The New England Patriots just got a massive boost for their Week 5 clash against the Las Vegas Raiders. All seven players listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report are confirmed good to go, and that is huge news for Sunday’s game. This means veteran running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who had a knee injury late in last Sunday’s win against Buffalo, is ready to roll.
Stevenson’s Return Changes the Game for New England’s Offense
Getting Stevenson back on the field is absolutely critical, especially with how the Raiders’ run defense has been playing. Vegas might look opportunistic on paper, sitting sixth in EPA given up per rush at -0.183, but dive a little deeper and you see they are 31st in the entire league for rush yards per attempt against, giving up an average of 5.2 yards. That is a massive weakness, and Stevenson is exactly the kind of back who can exploit it. His availability swings the momentum big time for the Patriots’ offensive game plan.
Key Defensive and Special Teams Boosts Make a Difference
It is not just Stevenson delivering the good news. The Patriots are getting other critical pieces back. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore is returning after missing a week with a shoulder injury, which is a big deal for their defensive front. Plus, special teams ace Brenden Schooler, who was dealing with a back injury, is making his season debut after getting activated from the non-football injury list on Saturday. Talk about a boost for their special teams unit!
The list of other questionable players now confirmed active is pretty long, showing a general improvement in team health: right tackle Morgan Moses (foot), outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones (shoulder), off-ball linebacker Christian Elliss (chest), cornerback Charles Woods (shoulder), and safety Craig Woodson (shoulder) are all cleared to play. That is a lot of key starters and depth guys stepping up for Sunday.
Who’s Out and What’s Next
While the injury report cleared up for many, the Patriots still have some inactive players for Week 5. They are without QB3 Behren Morton, offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover, and four cornerbacks: Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Channing Canada, and Karon Prunty. The practice squad also includes 14 other players like running back Lan Larison and wide receiver Kyle Dixon.
Heading into Week 5 against the Raiders, the Patriots are looking significantly healthier than many expected just a couple of days ago. With Stevenson leading the charge and key defensive players back in the lineup, they are set to challenge Vegas’s run defense. This game on Sunday is going to be a real test, and with these guys back, they definitely have a better shot at bringing the heat!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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