The New England Patriots entered Week 10 knowing that they could very well be shorthanded once again for their upcoming contest against the Detroit Lions. Before they even left for Germany (which is where this game will be played), they ruled out three key players, and another handful were viewed as 50-50 shots at best to play.
One guy who was not expected to have any shot at playing was running back Rhamondre Stevenson, as he suffered a knee injury in Week 9 that was expected to hold him out for a couple of weeks. However, Stevenson ended up making the trip overseas, and he actually has a shot at playing on Sunday based on the team’s latest update on his injury status.
Patriots List Rhamondre Stevenson as Questionable for Week 10
New England has been shorthanded on offense all season long, but Stevenson has been one of the team’s key cogs to this point. He’s played in all nine of the Pats’ games, and while his numbers aren’t outrageously impressive (102 CAR, 399 YDS, 2 TD, 26 REC, 258 YDS, 2 TD), his ability to do a little bit of everything for this unit makes him extremely valuable.
Stevenson can make plays on the ground with his legs, catch passes out of the backfield, and hold his own as a blocker in pass protection. With the offensive line being banged up, that latter point has made Stevenson nearly indispensable, as he can fill in as an extra blocker for Drake Maye before releasing into the flat as a receiver.
With TreVeyon Henderson out due to a scary neurological illness, Stevenson is getting more snaps on offense than ever before. Initially, it seemed like the Patriots were going to be very shorthanded at running back for their clash with the Lions, but after logging a pair of limited practices on Thursday and Friday, Stevenson has been listed as questionable to play on Sunday.
Patriots Desperately Need Rhamondre Stevenson to Play in Week 10
Considering all that he does for New England’s offense, you can make the argument that Stevenson is one of the most important players on this team. Without him, the Patriots would be left with just Corey Kiner and Lan Larison at running back, and while they have held their own in rotational roles this year, having to rely on them for the majority of the game would be less than ideal.
Despite seemingly having no shot at playing this week, the Pats could get a real boost on offense if Stevenson can play. While he seems to be trending in the right direction, Stevenson seems like a game-time decision, and it’s fair to say that whether or not he plays could have a big impact on the outcome of the game. Kickoff for this contest is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET, so a final decision on Stevenson’s status will be made 90 minutes before the game gets underway.
Patriots Announce Unexpected Rhamondre Stevenson Injury News Before Week 10