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Over the past two weeks, the New England Patriots have rediscovered their running prowess and it has created a bit more diversity in the offense.
One of the players benefitting most from this is Sony Michel. The second-year back had a rough start to the season, especially with so many injuries on the offensive line. But with the return of Isaiah Wynn to full health, Michel has found more room to gallop out of the backfield.
When the Patriots host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, New England could have it’s biggest rushing game of the season. The Chiefs defense ranks near the bottom of the league in rushing yards per game this season, allowing the third-most yards at 141.3.
While the Chiefs have shown the ability to score big point totals on a weekly basis, they have struggled defensively to limit their opponents. Even last week against the Oakland Raiders, despite a 40-9 blowout, the Chiefs still conceded over 120 rushing yards as a team, 104 by Josh Jacobs.
Michel should have free reign to run against the Chiefs, and it might be the best remedy for a Patriots’ offense that has otherwise been sputtering this year.
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Sony Michel Matchup vs Kansas City
The Chiefs have had a brutal time defending the run this season. On six occasions, they have allowed an opposing running back to gain over 100 yards in a game this season. That includes a high of 188 by Tennessee running back Derrick Henry.
Though Michel is a much different runner than Henry, he is similar to Jacobs in that he is shifty and can hit a hole with a quick burst through the line of scrimmage. Michel has good leg drive with his runs and has shown the ability to withstand contact at the line before gaining more yardage after contact.
This season, Michel has averaged 2.1 yards after contact, similar to his numbers before being hit this season. Not to mention he has been much more involved in receiving schemes this year than in his rookie season, another thing Kansas City has failed to limit this season.
Should You Start Sony Michel vs Kansas City?
If the Patriots offense wants to get back on track, they may need to do exactly what they did late last season and lean on its running game. Sony Michel thrived down the stretch last season and could be a weapon for the Patriots again.
He just needs that one 100-yard performance to boost his confidence. And against the Chiefs who have been prone to allowing big games from opposing running backs, this may finally be the week where he finally goes off for a huge day.
If you have Michel on your team, slotting him in as RB2 would be a wise decision. He’ll get a lot of touches early and the Patriots could keep feeding him as the game wears on if he is eating up big chunks of yards consistently.
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