New England Patriots fans might feel tricked by last season’s rushing stats. The team finished sixth in total rushing yards and fourth in rushing touchdowns during the 2025 campaign. That sounds like a dominant ground game on paper. Yet the real story hides in a single, ugly number that suggests the offense is far less efficient than the scoreboard showed.
According to Pats Pulpit, the running backs performed at a league-average 4.4 yards per attempt. This metric exposes a critical flaw in the attack. The unit moved the ball often, but they did not move it far. High volume masked a lack of true explosion and consistent yardage gains between the tackles.
The Two-Tiered Backfield Reality
The solution lies in the specific talents of the top two backs. Rhamondre Stevenson remains the anchor despite losing three fumbles early in the season. He fought through those mistakes to become a reliable option for the team. Stevenson finished with the 10th-highest yards over expected percentage among all running backs at 45%. This means he gained more yards than the blocking schemes usually allowed for him.
Then there is TreVeyon Henderson, the explosive rookie who changed the dynamic immediately. The 23-year-old scored four touchdowns on runs of 50 or more yards. He also broke 30 tackles, showing a rare ability to turn short gains into big plays. However, Pats Pulpit notes he had clear lapses as a blocker and struggled with efficiency inside the tackles. He is a weapon, but he is not yet a complete back.
Depth and Health Questions Loom
The supporting cast faces a steep climb to earn meaningful reps. Terrell Jennings opens camp on the non-football injury list after seeing time as the third option in spring. Lan Larison returns from a broken foot that ended his rookie season. These two will battle for the third spot, but neither has fully established himself as a safe bet yet.
Rookies Jam Miller and Myles Montgomery bring power and speed to the mix. Miller is a seventh-round pick from Alabama, while Montgomery is a dynamic undrafted free agent from UCF. They are currently working with the third-team offense and need to acclimate to the speed of the NFL. Their success could be the difference between a one-dimensional run game and a truly dangerous attack.
Why This Matters
The offensive line must fix the blocking to unlock this backfield’s true potential. Per Pats Pulpit, the unit struggled against Seattle’s pass rush in the Super Bowl. If the linemen cannot create consistent holes, the running backs will never hit that 4.4 yards per attempt average consistently. The investment in first-round pick Caleb Lomu signals a clear plan to shore up the front.
Head coach Mike Vrabel knows the margin for error is slim. The team made the Super Bowl, but they need more than just volume to win another title. If the line improves, Stevenson and Henderson could dominate. If the line stays average, the offense will stall. The 2026 season hinges on turning those 4.4 yards into 5.0 or better.
Expect a tough battle for the third-string job and a heavy load for the starters. The Patriots have the talent, but they lack the consistent efficiency to be a top-tier ground force. Until the line creates lanes, the stats will look misleadingly good while the results fall short of championship standards.
