The Patriots went into Sunday’s game against the Dolphins already stretched thin, and the injury list only grew from there. New England was missing three of its top four wide receivers, its No. 2 running back, its fullback and both starting guards. Then, early in the second quarter, Hunter Henry went down with a foot injury.
None of it stopped the Patriots from pulling out a 24-19 win.
Drake Maye played a major role in the comeback, but Rhamondre Stevenson was right there with him as one of the key reasons New England finished the job. The sixth-year back put together an all-around day: 82 rushing yards on 19 carries, three catches for 8 yards and a successful onside kick recovery. It wasn’t the kind of stat line that jumps off the page, but it was the kind of performance the Patriots needed.
That’s been the story with Stevenson. He may not always be the flashiest player on the field, but he keeps showing up in ways that matter. On Monday, Mike Vrabel made it clear just how much the running back means to the offense.
“He certainly does a lot for us,” New England’s head coach told WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Monday. “He’s a versatile running back.
He’s very good in protection. Plays extremely well without the football.
Whether that’s chasing to try to help the guy get extra yards or protecting the guy with the ball. Ball security is critical.
But, his protection on third down and when they blitz, I think that’s a strength of his.
“The things that he does on the football field tell me that he cares deeply about the team. I’ve enjoyed coaching him.
I love how his growth has been as a leader in the running back room and in the offense. And then again, I’ll go back and say that there were times last year, when he didn’t take of the ball, that we did a terrible, horses-t job of protecting him.
And again, there were times where he didn’t have good technique and there were times that we didn’t protect him. So, I think he’s continued to work hard at that, running hard and gaining yards after contact, but also taking care of the football.”
Stevenson’s ball-security issues have followed him since his rookie year. He fumbled on his second career touch, and his career totals now sit at 18 fumbles and 10 turnovers. He also had one earlier this season in a win over Pittsburgh.
Still, the mistakes haven’t erased what he brings. Stevenson has become one of the most productive running backs in Patriots franchise history, and his value goes well beyond the box score.
He’s also been one of the few steady pieces in an offense that has needed one. Even with a heavy workload every week - he has more than double the snap count of the other running backs on the roster combined - Stevenson keeps producing positive plays. And he’s doing it without much help from the line in front of him.
His numbers reflect both his workload and the state of the offense around him. He ranks 22nd in the league in rushing yards with 367, 28th in touchdowns with 2 and 31st in yards per carry at 3.8. Those figures would likely look better if New England’s run blocking had been more consistent.
But the injuries have made that difficult. Mike Onwenu went down in Week 2, Greg Van Roten followed in Week 3, Alijah Vera-Tucker was lost in Week 6, and Ben Brown also missed time. That’s before even getting to the other injuries that have hit the offense.
Through all of it, Stevenson has stayed available and dependable. Vrabel said after the game, “He loves the football team,” and pointed to the way the back prepares, plays and protects his teammates.
He also highlighted Stevenson’s role on the onside kick recovery, saying, “He goes and covers the onside kick. And a lot of guys may let that go, but he wanted to go be the answer and be the reason why we were going to win the football game.”
In Other News...
Patriots Suddenly Have A Derrick Henry Question Fans Can't Ignore
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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
The Patriots have spent plenty of time this season trying to prove that Drake Maye is more than a promising young quarterback on a rebuilding roster. One of the quieter arguments around him has been whether he can do the job when New England is expected to win, not just when it is scrambling from behind. So far, the answer has been hard to ignore, with the Patriots unbeaten in those spots when favored by at least a field goal and Maye steering the offense with the kind of control that changes the tone of the conversation.
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 🡒]