Rhamondre Stevenson (38) and the Patriots heeded their coach's call to run the football, with Stevenson gaining a season-best 88 yards on 18 carries in the win at Tennessee.
Rhamondre Stevenson (38) and the Patriots heeded their coach's call to run the football, with Stevenson gaining a season-best 88 yards on 18 carries in the win at Tennessee.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
NASHVILLE — When it comes to the Patriots’ running game, center Garrett Bradbury and the rest of the offensive line are aware enough to know what’s going on.
After a week of hearing stories lamenting the woeful state of the Patriots ground game, Bradbury smiled when a reporter approached his locker after Sunday’s thunderous 31-13 win over Tennessee, a contest where they finished with 175 rushing yards.
“I think we were tired of hearing you guys talk about it,” he said with a weary laugh.
The Patriots entered Sunday as one of the worst running teams in the league. They were 32nd in the NFL in expected points added per rush and success rate per rush, as well as 26th in rushing yards, and 29th in yards per rush.
That all changed against the Titans. Over the course of the week, players said coach Mike Vrabel distilled the offensive game plan down to four words — run the damn ball — and the running game responded with a sturdy performance with zero turnovers.
“We got it blocked better, and it felt like there were some running lanes,” Vrabel said. “And when there weren’t, we were able to stick it downhill and be able to push some piles.
“We had some double-digit runs, we had some dirty runs, and it was great to see us finish there at the end. So I think it’s always a combination. We took care of the football, and that’s really the formula.”
The 175 yards on the ground was the most in a game since last December. Rhamondre Stevenson set the tone early, accounting for the first 38 yards from scrimmage. Six of their first seven plays were on the ground, and two of Stevenson’s first-quarter runs (for 14 and 16 yards) were among the longest gains from scrimmage on the afternoon.
Stevenson (18 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD, no fumbles) topped 80 rushing yards in a game for the first time since the middle of last season. And Stevenson’s 4.9 yards per carry is the most for him in a game with at least 15 carries since October 2022.
From the start, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye fed running back Rhamondre Stevenson the ball, and the running game delivered.
From the start, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye fed running back Rhamondre Stevenson the ball, and the running game delivered.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
“I feel like Vrabel challenged us and the O-line this week, even the receivers,” Stevenson said. “So it felt good. It felt great. I have to go watch the film, but it felt efficient on the ground.”
For the veteran who endured a bumpy ride at the start of the season, rising to the challenge Sunday was vindication for his teammates, who say they never lost faith in Stevenson.
“He’s a hell of a back,” said wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
“He’s earned it,” said offensive lineman Mike Onwenu. “He had some hard, hard times in the beginning of the year when it came to ball security. But to see him run [Sunday] was great. He’s an electric player. He’s a great runner, and a great running back.”
Part of their success could be attributed to the fact that the Titans — to their credit — focused on the Patriots passing game out of the gate, spreading things out in an attempt to slow the white-hot Drake Maye. The lighter defensive fronts allowed Stevenson to eat early, churning up quality yards (73 of his 88 came in the first half).
But those runs also set the stage for an effective use of play-action, something that benefitted the air attack later on. It wasn’t the only reason why Maye was 21-for-23 passing, but it wasn’t coincidental.
The Patriots early success running the football paid off later for quarterback Drake Maye, who completed 21 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two scores.
The Patriots early success running the football paid off later for quarterback Drake Maye, who completed 21 of 23 passes for 222 yards and two scores.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
“Rhamondre running hard, I was just telling him, it opened up a lot of our play-action stuff later in the game too,” Bradbury said. “Those linebackers started to hit a lot more downhill. But starting with five or six straight runs? That’s an O-lineman’s dream. That’s pretty fun. If we can keep doing that, I’ll sign up for that any day.”
It’s important to take these results with a level of understanding: Tennessee came in ranked 12th in the league in success rate, 21st in yards allowed per rush, and had allowed teams to rush for 100-plus yards in five of six games.
The Browns (who come into Gillette next week) have one of the best run defenses in the league, having allowed 90.7 yards per game through their first six, and have yielded 100 rushing yards as a team only twice.
Ultimately, while Stevenson and the rest of the backfield weren’t overwhelming for 60 minutes, things have changed. Standing on the cusp of winter — when the running game matters the most — there’s a greater sense that the ground game can be more than just a complementary part of the offense.
“Just attacking practice the same way we did last week,” Stevenson said of the focus moving forward. “Just stack the days; be consistent. You know, we’ve got a pretty relentless team, and I love that about us. We take challenges and [Sunday], we passed the test.”
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social.