Patriots' Rhamondre Stevenson rushes for 33-yard touchdown after starting Week 5 on bench
FOXBORO -- Rhamondre Stevenson was benched to start the Patriots' Week 5 clash with the Miami Dolphins because of his fumbling issues over the first four weeks of the season. He wasn't on the bench for very long, and responded in a big way on just his second carry of the afternoon.
Antonio Gibson started at running back for the Patriots, but Stevenson was back out there on New England's second possession of the game. He caught a screen from Jacoby Brissett on a third-and-1 and fought for enough yardage to keep the drive alive. He came up even bigger for the New England offense on the very next play.
Stevenson showed off his shiftiness on a first-and-10 run to the right, breaking a pair of tackles as he raced downfield 33 yards for a touchdown. It was Stevenson's third rushing score of the season, and put the Patriots on top 7-3 with 3:55 left in the first quarter.
Stevenson got some help on his way to the end zone, as he received some big blocks from right guard Mike Onwenu and receiver Kayshon Boutte. Onwenu -- who moved from right tackle to right guard for Sunday's game -- sealed off two players to let Stevenson hit the corner, while Boutte made a nice block down the sideline.
The play was just great complimentary football all around by the Patriots, as it came right after Christian Gonzalez picked off Tyler Huntley on defense.
Stevenson was on the bench to start the game after fumbling in each of the first four games of the season for the Patriots.
"I had a conversation with Rhamondre and he won't be starting," head coach Jerod Mayo said on Friday night's Patriots All Access on WBZ-TV. "He understands he has to protect the football going forward."
It's fair to say that Stevenson took his benching the right way.
