FOXBOROUGH – Being totally fair, crunch time has not been kind to Rhamondre Stevenson.
In four previous seasons as a New England Patriot, Stevenson has tended to fade over the final four games of the regular season, averaging just 57.5 rushing yards a game in the 11 he played, including an eight-carry, 27-yard effort in the 2022 playoff loss to Buffalo. Those of you in the “availability is the best ability” camp might also want to note that Stevenson has missed six others.
Sunday night’s 2025 finale resonated as a “Rhamondre Revival” of sorts with the veteran absolutely punishing what was left of the Miami Dolphins.
Yes, it was strictly the expected no-show by Miami. Still, with the Patriots about to embark on the playoffs after a pair of 4-13 seasons, the 7-carry, 131-yard, 2-touchdown eruption – plus two catches for 22 more yards and another score – has to comfort even the most cynical New England non-believer.
If the Patriots can run AND throw like this, who in the sea of solid but unspectacular AFC playoff teams is going to stop them?
Clearly, the drafting and the emergence of rookie TreVeyon Henderson has impacted Stevenson on multiple levels.
Henderson has been Jimmy Garoppolo to Stevenson’s Tom Brady. He lit the fire. Well, Henderson and a flat-out woeful start to the year for Stevenson.
Remember back when New England fans had had enough in September and October?
Two fumbles against the Steelers … Another in Buffalo … Admit it, you thought Stevenson was done.
Mike Vrabel didn’t. He stood in front of the microphone multiple times and was simple and straight forward – “We’re going to need him.”
The first-year Patriots coach stood in a distinct minority in that one. The shelf life of running backs is shorter than your average cantaloupe.
Stevenson looked cooked, averaging 3.2 yards per carry through the end of November.
Do not sell Vrabel’s role short here. We were all out. But the coach’s words were frank, and true, and Stevenson heard them clearly.
When times got tough, even for the even-keeled Stevenson, he rallied.
“My teammates had my back, my coaches had my back,” said Stevenson. “To be honest, I stayed pretty level. I tried to stay relentless.”
Sunday after the win, Vrabel at first deflected when asked to throw some props Stevenson’s way. But he couldn’t help himself.
“He cares deeply about this team, and he continues to get better, to run hard, to make people miss,” the coach said. “(It was) just hard work and perseverance. We felt like we figured out where that balance (with Stevenson and Henderson) was. We need them both.”
Henderson taking a major chunk of the workload has Stevenson fresh – looking better than he’s ever looked in December or January.
And with the Chargers looming next week, the Patriots have some serious juice at the best time of the NFL year.
Defensive worries spring up
Watching the Patriots defense get shoved around by Quinn Ewers and a cast of practice-squadders through one half has to be shaking some folks up in the Gillette Stadium coach’s lounge.
Nobody in the New England post-game would mention it – why would you in a 38-10 devastation – but Miami, with secret weapon Greg Dulcich and someone named Theo Wease, carved the Patriots up.
Two Dolphins possessions, one that ended inside the 10 and the other with seven points, totaling 122 yards on 22 plays with no true NFL starters at a Miami skill position, were at best disheartening.
Safety Jaylinn Hawkins praised Miami’s “execution.”
Those of us outside the locker room may not be hitting the panic button with Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey and Co. coming to town, but we’re sliding a little bit closer to it.
Odds and Ends
The lack of talent on the Miami sideline on Sunday was astonishing, something the NFL has to consider a problem.
I get it. If I’m the Dolphins, there’s no reason to run Darren Waller, De’Von Achane, Jaylen Waddle or Chop Robinson out there in a meaningless mess of a game. Still, it’s an issue. …
We took some time during the game to focus on Milton Williams in his return. The snap counts will be in Monday morning, but to the naked eye, the Patriots’ top defensive lineman appeared stout at the point of attack with his usual quicks. Breathe a sigh of relief on that one. Williams finished with a couple of tackles in a controlled number of defensive snaps.