The Patriots hadn't won in Miami since 2019, but that streak ended in Week 2 with a 33-27 victory that featured five lead changes and a defining performance from running back Rhamondre Stevenson. It was the first win of the Mike Vrabel era, and Stevenson's contributions, both on the ground and through the air, were central to the outcome.
Stevenson finished with 11 carries for 54 yards, including a long of 21 yards, and caught all five of his targets for 88 yards. His biggest moment came late in the third quarter with the Patriots trailing 20–15 and facing a 3rd-and-3 from their own 24. Drake Maye stepped up in the pocket, narrowly avoiding pressure, and dropped a perfectly placed ball over the shoulder to Stevenson, who sprinted back across the middle of the field for a 55-yard gain. Two plays later, Maye scrambled in for a touchdown to retake the lead.
"I got a little tired, I ain't gonna lie," Stevenson said with a laugh after the win. "But I was excited to be in the game when they called it and make a play."
Stevenson also converted a 3rd-and-12 with a 13-yard catch in the fourth quarter, continuing to show the kind of versatility that defined his breakout 2022 season, when he racked up 1,461 yards from scrimmage. This was his most productive game since then, and it came at a time when the Patriots needed a tone-setter.
"He's athletic with the ball in his hands," Vrabel said. "He turns second-and-15 into third-and-3, and those are critical when you can do that and not end up in third-and-8."
Maye highlighted the trust he has in Stevenson, noting the work they've put in together on plays like the one that flipped the game.
"We throw those kind of routes all the time in practice," Maye said. "I thought I overthrew it at first, and he made a great play."
The win was a street fight, as Vrabel described it, and Stevenson embodied that mentality. He leaned into the physicality early, telling the other backs they were going downhill in the first half.
The performance meant even more to Stevenson after losing his father, Robert, back in March. After a difficult spring and summer off the field, it was a game he knew his dad would be proud of.
"It's been tough on me for the last couple of months," Stevenson said. "Just putting my best foot forward and just knowing what my Pops would want me to do. He probably would have loved this game."
The locker room celebration was emotional, with players rallying around Vrabel for his first win. Stevenson was among those to receive a game ball from Vrabel based on a performance that was a reminder of what kind of back he can be, one who can carry the load, make explosive plays, and help close out wins.
For a Patriots team still finding its identity under a new head coach and second-year quarterback, Stevenson's return to form couldn't have come at a better time.
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