Knee Injury Side-lines Patriots Top Running Back
New England Patriots top running back Rhamondre Stevenson is facing time on the sidelines after picking up a knee tendon issue.
The injury happened to the back of his knee during the team's loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Stevenson got twisted down on a 6-yard catch late in the third quarter while New England trailed 42-14.
The tendon problem is not expected to require surgery. However, it is expected to keep him out for the next few weeks while he recovers.
Heavy Loss For New England Offense
Stevenson has been a main piece in the New England attack this season, playing 65 percent of the offensive snaps. He has recorded 399 rushing yards on 102 carries, averaging 3.9 yards per carry, and scored two rushing touchdowns.
In addition to his rushing numbers, he has caught 26 passes for 258 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Coach Mike Vrabel noted that Stevenson's excellence in pass protection has been a key for the offense.
Backfield Options Facing Detroit Lions
The Patriots, who hold a 5-4 record, travel to Munich late Wednesday for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, followed by their bye week.
Stevenson's injury creates depth issues in the backfield. Second choice running back TreVeyon Henderson has missed the past two games because of an illness.
That means New England could rely on their third and fourth choices, Corey Kiner and Lan Larison, for the fixture in Germany. Running back Terrell Jennings is also available on the practice squad.
Increased Workload For Corey Kiner
Kiner could get an increased workload against Detroit. The Patriots acquired him in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals on August 29.
He has played 13 percent of offensive snaps this season, running for 244 yards on 50 carries, which comes out to a 4.9 average.
Vrabel spoke about Kiner's progress earlier on Monday. "Corey is working extremely hard and has done a really nice job," Vrabel said. He added that Kiner's blitz pickup will be an important area to continue to grow.
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