New England Patriots Week 7 team grades vs Atlanta Falcons

The Patriots running game was very strong against the Falcons. With the lead in hand, the Patriots did a great job of running out the clock in the second half, as they had only three possessions after halftime, the last one which was ended with the game being over.

Dion Lewis has taken over control on this backfield. He was once again the lead dog for rushes, carrying the ball a team-high 13 times for 76 yards. It was the third consecutive week that Lewis saw an increase in touches and led the Patriots in rushing.

What made this increase even more telling is that it came with Rex Burkhead returning to the lineup. Burkhead played for the first time since Week 2, carrying the ball six times for 31 yards. He ate right into the workload of Mike Gillislee, who is trending in the wrong direction.

Gillislee saw his touches decrease for a third consecutive week despite the game flow being in his favor. He managed only 31 yards on his eight carries. James White received four carries and turned it into 19 yards, while Brady added five yards on five carries.

The running game has been coming to life, as Lewis has taken the reigns. He should continue seeing the most work, especially if he continues producing at this level.