Patriots HC Bill Belichick Remains Confident in RB Rhamondre Stevenson
The Patriots’ comeback attempt against the Cincinnati Bengals was thwarted Sunday as running back Rhamondre Stevenson lost a crucial fumble on a first and goal carry with under a minute remaining. New England lost 22-18.
Stevenson’s miscue was part of an overall frustrating day, the 24-year-old managing just 30 yards on 13 carries in the loss. Despite the costly error, head coach Bill Belichick, who has a history of benching running backs for fumbling, remains confident in Stevenson going forward.
“Rhamondre’s ball security has been pretty good all year,” said Belichick. “He had two hands on the ball, they’re running him back, and they knock it out at the end. I’m not going to second-guess Rhamondre on what he did.”
New England’s fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft (120th overall), Stevenson has enjoyed a breakout season, rushing for 944 yards on 196 carries, adding a team-high 62 catches for 384 receiving yards while scoring six total touchdowns.
At 7-8, the Pats face a must-win situation next week versus the Miami Dolphins. If Belichick’s comments are any indication, Stevenson figures to remain a central part of New England’s gameplan.
FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Patriots as +2.5 home underdogs on the spread and +102 on the moneyline.
