There have been more downs than ups for the Patriots this season, but one of the biggest bright spots for New England has been the emergence of its new feature back.
Damien Harris has shined atop the Patriots’ running back depth chart. Harris, who effectively redshirted as a rookie last season and was on injured reserve for the first three weeks of the current campaign, has rushed for 70-plus yards in four of six games in 2020. The Alabama product set a new career high in rushing yards Sunday night, racking up 121 on 22 carries in New England’s win over the Baltimore Ravens.
So, what paved the way for Harris’ breakout? The 23-year-old explained the key adjustment he made heading into Year 2.
“The biggest difference between last year and this year was just my approach of being a pro,” Harris said, per Sports Illustrated. “I wasn’t 100% sure of what it took to be a professional last year. I felt like I knew what I was doing and I felt like I did a good job, but there were certain things that I still needed to learn and certain things that I still needed to improve. It wasn’t because I wasn’t trying, but you don’t know what you don’t know.
“So being here and having guys like Rex (Burkhead), James (White), Brandon Bolden, Sony (Michel), all the coaches, learning from them and just learning how to be a true pro, I think it was crucial to helping me develop as a player.”
Seeing as New England’s passing attack has been fairly anemic this season, the Patriots will need Harris to maintain a high level of production if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. He’s poised to stuff the stat sheet in Week 11, as the Houston Texans currently are allowing the most rushing yards per game.
