FOXBORO, Mass. — Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have been magnificent for the New England Patriots through two games, but that’s par for the course. Dion Lewis’ breakout has been a much bigger surprise.
The 5-foot-8, 195-pound running back was out of the league last year, and he’s already piled up 258 total yards on the ground and through the air for the Patriots so far. He’s played in 81 percent of Patriots offensive snaps, and if he continues to shine, he could keep outpacing 2014 starting running back LeGarrette Blount in reps.
“Dion’s been very productive with the ball in his hands,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “He’s been very dependable when he hasn’t had the ball. That’s really the bottom line — in the passing game, being able to protect, run routes, catch. In the running game, read blocks and make good decisions and make yards on his own. We’re going to block plays for whatever the yardage is — 1 yard, 2 yards 5 yards, 10 yards, but then any skill player, you want them to be able to add yards to that on their own with their running skill, whatever that is: quickness, speed, power, so forth. It’s a combination of all those things.”
Lewis has shown quickness, speed and power while creating yards on his own by breaking and avoiding tackles. He’s also lined up split out wide, where he runs receiver routes.
Lewis was a lowly futures signing in December, but he’s making Belichick look like a genius this year.
Thumbnail photo via Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports Images
