Rhamondre Stevenson is the only player who deserves the game ball after Sunday. The running back did not just run the ball; he saved the offense when it stalled. While the final score of 24-19 against Miami looked close, the real story was his grit. He played 46 offensive snaps on Sunday, a huge number that shows his value beyond just yards. That is 76.3 percent of the plays, according to Yahoo Sports. Most backs would be exhausted by that workload, but Stevenson kept pushing.
The stats might look modest on paper with 82 yards on 19 carries. Coach Mike Vrabel praised the effort in every phase of the game. “He’s always willing to do whatever he can to help the team, whether that’s pass protect, whether that’s being able to catch the ball out of the backfield or his ability to run and give us some tough yardage there and some good runs,” said New England coach Mike Vrabel.
The Second Half Shift
The offense struggled in the first half and the team fell behind. Stevenson saw the problem and demanded a fix. He knew the unit had to lock in to win. “We just knew we had to lock in. We were down second half. You know, the offense really wasn’t staying on the field,” he said. The turnaround happened fast. The team connected better in the second half and started finishing drives. “I think we’re just more connected in the second half and made it work,” Stevenson noted.
A Historic Milestone
This win pushed Stevenson into elite company in Patriots history. Sam Cunningham, Jim Nance, and Tony Collins are the only backs alongside him to reach 4,000 career rushing yards. Through eight games, he has 367 rushing yards and 23 catches. He also has two rushing touchdowns and one receiving score. Hunter Henry left the game on Sunday due to injury, while Stevenson remained healthy. He even made a key play on the onside kick at the end of the game. “Then, like you saw at the end of the game there with the onside kick,” Vrabel added. That specific play sealed the deal.
The Patriots face Green Bay on Sunday, Nov. 8 at Gillette Stadium. With Drake Maye playing well and the defense stepping up, the running game remains the anchor. Stevenson has proven he can handle the load even when teammates are hurt. The front office should take note of this kind of production before the trade deadline passes on Nov. 10.
