The New England Patriots are 6-2 and in the driver's seat to make the AFC Playoffs for the first time since Mac Jones led the team to the promised land in 2021, in what now looks like a streak of beginner's luck.
It's been a tough go the past three years, but after a 32-13 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, New England is now winners of five in a row. Despite all the progress, though, there's still a major issue in the backfield.
The argument could be made that this was an issue entering the season, but there is no debating that the running back room has no clear lead back in the wake of Antonio Gibson's season-ending ACL tear.
Certainly, Rhamondre Stevenson is not that guy. In a game where the Patriots heavily utilized the run, since Dillon Gabriel didn't have a prayer to keep the action close for the Browns, Stevenson averaged 2.4 yards per carry. He had the most touches (14) in the room, though rookie TreVeyon Henderson (10) was not far behind. Henderson had 75 yards on 10 carries, but even he struggled between the guards and had a fumble. Both struggle to hold onto the ball, which is essentially the most important function of the position.
New England lacks a physical runner who can take it up the gut and move the chains while changing the pace. With the Nov. 4 trade deadline around the corner, there's time to correct that.
Doing so could be the difference between a deep playoff run and a disappointing early exit. Mike Vrabel's tenure with his former team doesn't need to start that way. Eliot Wolf has time to give Josh McDaniels and Drake Maye a trustworthy RB1.
Pats Must Consider RB Trade and Browns' Jerome Ford May Be Answer
New England has the means to trade for a top player, but it's not like the New York Jets are going to gift Wolf and Co. Breece Hall. One of the other targets presented by MassLive's Mark Daniels is Browns running back Jerome Ford, who had one catch and no yards against the Patriots, but is a more realistic target with ties to Vrabel.
"The Patriots could use more depth at running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. Jerome Ford would be a cost-effective option. The 26-year-old ran for a career-high 813 yards in 2023 when Cleveland lost Nick Chubb for the season. He was a solid backup last year, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He’s also caught 101 career passes. This year, he’s buried on the depth chart and has 21 carries for 73 yards," Daniels wrote in his piece for MassLive.
We'll see how the AFC East-leading Patriots approach the deadline. One thing seems certain, though, fans are hopeful that some sort of change in the RB room takes place.