FOXBORO — Patriots followers and fantasy managers alike had been clamoring for a TreVeyon Henderson breakout recreation.
It lastly occurred for the rookie operating again Sunday, when he carried the ball 10 instances for 75 yards, flashing the explosive capacity he promised throughout his Ohio State profession within the 32-13 win.
It wasn’t an ideal efficiency – Henderson capped the sport off by dropping a fumble on the aim line in his last contact – however the rookie was nonetheless a shiny spot within the 32-13 win.
“I do know the coaches, they gave me much more alternative this week,” Henderson stated. “I’m grateful that I used to be capable of assist this group come out with the win.”
It was a sluggish begin to Henderson’s profession. The 2025 second-round choose was coming off essentially the most unproductive recreation of his profession within the Patriots’ Week 7 win over the Titans, when he performed 9 snaps and carried the ball twice for five yards.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels known as Henderson’s lack of a workload in Week 7 “circumstantial.” Head coach Mike Vrabel stated earlier within the week that the Patriots determined to lean on Rhamondre Stevenson after some early success operating the ball within the win over the Titans.
Stevenson nonetheless touched the ball extra in Sunday’s win over the Browns, carrying it 14 instances for 34 yards and catching one go for 15 yards, however Henderson was far simpler.
The rookie’s first two carries went for 30 yards. He added a 32-yard carry early within the third quarter.
“I’ve undoubtedly been getting extra comfy as a season developed, getting extra reps, getting getting extra alternatives, completely different appears going up towards completely different gamers,” Henderson stated.
Henderson, who middle Garrett Bradbury described as “dynamic,” out-gained his school teammate, Quinshon Judkins, who began for the Browns and had been simpler via the start of the season.
The Patriots restricted Judkins, who left the sport early with a shoulder harm, to simply 19 yards on 9 carries. Henderson went two picks after the Browns chosen Judkins within the second spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Clearly, getting TreVeyon concerned was particular right now, getting his pace on the sting,” proper deal with Morgan Moses stated. “And that’s what it appears like. Everyone’s incomes their position and ready their time. And when your quantity is known as, you need to have the ability to go on the market and do nice issues. So, massive ups, take my hat off to to the younger man simply being prepared and learning and being knowledgeable. However this what it appears like once you play complementary soccer.”
The Patriots weren’t anticipated to have a lot group success on the bottom towards the Browns, who got here into Week 8 sporting the NFL’s finest run protection. General, they gained 177 yards on 35 carries. It was their second straight recreation with 175 or extra speeding yards.
The Patriots are on a five-game profitable streak and are 6-2 general, however calling their run recreation inconsistent heading into Week 7 would have been a praise. The bottom recreation was utterly ineffective in wins over the Payments and Saints in Weeks 5 and 6. In addition they struggled to run the ball in Week 1 towards the Raiders and Week 4 towards the Panthers.
“Powerful sledding. I believe we stayed dedicated and combined some inside runs. We hit some outdoors performs, some perimeter runs,” head coach Mike Vrabel stated after the sport. “Then clearly the quarterback stuff helps, these numbers.”
Quarterback Drake Maye actually boosted the Patriots’ speeding totals on Sunday, selecting up 50 yards on seven carries. His longest speeding play was a 28-yard scramble late within the third quarter that elicited “M-V-P” chants from the house crowd at Gillette Stadium.
On the very subsequent play, Maye confirmed off his arm by hitting large receiver Kayshon Boutte in stride for a 39-yard landing go.
“After they strain and so they play man protection and Drake can do this, that needs to be a part of who we’re,” Vrabel stated of Maye’s mobility. “We’ve acquired to ship him to Spring Coaching and work out when to slip and proceed to speak about that. I’ll do my finest there.”
The Patriots’ run-blocking has actually improved over the past two video games as Will Campbell, Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury, Mike Onwenu and Moses proceed to jell.
Moses credited “taking part in collectively” for the improved run recreation. Campbell stated the group has positioned a serious deal with bettering the bottom recreation. Bradbury stated a giant key was to match the Browns’ physicality with pace.
Fullback Jack Westover was efficient as a lead blocker and stated a key to bettering the run recreation was “guys being sticky.”
“I believe simply dealing with first stage first these combos, and attending to the second stage has been actually important. And operating backs are doing a hell of a job. They’re seeing the sport nicely.”
The Browns are actually 2-6 on the season, however operating nicely towards them proves the Patriots can do it towards anyone within the NFL. The Patriots’ offensive line struggled to restrict defenders like Myles Garrett in different methods, however they completed sturdy, getting the ball with 3:18 left within the recreation and selecting up a game-clinching first down on an 11-yard run from Terrell Jennings.
That, in keeping with Bradbury, is a “lineman’s dream.”
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