New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel didn't sound like a man preparing to put running back Rhamondre Stevenson in the doghouse for losing a fumble in the Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Stevenson lost two fumbles against the Steelers last season, and his turnover on the first drive of the game hit like a strong dose of deja vu. Granted, he was able to return to the game and make a couple of plays to try to make up for the early mistake.
TreVeyon Henderson taking the field and sprinting for a 39-yard touchdown in the first quarter had some wondering if Henderson should be earning the bulk of the carries. From Vrabel's press conference on Wednesday, it sounds as if it will be business as usual with a split workload for the two running
backs.
"I think that they both can help us. I think that we can all see that when we were playing well offensively, that they both had major roles," said Vrabel. "It's good to see Rhamondre come back in there and have a couple of really nice runs and break through a couple of times. I think we're going to need everybody, and we know how critical the ball is and ball security."
Stevenson has been one of the Patriots' most consistent offensive contributors, but he clearly must do a better job of holding onto the ball. That much is evident to Vrabel and even Stevenson himself.
With that said, the Patriots also want him playing free and not overthinking himself. One way to ensure that happens is for the head coach to continue his strong display of confidence in the player, even after a mistake.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Mike Vrabel comments on Rhamondre Stevenson's fumble, state of RB room
