Mike Vrabel and his New England Patriots went into Buffalo in Week 5 and came away with an impressive win over the Bills. Now, only one game separates the Patriots and Bills in the standings, and Vrabel’s squad is finally starting to look like a serious contender.
One area of the team that has surprisingly not been great is the ground game. Through five games, the Patriots are 27th in rushing yards per game, averaging just 95.2. Veteran Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson have received a similar number of snaps, but neither player has been able to stand out so far.
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Stevenson shows flashes of being a reliable work horse, but he has a real fumbling issue at this point. In 2024, Stevenson fumbled six times and lost three of them. This year, Stevenson has already fumbled three times and lost all three.
As a result, some fans want to see the team turn to the rookie and quit relying on Stevenson in important situations. Vrabel was asked about Stevenson’s struggles on Tuesday and opted to defend his veteran running back.
“He’s valuable in protection,” Vrabel said of Stevenson, via Patriots insider Carlos A. Lopez. “When teams start blitzing and heating us up, it’s critical that somebody protects the quarterback. Somebody that can go short yardage instances and around the goal line.”
Those comments make it seem like the coach is in no hurry to remove Stevenson from the offense. As Vrabel mentioned, Stevenson is extremely helpful as a pass protector and has always been effective in short yardage situations.
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Overall, Stevenson has rushed 38 times for 139 yards and two scores this season. His three fumbles are tied with Bryce Young for the most in the league.
Henderson, meanwhile, has rushed 32 times for 121 yards and one score. Vrabel is sticking with Stevenson for now, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see HEnderson get more chances as the year goes on.
