The Patriots’ backfield could get a big lift in Week 2, and the timing couldn’t be better after a rough opener.
New England’s ground game was a non-factor in the loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and that put even more pressure on Drake Maye, who struggled with three interceptions. With the run game unable to take any of that burden off him, the Patriots were forced to lean on Maye to move the offense almost by himself.
That’s why TreVeyon Henderson’s return matters so much. According to Field Yates of ESPN, Henderson was a full participant at Wednesday’s practice, a strong sign that he should be on track to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.
“Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) was a full participant in practice today,” Yates reports. “Looks like he'll return in Week 2 and share the backfield with Rhamondre Stevenson.”
If that holds, New England should have both of its top running backs available on gameday.
The Patriots ran the ball 31 times for 109 yards against Seattle, a modest 3.5 yards per carry. Maye accounted for 47 of those yards on seven carries, which tells you how much the offense had to manufacture on its own. Rhamondre Stevenson managed 51 yards on 18 carries, while Corey Kiner added just 11 yards on six attempts.
That kind of production made Henderson’s absence obvious. His presence would give the Patriots a far more dangerous backfield, especially after what he showed last year, when he rushed for 911 yards on 180 attempts and scored nine touchdowns.
He’s not officially active yet, but Wednesday’s practice report points in the right direction for New England.
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