After playing well in a Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots veteran running back Rhamondre Stevenson was a net negative in Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The veteran running back put the ball on the ground twice, giving him nine fumbles dating back to last season. For Stevenson, this is the last thing you can afford to do, given that New England has a rookie in TreVeyon Henderson, who showed a lot of promise in the preseason.
Stevenson’s first fumble happened on the Patriots’ opening drive, which consequently led to a Steelers’ touchdown on their first offensive possession.
The Patriots were in an early 14-0 hole early in the first half, but they would get on the board, thanks to a Hunter Henry touchdown catch. As for Stevenson, he would fumble again on the Pats’ first offensive drive in the third quarter after New England’s defense forced Aaron Rodgers into an interception.
Thankfully, Stevenson’s second fumble didn’t lead to points for the Steelers. However, if you’re Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, these repeated blunders force you to consider what's best for this backfield.
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In addition to Stevenson’s fumbling issue, which has played a part in his career, the veteran RB hasn’t done much on the ground against a Steelers’ defense that allowed 149.5 rushing yards per game through two weeks.
The veteran running back had 18 yards on four carries, while adding three receptions (three targets) for 38 yards. Meanwhile, Henderson had 11 carries, while Gibson added seven of his own on the ground. According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Stevenson only played two snaps after his second fumble.
Given the turnovers and lack of production on the ground, one does wonder if Henderson will get more of a shot in Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers. Henderson has the higher upside and can be just as effective in the passing game as Stevenson.
One of the reasons why Henderson’s snaps have been limited is because of what he’s shown in pass protection. If you’re Vrabel, you want to see him improve in that area, but what he brings as a versatile running back should make the decision easy to give him more reps over Stevenson.
With Henderson representing the future for this backfield and Stevenson the past, it would behoove New England to begin a backfield shift that sets up the ground game for the long haul. Stevenson's fatal flaw is simply too much for the team to ignore with a promising youngster in tow.