#new-england-patriots

#new-england-patriots

Between his solid rapport with Drake Maye, his knack for torching defensive backs during training camp, or Josh McDaniels' track record of relying heavily on shifty slot receivers in his offense, DeMario Douglas seemed poised for a breakout season with New England this fall. But through two games, Douglas has looked more like an afterthought than a focal point of New England's revamped offense.

The jury was very much out on Rhamondre Stevenson last week after a poor rushing performance against the Raiders in Week 1. After an offensive performance that saw the New England Patriots score just 13 points and Stevenson gain 15 rushing yards from seven carries, the feeling was understandable. Against a Miami defensive line that featured a group of proven edge defenders and first-round pick Kenneth Grant on the interior, things didn't seem like they'd improve much.

The defense squandered a 12-0 lead in the first half; the rookie kicker missed two extra points, and the special teams unit botched the coverage on a 74-yard punt return. Had it not been for a stellar day from quarterback Drake Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the Patriots would be staring down an 0-2 start to the Mike Vrabel era.

As a group, the running backs had 13 carries for 45 yards. The lead back, Rhamondre Stevenson, was abysmal, recording just 15 yards from seven carries for an average of 2.1 a pop. TreVeyon Henderson's totals were better: five carries notched him 27 yards, but when omitting his 14-yard carry, he sits at just 3.3 yards per run. He showed a burst, yes, but consistently not all that effective.

Much was expected from the new Patriots right away. The awful 2024 team, which won a measly four games, only lost six by one score. That gave great hopes for a Renaissance under Mike Vrabel as both coach and team builder in 2025. In the first game, it didn't happen. The 2025 Patriots smacked of the 2024 version against the Raiders, and that's not a compliment. A couple of things did go right, however, though the team is now 0-1.

A national championship, a meteoric rise in fantasy rankings, and now, a proposal. Patriots dynamic rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson announced on Instagram Tuesday that he had gotten engaged, posting a photo with his brand new fiancée, complete with an apparent "Marry Me" sign and rose petals. "'Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.' ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭30," he captioned the pic.

With the Dolphins in need of reinforcements on the offensive line, Miami is signing former Patriots offensive lineman Cole Strange off the Cleveland Browns' practice squad, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

At first, it looked like they were evenly matched, but that quickly fell apart the longer the game went on. Despite seeming to get into the groove after a rough start, the Patriots' downfall after halftime was noticeable and frustrating. Nothing was working in any phase of the game, which made it easy for the Raiders to do whatever they pleased to steal a win in Foxboro.