than simply temper expectations.

"It's not going to work out," Tanguay said Thursday. "LeGarrette is going to be a disaster in Philadelphia."

The 30-year-old Blount, who signed a one-year contract with the Eagles, is fresh off a career season in which he won a Super Bowl with the Patriots, rushed for 1,161 yards and was second among all wide receivers and running backs with those 18 scores.

But there was a sole reason for all that success, according to Tanguay.

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"There's one coach he's been able to play for consistently, and that's Bill Belichick," Tanguay said. "LeGarrette fumbled in the Super Bowl, and when you fumble in the Super Bowl, that was it with Bill - out the door.

"The 18 touchdowns, it's a nice stat, little misleading though - a lot of red-zone opportunities. I was a LeGarrette Blount guy, some people up here thought he was overrated. I didn't think LeGarrette Blount was just a journeyman running back, I thought he had more talent than that. But he certainly wasn't a top-of-the-line back."

Blount has one other 1,000-yard rushing season, which came with the Buccaneers his rookie year in 2010. That's in large part because Blount has split carries throughout his career. Of his 100 games played, he's started only 43. He's also eclipsed 200 carries in a season just twice - both his 1,000-yard campaigns.

"I've played with other running backs before," Blount said Thursday (see story). "I split time with Stevan Ridley, I split time with Cadillac Williams. I've split the load with guys before, so it doesn't bother me.

"I chose Philly because I thought it was the best fit for me. I like the guys here. I like the way they do things around here. I like the way they play ball. I felt like this was the perfect fit for me."

Tanguay believes that will always be the Patriots for Blount.

"He was in Tampa, had a great year one year. And then I think it was (Greg) Schiano went down there and [Blount] didn't play well for him, it didn't work out," Tanguay said. "Came up here to New England and played great. Goes to Pittsburgh and gets busted for smoking the weed in the car, they ship him out of town back up here to New England halfway through the [2014] season and he plays great.

"There's only one coach that can reach this guy and it's Belichick. So I don't think it's going to work out in Philly."

Don't tell that to Blount. He's excited to play with Carson Wentz and called the young quarterback "a really talented player" with the potential to be "special."

Tanguay said the allure of Tom Brady was the driving force behind Blount, and Philadelphia won't have the same impact.

"When [players] come to New England and they look at Brady and you see what Brady does and he sets the bar," Tanguay said. "Everybody knows that they have to live up to Brady.

"LeGarrette Blount felt like he let Tom Brady down when fumbled that football in the Super Bowl. He's not going to feel that way in Philadelphia. I'm sorry, it's just not going to work."

Well, it's settled then.

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