Shane Vereen

For a player who has waited so long for his chance to shine, Patriots RB Jonas Gray seized that opportunity with his first carry of the day -- a 19-yard burst on the Patriots' second offensive play.

"It actually shocked me that it was that open," Gray said. "When you are in there you are doing everything you are supposed to do -- you are reading, you get your vision -- I'm like, oh, whoa, I just started sprinting full speed and couldn't believe that it just opened up like that. I was thinking I was supposed to score. I was so mad because I kind of stumbled a little bit. If I just hit it, I would have scored."

Gray had a breakout game on Sunday, leading the team with 17 carries and 86 yards on the ground. Gray's first run gave him a boost of confidence and set the tempo for him to carry the football a lot throughout the game. He displayed energy and confidence while showing his passion for the game.

It remains to be seen just what kind of role Gray will have going forward. He's the closest thing to Stevan Ridley, who is out for the year, the Pats had on their roster in terms of a bigger back, so there is certainly a need for Gray. Shane Vereen played but was battling an illness so that, along with a big lead, could have allowed the Pats to see what they have in Gray. For those struggling at the position, or just have a roster spot open to stash a player, Gray certainly has some fantasy potential, but it should probably involve at least another week of "waiting-and-seeing." The Pats host Denver in Week 9.