FOXBORO, Mass. — You learn something new every day, right?
Such was the case for James White as he watched Rhamondre Stevenson run 91 yards to the house to give the New England Patriots a 21-13 lead over the Washington Football Team on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
It was the preseason debut for both teams, and Stevenson certainly made his presence known with two touchdowns in the 22-13 win.
So, what was White hoping for as he watched Stevenson sprint down the field?
“I was just hoping he wouldn’t get caught. That’s the reaction,” White said after the game. “That was a great play call. First of all, offensive line did a great job blocking, receivers, fullbacks. It was an impressive run for a guy his size. He had a good performance out there today, and hopefully he can keep it going.”
Stevenson is listed at 6-foot, 227 pounds, so to see him sprint as fast as he did certainly was impressive, and White learned something new about his teammate.
“Today I learned he’s pretty fast,” White said. “He’s a young guy coming in ready to work. Competing. He’s got a lot of talent obviously as you guys can see. I said each week we all just want to continue to progress and get better and learn. Obviously still things that he can learn, and I can learn as myself. I think that’s our job as a group, to push one another to be the best players that we can be.”
If Stevenson can continue to impress next week the way he did in Thursday’s preseason game, head coach Bill Belichick may have a new weapon at running back. Plus, earning high praise from White certainly is nothing to scoff at.
The 23-year-old finished Thursday night with 127 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
