The New England Patriots will welcome the Atlanta Falcons to Gillette Stadium in Week 9 for an early window matchup on Sunday. While the Patriots are currently riding a five-game winning streak, the Falcons just got embarrassed by the lowly Miami Dolphins last Sunday.
But while the Falcons are getting healthier, with starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and star wide receiver Drake London both expected to return to the lineup, the Patriots are, unfortunately, trending in the opposite direction.
Earlier this week, reports came piling in that starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson was sidelined during practices. Fans did not know if this was a cautionary measure due to the inclement weather at the facility or if he had a significant ailment that was hampering him.
Patriots' Rhamondre Stevenson ruled OUT for Week 9 vs. Falcons
Well, on Friday afternoon, fans got their answer, and it was not the one that they wanted. Head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that Stevenson will miss this Sunday's game against the Falcons due to a toe injury.
To make matters worse, when asked about the severity of the injury and how long fans can expect Stevenson to be out for, Vrabel essentially declined to comment, simply stating that he will not play this week.
This is bad, bad news for New England, as Stevenson is the team's leader in rushing yards and touchdowns, and they are already down Antonio Gibson. It will be a big opportunity for rookie TreVeyon Henderson, but the staff has been hesitant to lean on him so far this season.
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Perhaps D'Ernest Johnson, who was signed to the practice squad earlier this week and is expected to be elevated on game day, will have a large role as well. There really aren't any other options for the Patriots, outside of a potential trade, but that won't help them this Sunday.
Luckily, Atlanta's run defense is not exactly elite, so this will be a good opportunity for Josh McDaniels to get the rookie going, and perhaps get Johnson's feet wet a bit as well. Ideally, Stevenson is back soon, but New England needs to prepare itself and cover its bases if not.
With the AFC East race as tight as it is, the Patriots really cannot afford to misstep. Not having Stevenson is a devastating blow for the team and fan base, but they drafted a running back at No. 40 overall for a reason. It's time to show the league why.