Is Patriots Run Game Fixed After Jets Victory?

After struggling to run the football in their first two games, the New England Patriots drastically improved against the New York Jets.

The New England Patriots offense under new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has shown signs of new life, like quarterback Mac Jones being decisive and efficient in the passing game. Yet, they still have a fair share of problems to fix. One of the big problems offensively through three games is their rushing attack. 

Despite the return of one of the NFL's top young running backs, Rhamondre Stevenson, the Patriots have struggled to run the football effectively. Through the first three weeks, the former fourth-round pick has totaled 134 yards and one touchdown on 49 carries, averaging a mere 2.3 yards per carry. At the same time, Ezekiel Elliott has 122 yards on 28 rushes.

For an offense that doesn't have a game-changer at wide receiver, the Patriots need more from their running backs. As the win over the New York Jets showed, when New England can get its run game going, it can help an offense that struggles to put points on the board.

The Stevenson and Elliott combined for 139 yards in the 15-10 win on Sunday, as the veteran Zeke was the leading rusher with 80 yards on 16 carries. After two games where the Patriots rushing attack was held to below 100 yards, Elliott and Stevenson found a way to break triple digits on the stat sheet, something they will look to do again when they face the Dallas Cowboys. 

Following a dominant start to the season for the Cowboys, where they beat the New York Giants and Jets by a combined 70-10, they fell 28-16 to the Arizona Cardinals. So, how did a previously winless team manage to beat one of the NFL's hottest teams?

The ground game was the driving force behind the Cardinals' offense. Arizona finished the game 222 yards on their way to the win, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. 

The matchup with the Cowboys could be a big confidence booster for a Patriots offensive line that has struggled to consistently open up holes to run through.