THESE THINGS CANNOT HAPPEN - PT. 2
5 things that ABSOLUTELY CANNOT HAPPEN if NE is to return to the big game in 2026-27
By: Gene Sorbo AKA Coach - Follow on X @NEPatriot_USA
Now that Training Camp has officially begun, the New England Patriots, and their fans, are off and running towards achieving a very difficult objective – returning to the Super Bowl, and this time, winning the big game.
The sun is shining, fans have returned in droves, footballs and autographs are flying, and all seems well once again at Gillette Stadium. Exciting times!
But is it really all “sunshine and rainbows” for our hometown team?
In my previous part 1 of this 5 part “glass half empty” series, Captain Obvious (me) began looking at things that just CANNOT happen for the Patriots to make the difficult return trip to the Super Bowl, with CANNOT #1: Drake Maye CANNOT get hurt.
Now that training camp has started, this one becomes a present challenge and reality.
In today’s CANNOT #2, I continue the series by taking a player by player look at a few key returning players on both sides of the ball who amped up their games last year and were key contributors to helping the Patriots make it to Super Bowl.
You can call this one, CANNOT #2: Key returning players CANNOT underachieve.
These are players who in my opinion CANNOT underachieve; but who unfortunately JUST MIGHT.
Today - let’s get into by looking at player #1.
#1-RB1 Rhamondre Stevenson:
Put simply: Mondre CANNOT get “fumbleitis” again and start putting the ball on the ground.
Foxboro, MA – New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson fumbles the ball during the first quarter of the game at Gillette Stadium. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
For those of you who have been following Stevenson since he joined the Patriots in 2021, like me you have undoubtedly seen both his potential for running back greatness, and his unfortunate tendency to thwart that greatness by fumbling the ball.
It’s at times almost a Jekyll and Hyde scenario with Stevenson.
In his 5 full years in the NFL, all with the Patriots, Mondre has fumbled the ball 17 times, and has lost 9 of them. His rate of one fumble every 30–34 touches since 2024 makes him the most fumble-prone running back in the league over the last two years. <footnote 1>
OUCH.
After a slow and fumbling start to last year (two in Week 3 and one in Week 5 – which made 10 over a 20-game stretch) some fans were actually calling for Mondre to be benched. New Head Coach Mike Vrabel took a chance and stuck with him, and Mondre rewarded him (and us) by becoming a nearly unstoppable force – arguably the best running back in the AFC after the midway point of the season. Recovering from a toe injury that caused him to miss 3 games, Mondre played in 6 more games, rushed 47 times for 324 yards (an impressive 6.9 yards per carry), and scored 4 touchdowns. He also had 16 receptions for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns. <footnote 2> Best of all - ZERO fumbles during this span!
I especially enjoyed seeing Mondre use his super power to run through and over people and give more than a few flailing defenders the Rob Gronkowski stiff arm throw down treatment!
Patriots faithful - if we are to return to the big game this year, we CANNOT have anything less than this Mondre, ALL YEAR LONG.
But which Mondre will show up in 2026?
Concerned? Not concerned? Drop your comments below.
Next time, we’ll have a look at Mondre’s counterpart in backfield crime. Let’s just say things might not exactly be what they seem with promising RB#2.
Continue to enjoy the lead up to the season!
Footnotes/Statistical references:
<footnote 1> - https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/rhamondre-steveson-fumbles-career
<footnote 2> - https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StevRh00.htm