Gillette Stadium Went Wild After Rhamondre Stevenson Rumbled 91 Yards For Preseason Touchdown
BOSTON (CBS) -- Usually, playing out the final few minutes of a preseason game is merely a formality. But Patriots fans who stayed until the end of Thursday night's preseason opener against the Washington Football Team at Gillette Stadium were treated to one electric run by rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
With just over a minute to go in the game, Stevenson ripped off a 91-yard touchdown run that sent all of Gillette into pure jubilation. The rookie back took a pitch from Brian Hoyer and took care of the rest, outrunning everyone on the Washington defense for the score.
Just when it looked like someone would catch up to Stevenson and turn his scoring scamper into just a long run, he shifted into another gear and reached pay dirt for his second touchdown of the game.
The play got fans and Patriots players alike to go absolutely bananas. Most of Stevenson's teammates made the trek to the end zone to celebrate with the rookie, including those who share the running back room with him.
"I was just hoping he wouldn't get caught," said veteran back James White. "That was a great play call. First of all, offensive line did a great job blocking, receivers, fullbacks. It was an impressive run for a guy his size. He had a good performance out there today, and hopefully he can keep it going."
The 6-foot, 227-pound Stevenson was touted as a power back when the Patriots took him in the fourth round out of Oklahoma. But he showed off some incredible speed throughout Thursday night's 22-13 victory, rushing for a game-high 127 yards on 10 carries. Those numbers were obviously padded a bit with that fourth-quarter marathon to the end zone, but the rookie was impressive in his first NFL action.
His first touchdown run came early in the fourth quarter, when Stevenson punched it in from a yard out. The Patriots were working with a short field after Joejuan Williams picked off Steven Montez and took it to the Washington 19-yard line. Stevenson accounted for all 24 of New England's yards on the ensuing drive (a false start penalty on the Patriots meant an extra five yards for him to cover), capped off with his first NFL touchdown.
The Patriots ran for 179 yards on 25 carries, and the run attack will be a big part of the team's identity when the regular season comes around. New England has a crowded stable of backs with starter Damien Harris (four carries, 17 yards), Sony Michel (six carries, 26 yards) and White (two catches for 22 yards) ahead of Stevenson on the depth chart. JJ Taylor (two carries, 10 yards) is also fighting for a roster spot ahead of the season.
Rookie backs usually get a redshirt year to acclimate to the NFL, as White and Harris did after being drafted by the Patriots. But given New England's focus on the ground attack, Stevenson could find his way to the field -- and make an impact -- quite a bit in his first season with the Patriots.
