FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots all but abandoned the run game in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Raiders, instead opting for 46 passing attempts from Drake Maye on a soggy day in Foxborough.
With rookie TreVeyon Henderson being one of the breakout stars of the preseason, a trimmed down Rhamondre Stevenson hungry for a bounce back year, and the shifty Antonio Gibson, running back was supposed to be a strength for the Patriots this season.
Together, the three backs notched 18 carries for 60 yards in the opener. The performance did not inspire confidence in the coaching staff to go for more touches on the ground.