FOXBORO -- While tackle Nate Solder has likely clinched the honor of Patriots’ Rookie of the Year, running back Stevan Ridley has started to come on strong down the stretch and appears to be poised to make a serious contribution to the New England offense in the postseason.

Ridley has seen his workload increase steadily over the last month. He put together his first back-to-back 60-plus yard outings over the last two weeks when he ran for 65 yards on 11 carries against the Broncos and followed that up with a team-high 13 carries for 64 yards against the Dolphins with most coming in the second half.

The 22-year-old has 72 carries for 360 yards this season with an impressive average of 5 yards per carry and a touchdown. He’s second on the team to veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis (174 carries, 645 yards, nine touchdowns) in terms of rushing production.

“He’s a guy that’s been improving every week, and early in the season, the Oakland game, he had some productive runs for us,” offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said. “We’ve just been trying every week to get him in there.

“It just seemed like in the flow of the game and the way the game was going, we try to play at a fast pace, and he happened to be the back that was in there,” O’Brien added when asked about Ridley’s performance against the Dolphins. “He had a couple good runs, so he was the guy that we stayed with based on what was going on in that game.”

“I just feel like every play they’ve given me, I’ve gone out there and made the most out of them,” Ridley said. “I look at the blitz pickups and the plays like that, I think I’ve done my job. Have I been perfect? No, not at all. But I think that I’ve just done everything that they’ve asked of me to do.

“Whether it was Week Three or Week 16, my carries have increased since I’ve gotten here, and that’s all I can ask for.”

Ridley has gotten more carries as the season has continued, and with Green-Ellis banged up down the stretch (he’s struggled with a toe injury, as well as an illness), the rookie appears ready to emerge. But that doesn’t mean he’s feeling comfortable about his situation.

“I’m not close to having it all figured out,” he said. “I’m still working hard to try and get more and more carries and more and more playing time. I don’t have it figured out just yet. I’m just working hard -- that’s what the guys do around here. They’re very, very humble in their approach and they come out here and they work hard every day. And I think that’s the quickest way to get on the field and get more carries.”

At this time of year, there’s a lot of talk about the rookie wall, but Ridley doesn’t buy into it -- especially if you have the sort of experience waiting that he does. He didn’t win the starters’ job as a collegian until his junior season.

“My Mom has been my support my whole career. She’s just told me to stay patient.,” he said. “At LSU, it was the same thing. I didn’t play until my third or fourth year. Special teams the whole way. I get here, and its’ 16 weeks -- that’s nothing compared to three years. So for me, it’s just (about) being patient. Good things come to those who wait. I’m just waiting for my time, and when I do get my opportunities, I’m going to (bust it) wide open.”

With the postseason looming, the Patriots appear to have a solid running back rotation in place: Green-Ellis and Ridley as the bigger, between-the-tackles guys, while Danny Woodhead (76 carries, 346 yards, one touchdown) and Kevin Faulk (17 carries, 57 yards) will take the bulk of the work as third-down or changeup options. (Fellow rookie Shane Vereen might be squeezed out of the rotation, at least for this year’s postseason, because he has struggled with injuries this season.)

It’s not a traditional scheme -- most every other AFC playoff team utilizes more of a single-back look -- but Ridley says that with the group the Patriots have, it just makes sense.

“We have great running backs in there. I can’t just come in there and take somebody’s role -- that’s not how things work around here,” Ridley said. “You look at Faulk, you look at Benny, you look at Woodhead, you look at Shane. We’ve got backs, talented backs. Know what I mean? So no one is going to come in here and take the bulk of the carries. That’s not my job to do that. I’m just trying to come in there and produce and do what they ask me to do.”

Ultimately, even though Ridley has only been a member of the franchise for less than a year, it’s clear he’s taken the lessons of coach Bill Belichick to heart.

“Everybody wants to start. Everybody wants to be that guy,” Ridley said. “(But) I think the quickest way to get on the field is to find and know your role. Coach Bill talks about that all the time. Know your role. Do your job. Don’t try and do anything more than what we ask you to do. Just do what we ask you to do. And if you can do those things, you’ll see your carries will increase.”