FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Quick thoughts and notes on the New England Patriots and the NFL:
1. Sizzling Stevenson: After leading the Patriots to a season-opening victory, he received the utmost respect from the coaching staff this week ahead of Sunday’s home opener against the Seattle Seahawks (1 p.m. ET, Fox).
Stevenson was rewarded with a limited workload on Wednesday instead of practicing in full gear with his teammates. The idea was to give him a rest after a 25-carry, 125-yard performance, but there was just one problem: He didn’t quite take the coaches up on the offer.
“He lets Gasser run on the other end of the field,” running back coach Taylor Embree said. “I thought, ‘What are we doing here?'”
Embree delivered this last sentence with a laugh; after all, what coach doesn’t like to see one of his players push themselves beyond what is required?
“It’s a long season, man. I felt like I was in very good shape last Sunday, but a little bit more won’t hurt anyone,” Stevenson said about his reasons for playing.
Coach Jerod Mayo hinted that Stevenson has lofty goals for him. Mayo shared his belief that he has always considered Stevenson one of the best in the league when he was about to reveal one of Stevenson’s goals for the year before pausing. “I probably shouldn’t get into that,” Mayo said.
Stevenson said he wants to keep his goals to himself for now, but acknowledged that he is approaching this year with a “relentless” attitude that will make it difficult for the first defender to bring him down.
His 25 runs in Week 1 were the third-most in the NFL, behind Joe Mixon of the Texans (30) and Jordan Mason of the 49ers (28). Saquon Barkley of the Eagles was close behind him (24). Stevenson was reluctant to give up on the game as he helped the Patriots run down the clock, which center and longtime captain David Andrews said is the kind of confidence that resonates with his teammates.
Embree acknowledged that the Patriots will be more cautious with Stevenson’s workload as the season progresses.
“As the year goes on, it’s all going to even out,” Embree said. “In the first game, we wanted to make a statement. I know ‘Mondre wanted to make a statement, so he went out there and took the rock.”
Stevenson’s style of play was one of the top stories after his standout performance. Embree said he fits perfectly into offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s system because of his size (6’1″, 220 pounds), speed and ability to outwit the first defender. He’s also an all-around athlete who can run every run in the playbook – from between the tackles to the wide zone.
Video: Running backs coach Taylor Embree explains why Alex Van Pelt’s offense is a good fit for RB Rhamondre Stevenson, comparing Stevenson to a WR playing in a spread attack. pic.twitter.com/yDUlwbCNNS
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) 12 September 2024
When Van Pelt coordinated the Browns’ offense for the past four seasons, he had a workhorse in Nick Chubb. He brought the same system to New England, and Stevenson is essentially his new Chubb — at least for a week.
“He’s a great running back. I’ve seen some good players and he’s right up there,” Van Pelt said. “His contact balance, his vision, his ability to leave opponents running on the second and third levels was really impressive. He’s definitely one of the toughest guys to bring down.”
Stevenson says the system is ideal for him.
“He’s the first offensive coordinator I’ve known that loves to run the ball relentlessly. That’s a great thing to do when you’re a running back,” he said. “He’s a physical guy and that’s what I want to do.”
2. Mayes virtual representatives: In addition to taking 30% of the first-team snaps at practice and helping lead the scout team, rookie quarterback Drake Maye told ESPN he’s experiencing the benefits of virtual reps while learning behind the scenes.
“The virtual reality is pretty cool, it’s another chance to do replays throughout the week – you sit with the goggles on and play the game,” he said. “You move a little remote that shows you where to go with the football. You can also control the iPad and see the looks compared to our plays.”
3. Family Tuesdays: Mayo opened the team cafeteria to coaches’ families on Tuesday, which is usually the longest day for the coaches as they work out the game schedule.
“It was a great thing for all of us,” said receiver coach Tyler Hughes, who has four sons with his wife Lisa – Kenyon, Isaac, Will and Max.
“It allows us to invite our family over and connect with them and let them be a part of what we’re doing. We really spend a lot of hours here and our families – spouses and kids – all sacrifice a lot so we can coach football. So if they can be here to connect with the other spouses and kids, it brings everyone together. It’s really appreciated.”
4. Financial impact of Okorafor: Veteran left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, who was left from the roster after playing 12 snaps in the season opener and did not return, was placed on the exempt/left squad list on Saturday. That means the team will receive an exception to the roster until Okorafor’s status is finally resolved. Sources familiar with the situation do not expect him to play for the Patriots this season.
As for the financial impact, Okorafor signed a one-year deal in March with a base value of $4 million that included a $2 million signing bonus ($600,000 of which was deferred until March 31, 2025). His base salary of $1.125 million was also guaranteed, so there could be negotiations between the sides over how much of the $3.125 million in guarantees Okorafor ultimately receives.
It’s a moot point now, but Okorafor also could have earned an additional $4.25 million in bonuses, which would have paid him $850,000 for 50% of successful snaps and another $850,000 for 60%, 70%, 80% and 90%.
5. Gonzo’s Gauntlet: There may be no cornerback in the NFL who faces as many receivers in the first month of the season as second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez. He’s off to a strong start after playing 20 man-coverage passes with Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase in the season opener, limiting him to three catches for 14 yards.
“Christian has done an incredible job and it started in practice. He had four or five interceptions in practice, so he started the week on Wednesday with good preparation,” said defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington.
Next up is the Seahawks’ DK Metcalf, followed by the Jets’ Garrett Wilson and the 49ers duo of Deebo Samuel Sr. and Brandon Aiyuk. As Gonzalez studied Metcalf’s Week 1 performance, he noticed the solid work of Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, who limited the “super-fast and big” Metcalf to three catches for 29 yards, as Surtain is a player he has long admired.
6. Pepper’s helmet: Hard-hitting safety Jabrill Peppers plans to wear a Guardian Cap to games all season. He did so for the opener and said he didn’t notice much of a difference. He likes the idea of being protected from plays where he might not see his opponent and there might be incidental contact to the head/neck area. However, he said the weather could change his plans and Sunday’s game against the Seahawks could be a good test, as the forecast calls for sunshine and highs around 27 degrees.
“The deciding factor is how hot it gets, because it covers all the holes in the helmet, so that’s where it gets hot,” he said.
7. Quick Snapshot: The new “Quick Snap” podcast from Patriots center David Andrews and former New England quarterback Brian Hoyer has temporarily lifted the curtain and provided insights into what goes on behind the scenes at the team.
Andrews said Mayo showed players a slide in a recent team meeting about the difference between a boss and a leader. On one side, there were three people pulling a rope and one person sitting on a platform yelling at them – a boss. On another side, there were three people pulling a rope and one person joining them – a leader. Andrews said this reflects the “servant leadership” Mayo is trying to instill in the team’s culture.
8. Macdonald’s homecoming: Mike Macdonald, who is in his first year as coach of the Seahawks and is the youngest head coach in the NFL at 37, was born in Boston. He describes his “first football memory” as a tour of Foxboro Stadium in 1993 with his father, Hugh.
When Macdonald was 6, the family moved to the Atlanta suburbs because his father worked in business. But Macdonald’s passion for the Patriots remained throughout the years. When former Patriots safety lawyer Milloy visited Seahawks training camp in early August, it took on a whole new meaning for Macdonald.
9. Gap between Belichick and Carroll: The last time the Patriots and Seahawks met when neither Bill Belichick nor Pete Carroll were in charge was on October 24, 1993. The Tom Flores-coached Seahawks defeated the Bill Parcells-coached Patriots 10-9 at the Kingdome when quarterback Rick Mirer threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Brian Blades with 25 seconds left. Patriots rookie quarterback Drew Bledsoe missed the game due to injury, so Scott Secules started in his place.
Last season, Carroll and Belichick were the oldest head coaches in the NFL. This year, Macdonald and Mayo are the youngest head coaches in the NFL.
10. Did you know? The Patriots have a 2-3 record against the Seahawks since 2000, making them the only team against which New England has a losing record during that time.
