Rhamondre Stevenson carved out a place in Patriots history again on Sunday, and he did it in a win that mattered just as much for the standings as it did for his own résumé.
New England held off the Miami Dolphins 24-19 in Week 8, a result that moved the Patriots to 5-3 and kept them in the hunt as they try to chase down the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. Stevenson was a big part of that effort, turning in 82 yards on 19 carries and pushing his career rushing total to 4,036 yards.
That 7-yard run in the third quarter put him in rare company. According to Patriots Communications, Stevenson became just the fourth Patriots running back to reach 4,000 career rushing yards, joining Sam Cunningham, Jim Nance and Tony Collins.
Stevenson’s place on that list says plenty about how steady he has been for New England. He now has 367 rushing yards this season, along with a 3.8 average and two touchdowns, which leads all Patriots backs. With TreVeyon Henderson dealing with injuries and a slow 2026 season, Stevenson has been the one carrying the load on the ground alongside Drake Maye.
And Maye needed the help, even if he hardly looked like a quarterback under pressure on Sunday. He followed up his strong outing with another sharp performance against Miami, completing 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. That pushed his season completion percentage to 67.1 after a rough start in the opening weeks.
The Patriots have had to work around injuries to their top three receivers, A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins, but Maye has again started to look like the MVP candidate he was in 2025. That matters even more because the running game has not produced much this season, and the offensive line has not consistently opened up space for the backs.
Still, Stevenson’s latest performance offered a reminder of what he can mean to this offense. Cunningham remains the Patriots’ all-time rushing leader with 5,453 yards, and Stevenson is now within striking distance if he stays in Foxborough for another two or three seasons.
For now, the bigger takeaway is simple: Stevenson keeps producing, Maye is finding his rhythm again, and New England is still alive in the division race. Once the Patriots get healthier, they may be able to make a real push at Buffalo.
In Other News...
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New England is among the clubs being mentioned, which makes the speculation hard to ignore for a team still shaping its identity. The connection to Mike Vrabel adds another layer to the discussion, and with John Harbaugh acknowledging that Baltimore could make moves before the deadline, the possibility remains open even without any official deal in place. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face A Bigger Doubt Than Fans Wanted After Beating Miami
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Now the attention shifts to Green Bay, where the questions only get sharper. The Packers bring a different set of problems on both sides of the ball, and New England is still sorting through its own offensive health while trying to keep the defense steady enough to carry the load if needed. The win over Miami bought the Patriots some breathing room, but it also left a bigger doubt hanging over what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Drake Maye Just Blew Up A Criticism Patriots Fans Hate
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His latest statement came in the comeback over Miami, where the second half looked like the kind of stretch that can swing perceptions around a young quarterback in a hurry. Maye is already drawing elite-level attention from some analysts and has worked his way into the MVP discussion, and the bigger question now is whether the rest of the league is ready to treat that as more than a hot stretch. [Read more 🡒]