Stevenson also converted a 3rd-and-12 with a 13-yard catch in the fourth quarter, continuing to show the kind of versatility that defined his breakout 2022 season, when he racked up 1,461 yards from scrimmage. This was his most productive game since then, and it came at a time when the Patriots needed a tone-setter.
"He's athletic with the ball in his hands," Vrabel said. "He turns second-and-15 into third-and-3, and those are critical when you can do that and not end up in third-and-8."
Maye highlighted the trust he has in Stevenson, noting the work they've put in together on plays like the one that flipped the game.
"We throw those kind of routes all the time in practice," Maye said. "I thought I overthrew it at first, and he made a great play."
The win was a street fight, as Vrabel described it, and Stevenson embodied that mentality. He leaned into the physicality early, telling the other backs they were going downhill in the first half.