New England Patriots veteran running back Rhamondre Stevenson had a disastrous outing in Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stevenson only recorded 56 scrimmage yards on seven touches due to his mistakes on offense, which included two fumbles — giving him nine dating back to last season.
Stevenson’s first fumble happened on the Pats’ first offensive possession, which led to points for the Steelers. Then his second fumble took place at the start of the third quarter, resulting in his being limited to two snaps beyond that.
After the tough loss, Stevenson was asked about head coach Mike Vrabel’s comments about the Patriots needing the veteran RB's contributions. Although Stevenson was appreciative, he didn’t sugarcoat his performance and kept it real about his role.
“I appreciate it, but I gotta hold onto the ball to have value… If I can’t hold the ball, they don’t need me, he said (h/t LosTalksPats on Twitter).
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson Admits Harsh Truth About Week 3 Performance
Stevenson isn’t wrong in his assessment of his performance. His value on a surface level involves him holding onto the football and making plays. If he can’t do that simple thing and give the ball to the opponent, Vrabel will find someone else to put in the Pats’ backfield.
Luckily for Vrabel, he has an exciting rookie running back in TreVeyon Henderson, who can easily fill Stevenson’s role, along with another veteran in Antonio Gibson. In fact, some people thought that Henderson would assume the RB1 role in New England based on what we saw from the former Ohio State standout in training camp and preseason.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Henderson played the most offensive snaps among the RBs with 34, followed by Stevenson (27) and Gibson (19). The first-year runner didn’t have a huge game on Sunday, totaling 47 scrimmage yards on 14 touches, but his upside is exciting and would give the Patriots an explosive playmaker out of the backfield.
That said, Stevenson will have a chance to redeem himself against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. The Panthers’ defense has struggled to stop the run, allowing 137.7 yards per game and 5.4 yards per attempt. This is the perfect spot for a get-right game for Stevenson, who has a ton to prove after an uncharacteristic showing in Week 3.