The New England Patriots are on a roll right now, owning a 3-game winning streak following a 25-19 road victory against the New Orleans Saints.
Drake Maye continued his breakout campaign with 261 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, while adding 28 rushing yards. Kayshon Boutte brought in 2 touchdowns, while Demario Douglas had a much-needed big game, catching the game's opening score.
It wasn't all great for the offense, though, as the running game struggled yet again. It's been a common theme this year for the offense, and Head Coach Mike Vrabel may know what the issue is.
Patriots RBs worrying about ball security
While meeting with the media, Vrabel discussed the RBs and their worries about ball security. Vrabel would continue saying that making defenders miss was still important and that the key is balance. Running the ball has been an issue with neither Rhamondre Stevenson (3.1 YPC) nor TreVeyon Henderson (3.6 YPC) averaging over 4 yards per carry. Fumbling has continued to be an issue for Stevenson, as well, with the veteran already losing 3 fumbles this season.
In the Week 6 game against the Saints, the Patriots' run game was subpar, recording only 73 yards on 31 attempts, leaving New England with an average of 2.4 yards per carry. Surprisingly, Maye was the leading rusher with 28 yards and the longest run of the day, a 20-yard scamper. Stevenson especially had a rough game, running for only 18 yards on 13 attempts for a 1.3 average.
Through the first 6 weeks, the Patriots rank 26th in the NFL in rushing offense, averaging 91.5 yards per game. When looking at yards per carry, the Patriots are 29th in the league, averaging just 3.5 yards per rush attempt. For New England to continue winning, the run game will need to improve so opposing defenses can't just key in on the passing game.
Heading into Week 7, the Patriots will stay on the road when they take on the 1-5 Tennessee Titans. This could be what the Patriots' run game needs, as the Titans currently stand as the 8th-worst team against the run in the NFL, surrendering 133.7 rushing yards per game. If the Patriots can't find a way to run the ball against the Titans, then Vrabel may need to take a look at the RB room.