New England Patriots
“When Mike Vrabel said they needed Rhamondre, it was because of things like this.”
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson tries to catch a pass Sunday afternoon. Gerald Herbert/AP photo
It’s been a rough start to the season for Rhamondre Stevenson, as the Patriots running back has more fumbles than touchdowns and has eclipsed 40 rushing yards just once in six games.
Stevenson continued to struggle against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, totaling just 18 yards on his 13 carries and dropping the only pass that came his way.
Despite Stevenson’s woes, head coach Mike Vrabel still turns to the veteran regularly.
Former Patriots running back Damien Harris, who mentored Stevenson in 2021 and 2022, noted that Stevenson does a lot that doesn’t appear in the box score.
“When Mike Vrabel said they needed Rhamondre, it was because of things like this…” wrote Harris, now an analyst for CBS. “Great throw and catch from Drake and Pop, but look at the effort from 38!!!!!!”
The play Harris is referring to came late in the first quarter, when Drake Maye found DeMario Douglas for what would have been a 61-yard touchdown. It was called back due to a highly questionable offensive pass interference call on Stefon Diggs, but it still made for a memorable highlight.
Stevenson, who was initially not visible on the TV screen, sprinted down the field and leveled safety Jonas Sanker to ensure Douglas had a clear path to the end zone.
While Stevenson has made his presence felt as a blocker, he is still looking for consistency as a runner.
Of 55 qualifying running backs, Stevenson is ranked 54th (53.1) via Pro Football Focus. The only one behind him is New England rookie TreVeyon Henderson (52.6).
When asked Monday morning if Stevenson might now be a little too focused on protecting the football, Vrabel said that “probably everyone is.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s just Rhamondre,” Vrabel told reporters. “I think that’s something that probably both backs that played yesterday, that carried the ball yesterday, are probably focused on. I think there’s a balance there. We’ve talked about that. I know if we don’t turn it around, we’ll have won those three games.”
Another reporter asked if more variety in the run game would benefit the Patriots. Vrabel said he believes there has been variation in that area and that one specific situation does not define New England’s overall performance in that area.
“We will continue to work,” Vrabel told reporters. “We’ve had some good runs, but we’ve also had some pathetic ones. We just have to make sure there’s consistency, that we coach the details, that we coach the behavior, understand that it’s going to be some dirty runs and we’re going to have to make a guy miss or break a tackle.”
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