Week 16 was a statement game for the New England Patriots against the Baltimore Ravens. And for their hard-earned 28-24 win, they even broke a few molds. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson brought home a touchdown on the game-winning drive by running right for 21 yards to give the Pats their late lead. But that wasn’t how head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had planned it out.

“The play was supposed to go left,” Stevenson noted in an interview. “It was a lead play to the left. … I don’t like saying it, but I kinda predetermined where I was gonna take it, backside. After I took it backside, it was wide open. I seen [Kyle Williams] making a great block on the corner, and I just ran behind him and got into the end zone.”

That split-second read was pure veteran instinct. Stevenson saw an opening, and he took it. While it wasn’t what the original play warranted, you simply cannot argue with the results. Before Stevenson had this brainwave, the Patriots were trailing 24-21 to Baltimore, and this spectacular play came with barely two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

And the thing is, Rhamondre Stevenson wasn’t supposed to be the guy carrying this offense down the stretch. That role belonged to rookie TreVeyon Henderson until a concussion sidelined him in the second quarter against Baltimore. Suddenly, the fifth-year veteran was back in the spotlight.

And he delivered. 78 yards from scrimmage (rushing + receiving), a two-point conversion, and that game-sealing touchdown. For a player who spent most of 2025 splitting reps, Stevenson looked like the workhorse New England remembers from previous seasons.

Through 16 games, he’s got 425 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 115 carries. Not eye-popping numbers, but context matters. He played second fiddle until Henderson went down. And now, he’s the engine again. Henderson’s status for Week 17 remains unclear as he works through the concussion protocol. If he can’t clear those five steps in time, Stevenson gets a bigger stage against the New York Jets. No splitting carries, just vintage Rhamondre.

That kind of football IQ—reading plays mid-snap, trusting gut over structure–is exactly what second-year quarterback Drake Maye needs heading into his first playoff run. He carved up Baltimore for 380 yards (a career-best) and two touchdowns, and has been in MVP conversations all season. But January football demands more than just arm talent.

Having a back who can improvise when the play breaks down gives Maye another weapon. Stevenson’s touchdown didn’t just seal Baltimore’s game; it showed how New England’s offense can adapt when defenses take away the first read. And with an O-line showing cracks, that’ll matter a lot come playoff time.

But winning one game doesn’t mean anything if they stumble down the stretch. And New England’s got bigger prizes in sight right now.

The division title chase for Drake Maye & Co.

The Patriots sit at 12-3, first in the AFC East and holding the No. 2 seed in the conference behind the Denver Broncos. They’ve already locked up their first playoff berth since 2021, but that’s not the goal here. They want the division crown.

Two games stand between them and the AFC East title. Sunday’s road trip to MetLife Stadium to face the Jets (3-12), then a Week 18 home season finale against the Miami Dolphins on January 4. Win both, and the division’s theirs. Simple as that.

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The Buffalo Bills (11-4) are breathing down their necks at the 6th seed of the AFC. If the Patriots can take care of business against two struggling division rivals, the Bills can’t catch them. A division title would be the Patriots’ first since 2019. What’s more, if the Pats just win Week 17 while the Bills fall to the Philadelphia Eagles, New England can clinch the AFC East right away.

Whatever happens in the last two weeks, the Patriots have a deep playoff run ahead of them. And Rhamondre Stevenson’s football IQ and instincts will be a major boost to their offense. For now, we wait to see how that plays out against the Jets.