Feed Zeke: Patriots Run to Win Over Jets
For the New England Patriots, it took two to make a 15th thing go right against the New York Jets.
With offensive highlights at a premium in their 15-10 win over the Jets, the Patriots nonetheless enjoyed a united 139-yard outing from Ezekiel Elliott and Rhamondre Stevenson. It was certainly a step in the right direction for the newly formed tandem, which had struggled to gain momentum in their first couple of outings. Entering Sunday's Week 3 actions, the Patriots ranked 27th in yards per game at a mere 82.
In the midst of offensive ineptitude, Elliott (16 carries, 80 yards) was afforded a chance at a muted return to glory. One of the newest Patriots reached the 80-yard landmark for the first time since last Thanksgiving against the New York Giants, which also marked the last time he averaged five yards a carry.
Stevenson (19 carries, 59 yards), on the other hand, certainly has some more work to do if he's going to match last season's four-digit output but her certainly appears to have the Patriots' continued trust for the time being. The third-year man, for example, was called upon three times in the attempt to run out the clock as the Jets ate away at their timeouts.
Center David Andrews appeared pleased with the output but stressed a desire to make life even easier for the two talented backs.
"I think (Elliott's) done a really good job (since coming over late)," Andrews said, per Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub. "We've got two really good backs. We've got to hold up our end of the bargain up front."
At the very least, the Patriots' rushers can take pride in a strong showing against one of the NFL's more impactful defenses: the Jets' defenders were widely expected to keep the team afloat after the offense was forced to turn to Zach Wilson in the wake of Aaron Rodgers' injury. New York was allowing 3.6 yards per carry by the time Sunday's game kicked off, which was good for a tie in seventh-place after two weeks.
Elliott and Stevenson will look to build on the momentum when the Patriots face the former's ex-employers in Dallas next Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox).
