New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is officially out for Sunday’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins, as the team downgraded his status to “out” on Saturday due to an illness. The absence of the second-year star is a significant blow to the offense, particularly because he serves as a versatile threat in the passing game. His removal from the lineup limits the creative play-calling options for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who had been looking to utilize Henderson more frequently as a receiving option to exploit defensive mismatches.
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The injury woes extend beyond the backfield, as the Patriots have also ruled out star wide receiver A.J. Brown, along with Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins. With these key offensive weapons sidelined, New England is left with only three healthy wideouts on their main roster, creating a severe depth crisis in the passing attack. This scarcity forces the offense to rely heavily on its remaining personnel to generate yards after contact and maintain rhythm against a Miami defense that has shown vulnerability to the run.
With Henderson unavailable, the Patriots are expected to elevate Lan Larison into a more prominent role, utilizing him as a change-of-pace runner and an extra receiver in the passing game. However, the primary workload will fall to Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner, who has emerged as a reliable option in recent weeks. Facing a Miami unit that ranks among the worst in the NFL against play-action, New England must establish a consistent ground game to control the clock and keep the Dolphins’ defense honest, making the contributions of Stevenson and Kiner critical to the team’s success in this high-stakes contest.
Source: Yahoo Sports
