The Patriots’ loss to the Bills on Sunday dropped their record to 2-5 on the season. What are their chances of turning it around and making the playoffs? We take a look at the four teams that have done it since 2010.
Sunday's Week 8 loss to the Buffalo Bills was a frustrating one for the New England Patriots given the way it ended with Cam Newton's fumble late in the fourth quarter.
But there were a few bright spots, and one of them was running back Damien Harris.
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Harris ran for 102 yards and a touchdown on just 16 carries. His most impressive run was a 22-yard score in the third quarter.
Harris is a powerful runner capable of breaking tackles, racking up yards after contact and creating big plays with his speed. It's a style that has impressed Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who, on Tuesday, summarized it with a fitting quote.
It would behoove the Patriots to give Harris more carries going forward, especially with running back Sony Michel on injured reserve and out of the lineup.
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New England Patriots
Harris was especially effective late in Sunday's game, totaling 56 rushing yards on eight carries on New England's final two drives. He's averaging 5.7 yards per carry on the season, and he's gone over the 100-yard mark in each of his two games with more than 10 rushing attempts.
The ground game is the strength of the Patriots offense. It will play a huge role in this team's ability to score points and dominate time of possession on a weekly basis. For the Patriots to maximize the production of their rushing attack, Harris needs at least 15 touches per game.
