The New England Patriots played the biggest game of their season (so far) on Sunday, and the way they used running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson was very telling.
With everything on the line in the AFC Championship Game, on the road in a snowy Denver against the Broncos, Henderson hardly touched the field.
That's kind of what it felt like watching the game, but the stats are jarring.
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Stevenson was on the field for 60 snaps.
Henderson got just 4 snaps.
Stevenson carried the ball 25 times for 71 yards.
Henderson carried the ball 3 times for 5 yards.
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This was a much wider breakdown than even the most Stevenson-heavy parts of the regular season.
Henderson is a second-round rookie out of Ohio State which clear explosiveness, which he showed best this season in games that Stevenson missed due to injury.
The Patriots could've had him on a short leash Sunday for many reasons, potentially even just concerns over how he'd handle the snow and cold, which won't be a factor in the Super Bowl in California.
But regardless, it's not a ringing endorsement of Henderson. He could never quite dispatch Stevenson during the season, and with everything on the line, the Patriots basically just told him to stay out of the way.
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