The New England Patriots made the most of their time without running back Rhamondre Stevenson while he was sidelined with a toe injury. That was great news for the team, which leads the AFC East, but it cast doubts about Stevenson’s role going forward.
Head coach Mike Vrabel only muddied the waters when he hinted at the plans for the Patriots’ running backs heading into their Week 13 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“TreVeyon [Henderson] has helped us. Rhamondre has helped us. Terrell [Jennings] has helped us. We’ll try to have them all help us,” Vrabel said.
Mike Vrabel shares his thoughts on what the Patriots backfield could look like when Rhamondre Stevenson returns ? pic.twitter.com/5BMZ71mExA
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Finding a balance between Stevenson, Henderson and Jennings isn’t easy, but Vrabel and his staff are going to try to make that happen.
Henderson has broken out with increased playing time. The rookie has 264 rushing yards and five total touchdowns over the past three weeks.
The Patriots have built a winning streak without Stevenson, and they surely want to make whatever choice will extend it. If Vrabel is truly intent on providing opportunities for all three of these players, it’ll take away from Stevenson’s overall production, but it could be for the greater good.
There is a way to turn Stevenson and Henderson into a one-two punch that dominates opponents. But it seems obvious that the veteran is coming back to a team that has shifted and is going to be using him less frequently.
Things have changed in New England, and that may be a blow to Stevenson’s stats, but it could help the Patriots keep winning.
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