Patriots’ running back depth could be tested vs. Cardinals


BOSTON — With Damien Harris sidelined last week against the Bills, second-year back Rhamondre Stevenson carried the load — and then some — for the Patriots’ offense.

Though the Patriots called just 12 designed runs, 11 of them were run for Stevenson. He had 10 carries (plus a mishandled exchange) for 54 yards on the ground. But he was used extensively in the passing game, too, accounting for eight of Mac Jones’ 34 targets (23.5 percent) on the night.

Notably, only one carry went to a running back not named Stevenson, as rookie Kevin Harris was stuffed for a one-yard loss on his lone carry. That was Harris’ only snap of the night. No other running back played on offense.

Such has been the theme all year. Outside of Stevenson and Damien Harris, only 17 carries have been made by four other Patriots running backs. Those plays have gained just 16 yards.

The running game may not have been a significant part of the game plan against the Bills, and the running game may still not be a major element of the Patriots’ plan in Arizona this coming Monday, as the Cardinals’ pass defense is one of the worst in the league. Still, that heavy reliance on Stevenson last week does spotlight how thin the Patriots are at the position with Damien Harris injured.

If Harris is out again, and if Stevenson suffers any sort of nick, cramp or injury, then either Kevin Harris or Pierre Strong will be forced into action. That rookie duo has combined for nine yards on five carries this season. Neither has been targeted with the pass, and they’ve been on the field for a combined 23 offensive snaps all year. (Strong’s most notable contribution has been a running into the kicker penalty to keep a Minnesota drive alive on Thanksgiving.)

The Patriots also have J.J. Taylor on the practice squad. While he has more experience than the rookies, he’s been entrusted to take just 52 handoffs in his now-three-year career. This year, he has 10 carries for nine yards. He had 37 rushing yards all of last year. Perhaps his return to the state of Arizona, where he had more than 3,700 yards from scrimmage and almost 1,000 return yards in college, will be the backdrop for his first 

Certainly, nobody outside of the team’s coaching staff has seen the progress of the bottom part of the depth chart at running back. Bill Belichick offered a peek behind the curtain on Wednesday, and he expressed confidence in all three players.

“Yeah, I mean, they’re making progress, like you would want to expect rookies to,” Belichick said. “Those guys get a lot of carries in the scout team periods, along with J.J. And so we have confidence in all those players. They work hard, they’re getting better. Just a couple of good players in front of them [on the depth chart].”

Again, the Patriots likely won’t be leaning too heavily on the running game in Glendale, with opposing quarterbacks posting a 101.0 passer rating against that Arizona defense. That’s the third-highest mark in the league. The Cardinals are also tied for surrendering the most passing touchdowns, with 24 in 12 games, while recording just sixth interceptions — sixth-fewest in the league.

Still, an effective ground game makes life a lot easier for the passing game. And with the Cardinals allowing 4.58 yards per carry this season, the opportunity will be there for the Patriots to run the ball effectively. That is, provided Stevenson — with an extra few days of rest coming off the Thursday game — is physically capable of once again working as a throwback bell cow back. If he runs into any roadblocks, or even if he needs to catch his breath for a few plays, it’ll open the door for the first real opportunities of the year for either Kevin Harris, Pierre Strong or J.J. Taylor with a national audience watching.



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