Patriots’ Rookie Had Tough Time In Second Career Game

The New England Patriots didn’t do very much on offense in their week one loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, particularly on the ground. Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson was the leading rusher with 27 yards on five carries.

The rookie wasn’t as productive in week two. He carried the ball just three times for 10 yards. He was more productive as a receiver, recording 30 yards on two catches.

In the second quarter, Henderson slipped out for a screen before trucking a defender, gaining 15 yards. He looked both elusive and powerful on the play, and showed why the Patriots spent a second-round draft selection on him. It was the high for Henderson, who had a difficult day otherwise.

While it doesn’t show up on fantasy football stat sheets, Henderson’s biggest issue was penalties. The rookie was called for holding three times. Twice on offense, and once on special teams. Through two weeks, the Patriots have had 21 penalties accepted by opponents, putting them behind the sticks frequently and making sustaining drives difficult.

Scouts raved about Henderson’s pass protection abilities coming out of college. Early professional results haven’t backed up the reports. If Henderson can’t protect Drake Maye without holding, he’ll continue to lose snaps to Stevenson and Antonio Gibson.

He also lost work in the kicking game. After splitting time with Gibson as the kick returner in the season opener, Henderson didn’t return a single kick against the Miami. Gibson was excellent in the role and returned a kick for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Henderson will have a difficult time reclaiming that position if Gibson continues to set the team up well.

It’s still early for Henderson. He’s only played 44 snaps through two weeks. He’ll have to improve as a blocker and stay disciplined to get on the field. The Patriots’ offense could use his explosivenss with the ball in his hands, but he needs to show he can be a complete player to earn touches.