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          New England Patriots

          Offensive snaps: Uno for Ocho

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterJan 15, 2012, 06:00 AM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Offensive snaps played by Patriots skill-position players in the team's 45-10 playoff win over the Broncos, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error, as charted in press box):

          TE Rob Gronkowski -- 66 of 66

          WE Wes Welker -- 61 of 66

          WR Deion Branch -- 58 of 66

          TE Aaron Hernandez -- 57 of 66

          WR Julian Edelman -- 27 of 66

          RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis -- 21 of 66

          RB Danny Woodhead -- 10 of 66

          WR Tiquan Underwood -- 9 of 66

          RB Stevan Ridley -- 8 of 66

          FB Lousaka Polite -- 6 of 66

          TE Nate Solder -- 4 of 66

          WR Matthew Slater -- 2 of 66

          WR Chad Ochocinco -- 1 of 66

          (Includes one encroachment penalty.)

          ANALYSIS: With the Patriots playing an up-tempo, no-huddle type approach for a good chunk of the game, it placed a premium on those with knowledge of the system who would be able to line up correctly and make the right on-the-fly adjustments. That is probably the main reason why Chad Ochocinco played just one snap and Julian Edelman (27) and Tiquan Underwood (9) received more snaps as a No. 3 receiver. Ochocinco's lone snap came on the first play of the third drive ... Ironman effort from TE Rob Gronkowski again. ... RB Stevan Ridley did not play again after his third-quarter fumble. The sure-handed BenJarvus Green-Ellis (21 snaps) was back in the lead running back role.