The New England Patriots’ dominance in the running game was a big reason for their playoff run in 2018. During their three postseason games, the eventual world champions ran the football 109 times and gained a combined 489 yards on the ground — a respectable 4.5 yards per carry — while also scoring nine touchdowns. The recipe proved to be a successful one against the lighter defenses the team faced during the tournament.
Six games into the 2019 season, however, the Patriots’ ground game has struggled to get consistent results. Heading into the Monday night game against the New York Jets, the club is ranked just 21st in the league in rushing yards per game (101.