As things stand, it's looking like TreVeyon Henderson will return to the field for the New England Patriots in Week 2 and kick off his sophomore season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He missed Week 1 due to an ankle injury, but he was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and barring a setback, it's looking like he'll be good to go.
Even though the Ohio State alum has his flaws (namely his poor on-field vision and bad pass-blocking), he brings a whole new dynamic to this Patriots backfield (which is definitely in need of a big spark) because of his elite athleticism, speed, and home-run ability.
Henderson isn't New England's most important player (he's not even its starting running back), but this team needs a big offensive rejuvenation after its abysmal showing in the season opener. That's exactly why his return can be what the Patriots need to find their groove and avoid digging themselves into too deep a hole early in the season.
TreVeyon Henderson can help the Patriots open up the passing game
Overall, Rhamondre Stevenson was fine for the Patriots in Week 1, but it was mostly his presence in the passing game (44 yards on five receptions). He was very inefficient running the ball (51 yards on 18 attempts -- 2.8 yards per attempt) and struggled to make big plays, which would have given Drake Maye and the rest of the offense more room to make some things happen.
The Seattle Seahawks have an elite defense, so being able to keep them honest and make it harder for them to zero in on any particular aspect of your offense is crucial. New England failed to do that, and it's obvious the team would have benefited from having someone like Henderson on the field, since he can make a big play happen seemingly out of nowhere.
Moving forward (and this is especially true since A.J. Brown is going to be sidelined for at least a month), the Patriots need their running backs to step up to take some pressure off of Maye and the receiving corps.
Obviously, the Patriots shouldn't put too much on Henderson's plate right away, fresh off an injury like this, but having him back should be a big step in the right direction. This offense looked lifeless against Seattle, and going up against the Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, and Las Vegas Raiders in their next few games (all defenses that can give them some real fits), they need to find their groove quickly.
Only time will tell if Henderson can be the reinforcement they need, but as things stand, New England needs as many reinforcements as it can get. And until Brown makes his return, the second-year running back will aim to be exactly that.
Add us as a preferred source on Google