The New England Patriots take on the New York Jets in Week 3. This week’s Thursday Night Football matchup features two teams known for their defense and their commitment to a good run game.

Rhamondre Stevenson got the starting nod for the Patriots in a tough matchup. Not much has gone right for New England’s offense in 2024, but Stevenson has racked up 201 yards and two touchdowns on 46 carries.

Unfortunately, the running back was injured in the second quarter of the game and missed a crucial drive for the Pats.

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Rhamondre Stevenson injury update

Stevenson suffered a strange injury in Thursday night’s game. The running back broke off a long run, but there was a flag on the play. The call was for a facemask, but it was against Stevenson.

The Patriots running back held the Jets defender stiffly on his arm and it appeared his pinky finger got stuck in his opponent’s helmet.

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson 🤕

Brutal move for the New England RB, gets a facemask on his best run of the night AND appears to injure his finger 👎

Pinky gets caught in the helmet, worry about a dislocation or sprain 👀photo.twitter.com/3ydk85W7vA

— Sebastian Fearon DPT, CSCS, OCS (@TheDegenDoc) September 20, 2024

Before the injury, Stevenson had racked up 20 yards on four carries. He typically gets a few targets in the passing game, but Jacoby Brissett hasn’t thrown to him yet.

Stevenson was able to return in the second half. Despite missing most of the first half due to the injury, he was given the first carry after halftime. For now, it appears Stevenson is OK, but it’s something to keep an eye on the rest of the way.

Patriots RB Depth Chart

If Stevenson can’t return, New England will have to rely on Antonio Gibson in the backfield. After starting his career with the Washington Commanders, Gibson signed with the Patriots in free agency. At one point, it looked like he could develop into a solid starter in the league given his pass-catching skills. However, he never took that next step, opting instead to make a clean slate in New England.

If the Pats are without Stevenson, third running back JaMycal Hasty could also be included in the game plan.

We will update this post as more information becomes available.