With Brian Hoyer behind center on Sunday, the New England Patriots will likely need a big day out of their running backs if they want to leave Lambeau Field with a W.
And according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, that’s exactly what they’re going to get.
In his Week 4 picks, Reiss noted that much of the offensive onus will land on the shoulders (or legs) of backfield mates Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. A tandem that he thinks will rise to the occasion.
“Patriots running backs Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson will come close to totaling 200 rushing yards between them,” the ESPN reporter predicted. “This will have to be the formula for New England to have a chance to pull the upset.”
“The Packers have shown some vulnerability against the run, with the Bears totaling 180 yards on 27 carries in Week 2, and the Vikings with 126 yards on 28 carries in Week 1,” he continued. “But here’s a potential problem for New England: With [Aaron] Rodgers completing 75% of his passes in back-to-back games, the possibility of falling behind early could make the Patriots more one-dimensional than they desire.”
At 1-2, the Patriots are trying not to fall too far behind in the improved AFC East. They’ll get their chance to climb back to .500 in the 4:25 PM window.