The New England Patriots are cooking in the first half. They have forced the Texans’ offense into making mistakes, and the offense is doing enough against this dangerous defense. The Patriots have faced a number of injuries today, including two to both of their running backs. TreVeyon Henderson left and came back quickly, but Rhamondre Stevenson is on the sideline still with an eye injury.
What Happened to Rhamondre Stevenson?
Stevenson is dealing with an eye injury. He left the game in the second quarter and received eye drops and treatment to get him back out there. These efforts have been unsuccessful so far, as Stevenson hasn’t returned to the game.
The broadcast announced that Stevenson is questionable to return to the game. Expect a lot of Henderson in the second half if Stevenson is unable to get back on the field. The Houston defense is standing on its head to keep this game close.
With four interceptions on the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots are being blessed by their defense. This offense needs to step it up to put this Houston team to rest once and for all. Houston’s defense is keeping them alive and are very dangerous. If the Patriots can hold onto the football, they should be in prime position to move onto the AFC Championship.
Stevenson’s status in the second half will be something to monitor. He didn’t return in the first half and if his vision is affected, it will be hard to imagine that the Patriots will throw him back in the game with major implications. Stevenson is the 38th-ranked running back in PFSN’s RB Impact score with a grade of 54.4.
Henderson ranks higher than Stevenson in the metric, so it won’t be a huge miss if Stevenson cannot return. When Henderson got the opportunity to be the main back early in the season, he was electric and ripped off numerous long runs to add a new dimension to this offense.
The offense has a majority of the pressure in the second half. The Houston defense is going to be doing everything to change this game with a big turnover as the Texans offense continues to struggle. A couple of sustained drives and some points could put this game out of reach for the Patriots and they’ll be ready to pack for Denver.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
